The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-03-01
SELECTED SKETCH.
a A MoRTAR.BED

a MOKTAR-BED.
Isee great many things from my vim
dow. 1t overlooks a very quiet street, but
ever since have been kept from going
about by this wretched sprain in my ankle
have found much to interest me in the street
in front. Ever since they began the build
ing just across the way /. have been absorb
ed in watching its progress to the neglect of
my needle work, and even the new books
which Tom brought me to read 1 have
taken such delight in. the laying of the, brick
wall, of seeing it grow day by day till it
reached its height and was crowned by
cornice. 1t suggested to me many ideas
about life which perhaps would be laughed
at as the faneies of an old woman.
have been anxious from the first that
the honses might be a success, for Ton,
Neal was the architect, and Tom is my ia
vorite nephew and the finest fellow that ever
cheered an old woman. His father has been
so skeptical about TOMS success as an archi-
tect that he hesitatedl about using his plans
for the new row he was to build; but he
finally decided to give the boy chance, and
in my opinion the result is satisfactory.
One of the houses is Toms, and he goes
over it with great interest every morning
Just before paying me his daily visit. Tom
is thoughtful boy and does not neglect
me.
One day when they had begun the plaster
ing, watched the men all day as they work.
ed. Some were sitting the sand which was
dumped there by some little carts that were
backed up and unjointed and then driven
away for another load The lime had seeth-
ed and bubbled in long white box, spatter-
ing far over the sides, and after this was all
over they lifted the little gate in the end of
the box and the white stream ran into bed
of clean, cool sand; then the men took
their shoyels and covered this soft little lake
with thick layer of soft sand till it might
have passed itself off for solid bank of the
real article, and the days work being done,
the men took their dinner pals and went
home.
By the time had finished my tea aud
taken my seat by the window again it was
quite dark, though could still see the fig
ures of the passers by in the dim light My
attention was suddenly attracted by the fig
ure of woman on the other side of the
street, She was in evident haste The walk
was entirely blockaded by the building ma
terials, and as the street was covered with
mud watched her with idle curiosity to see
what she would do. She hesitated for q
,a,nf I'd 4bn,, r.
on one of the sand banks that fapked that
treacherous bed, and finding it firm hurried
forward. A few steps and she slipped aud
went down in the Shiny mass. As she fell
her arm struck against the board ON which
lantern hung Its light gave me glimpse
of her face. 1t was haggard but still young.
She caught the board ms she struck it, and
regained her footing threw up my VIM
dow, calling at the same time to Jane to go
to the girls assistance; but seeing that she
was observed, the stranger plunged into
the muddy road and was soon lost in the
darkness.
The next morning when Tom came in
saw he was quite excited, and without wait
ing for any greeting he at once showed me q
bracelet he had just found, Where did l
suppose he found it /? In the mortar After
the hod-carriers had emptied their hods he
himself happened to be there, saw somethgin
shining, and fshed this bracelet out of the
mass. examined it curiously 1t was an
odd pattern. Two heavy wires of unpolish-
ed gold, twisted together, the ends bent into
a hook and eye, and on the inside small
letter l. was engraved.
1t did not occur to me at first to connect
this bracelet with the little incident of the
night before, but in q few minutes it flashed
upon me, and with strange perversity did
not mention it to Tom He was already in
clined TO weave some romance about the af-
fair, and was not going 10 give him materi-
a. for any such nonsense so advised him to
advertise it. He finally consented, though |
could see that he had some wild idea of find.
ing the owner without such aid. A weeks
advertising brought no response and at the
end of that time Tom took me down to the
nearest point on the coast to get breath of
sea air. We had not been there twenty -four
hours when he rushed into my room, shout
ing rather ambiguously, 81 have seen her;
have seen her."
"Seen whom ~ demanded, seeing his ex-
element
1.-THE owner Of the bracelet. She was sit
ting on the porch croeheting and on herarm
was the exact mate to the one found.
She was talking with the Gilberts, and
strolled up 10 Harry and he at once intro
duced me, Her name is Carey. Did you
ever hear Of them ? Gilbert says they don't
live far from u.s."
az do not believe that it belongs to her."
answered, impatiently, for was tired of
Toms conjectures about the owner of that
bracelet l had heard little else for a
week.
IF you are sure It is hers, why don't you
60 and restore it to her 2"
Tom was hurt at my lack of interest, and
went down to look at the register to find if
her initials agreed with those on the brace
let. He returned somewhat crestfallen.
The names were registered, Mrs. John Ca
rey,' Miss Helen H. Carey" Though he
was puzzled he was not convinced.
Now I am an old woman, and ought to
be past any romantic follies, but determin-
cd to hobble out on the porch and see this
young woman for myself In view of what
occurred the night before the bracelet was
found, felt confident of being able to tell
Of a glance if Miss Helen H. Carey was the
young woman who had fallen into Toms
mortar-bed abcat two weeks before, and
then lost the article which had caused Tom
SO much speculation; SO told him that
would like to see her The following after
noon went out, supported by his strong
arm. The young lady and her mother were
there, sitting little apart from the others,
and I saw at once that she was very pretty,
with eyes and hair of the same shade of
hazel and fresh pink color in her face;
but also saw at once that she was not the
girl that had fallen into the mortar and con.
sequently the bracelet was not hers although
Its undeniable counterpart was on her arm.
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