The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-05-08
From Harper's Bazaar.
The TURN OF AN ACCIDENT

The TURN OF AN ACCIDENT.
1t was six o'clock of a crisp October
morning, and John BOYD, farmer. rous-
ing from his sound nights sleep. sprang
ont Of bed with the alert readiness of a
man who knows the value of the first
hours Of the day 1t WAS tavern bed
from which hc jumped; home and its
cares We're many miles away; but a long
ride lay before him, and he washed and
dressed briskly, rs one in haste, hum
ming a cheerful air meanwhile, as be-
came q man who felt himself IN good
spirits, and had ample reason for doing
80. For, be 1t known, thus year had
proved tie best for farmers since John
had been ms own master. Harvests had
been large, prices high, and John, on
his way back from the annual market,
carried a sense Of freedom and liberation
at his heart from the final extinguish-
ment of a mortgage on his farm-a mort
gage which had pressed as heavily on his
conscience as did the burden of Christian
ON his shoulders The burden was lifted
now; and, further than that, John car
ried ii his fat red wallet two hundred
dollars, over and above, toward the eX-
penses OF the next year. He had never
been 30 'forehanded" before, and the
sensation was joyful one. My neck
Is out Of the collar now" he muttered to
himself rs lie brushed his thick brown
hair. q should be fool indeed if |
put 1t in again. No more mortgages for
me - Then, his toilet completed, he
ran down STAIRS, two steps at time
t-a IL, IF t,, 10
horses They were munchlu4 their corn
satisfactorily; and after look or two,
and pat, John returned 70 the inn,
where i angling bell announced break
fast. 1t was smoking on the tQhIo-a
substantial meal OF the kind universal N
tayerns thirty years ago; and John Boyd,
whose appetite was of the kind proyerb-
tally said to accompany a good con
science, was doing 1t ample justice, when
q studded instinct led him t. thrust his
hand into the inner pockao which held
the two hundred dollars The wallet
was gone,
In the suddenness Of the shock, John
felt himself pale, and then flush painful
", Is he confusediy tired TO remember If
he had taken out the wallet, and when.
Under his pillow that was It, He
rccollected distinctly, or SO 1t seemed,
putting it there, for security's sake, when
he went to bed the night before. With
muttered excuse he left the table and
hurried upstairs The door Of his room
stood open, and a maidservant Was put
ting fresh sheets on the bed, the aoIIed
linen lying IN a heap ON the floor.
Toward this heap john hurried and
began turning it over
Have you lost something, sir?' asked
the maid
John Strengthened himself up to an
swer. He had not noticed the maid be-
fore, though she had waited upon table
Mt supper Now he observed that she
was young and rather pretty-f5lr, with
trim, slender figure, beautiful glossy
hair, neatly dressed and braided, and Z
pair Of sweet, apprnhensiye blue eyes.
Her voice was soft too; and she had
shy, modest manner which suggested an
Idea of refinement All these facts
Farmer Boyd absorbed in a fash. anj
lustIuctively noting, weighing, catlmat-
hg, hv that wonderfully rapid process
q which the human mind is capable,
while yet his thoughts were full Of his
money and his loss
Yes, | am looking for my wallet,
winch left under my pillow. Did You
find it,"
The girls face blanched to deadly
Wilderness, and her eyes dIlated rs with
sudden terror.
No. SIR" she said, her voice trem-
bling and sinking away, as she spoke
didn't see any wallet.
John looked at her distrustfully; but
there WAS something in the pale face
"heh dsarmed suspicion.
Il like to search the bed" he went
w. 1t may have slipped under the
together they turned the mattress, but
no valet VAS visible.
nat off horse of yourn has got his
s4oe loose somehow" announced Mr.
EaSl, the landlord. Mt the door 81
4o44Fht ia better tell You, SOS you
Nild stop to the blacksmith's as you
sa2s, anu get hlm to put IN a couple OF
as Why, what 3 the matter?'
John explained.
lae landlord looked very grave. He
VAlstled softly to himself for a minute.
Si'A ms eyes fixed on the tJmtled bed
N14S, then he went to the stair head and
.'oal his wife. Presently they came in
.oSe.her, the landlord face very red and
DOUBLED.
Such a thing never happened in nv
aouse before" she protested. But
~eres only one person been In Your
room since you came besides yourself,
and she's the person you must reckon
Win, pointing to the maid, who, with
Rhlte checks and downcast eyes. leaning
against the wall as if awaiting sentence
oh, indeed, indeed | didn't take II,
never saw any wallet, she sad: but
ner voice was drowned in Mrs. Nash's
louder tones.
Aud pray who else took it, do YOU
suppose? Who else had the chance?
answer me that. 1t serves me Just right
1or taking IN girl with no recommend
"a glrl didn't know nothing about,
not SO much as her name. or where she
came from, or who her folks are. Five