Middletown transcript., 1883-02-16
Won Starch as soon as he arrives in the

Gertrude stood an instant in thought.
Then she glanced in the mirror. 1t re-
fected bride-like figure. Dress of
some clinging creamy white material,
daisy-decked head, a cloud of lace
clasped at the throat by a tiny gold
cross. She smiled softly, re-read her
note, waited impatiently until half an
hour had passed, and then unlocked her
door, opened it, and listened. All was
silent as the grave. Cautiously she
ventured out into the entry, CROPPED her
way to the stairway, and began to de-
scend the stairs, pausing on every other
step to make sure that no one was aStir
and watching her. At last she reached
the street door in safety. 1t seemed an
age to her until she had succeeded in
unfastening the heavy chain across it
in reality it was just three minutes
and then she felt for the key. 1t was
gone! Her heart sank within her.
"Poor Everdell - she said, and sadly
prepared to retrace her steps-not dar-
ing to try the basement way, because
the servants slept in that part Of the
house-when a faint light appeared
above her head, and looking up, she
saw great-gran, carrying lighted can
die in her hand, coming down the
stairs as carefully as she had come
down them herself. ''She will call the
others as soon as she is sure it is l."
she exclaimed, clasping her hands in an
agony of fear. But great-gran came
straight on, without word, until she
stood beside the frightened girl.
Here's the key, my DEAR" she said,
in a whisper, and with quite girlish
air. "I'ye got key that fits the Gen
erals door, though she don't know it,
and took this from under her pillow.
Oh! if she'd caught me. But she
sleeps like soldier of the Revolution.
And here's a little gift for you''-put-
ting small package in Gertrude's
hand. Law, child, how much you
do look like me the night 1 ran away
with Oliver Peeky Your sweetheart's
good boy l know all about him.
Goodnight, and happy New-Year to
you both !" And eXerting all her
trength-Gertrude standing motionless
in her great surprise-the old lady un-
locked the door, and gently pushed the
girl out into the arms of her lover.
And when the flight was discoved |
next morning, the anger thereat was
nearly equalled by the wonder in regard
to the manner of it.
"She never went by the front door,
for the key was under my pillow"
thundered the bassoon.
"She couldn't have opened one of
the parlor windows to have saved her
life, squeaked the fife. "Only John
and myself know the secret of the fas-
Jennings. And if she could have opened
it, she certainly could not have fastened
it behind her. Some Of the servants
must have helped her" /"
But the servants emphatically de-
clared their entire innocence.
"There's no use asking ma" said
Mistress Huffey, looking rather spite
fully at the old lady as she rocked in
her favorite rocker and munched her
favorite refreshment. "She never sees
nor hears anything. But however the
ungrateful mink got out, Pm glad she's
gone, and not penny of my money
does she ever see"
The great-gran's little gift'' proved
to be a bonbon box filled with fresh
caraway biscuits, in the midst of which
lay a crisp thousand dollar United
States Treasury-note. But never did
Everdell or his wife hear from or see
her again, for very soon after their
marriage she passed quietly out of life,
and so will remain an enigma to them
forever.
And Madame Won Breeks Won Starch
and Mistress Huffey having succeeded
in marrying the merchant from Bergen
op-Zoom to a distant relative of the
Won Starch family sought out and
lowered for that purpose departed
with the bridal pair for that once-re-
military town, and "the land
of the free and the home of the brave''
knew them no more. Harper's Weekly.