Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-20
SAVED BY GRAVE ROBBERS.


A Story Told to the Dhudeem Club.
Several members Of the Dhudeen club were
sitting In their cosy room at the - house.
The topics Of the day had been pretty well ex-
hausted, when MelwoOd, young broker, men-
toned the case, reported In the papers, OF q
lady who had fallen into trance, which was
mistaken for death, and expressed his belief that
1t was an unfounded sensational newspaper
yarn.
"Wel, believe tt" said Mr.. Rathburn,
quiet, gray-headed. keen eyed old lawyer who
was commonly called Judge among the men,
bers Of the club. aud usually spent his evenings
| smoking silently in the club room and listening
without remark to the chaf and chatter Of the
other members. 81 have known a more won.
derful case than that and will tell you about
It," The Judge here filled his pipe, pulled it
quietly for few seconds and the boys, knowing
that they were in for a story. drew their chairs
together In semi-circle about the fireplace
at was many years ago." said the Judge.
''when the events which l speak Of happened
still guess there are many peope now living
in the northwestern part of the city who re-
member old Richard Bailey. In those days the
northwestern part of the town was not built upas
| it is now. Where now there are rows of splen-
did residences there used to be commons and
near one particular locality called the '.Slashes,"
| stood large rambling old house. In this house,
which was the only one in the square. lived
| Richard Bailey and Maud. his adopted daugh-
| ter. Bailey had been mechanic. and had
struggled hard during his earlier years for
| livelihood. Maud Stuart was the daughter of
| one of Bailey's fellOw-wOrkmen. who was killed
| by an accident in the shop when Maud
| little blue-eyed girl. Bailey then took Maud,
him. and frightened his life. Bailey was
| intelligent and studious, and invented some
| improvements in machinery, which before
| he was a very old man, gained him a compe
tence. Being rather eccentric in his ways. he
| bought the old house have mentioned. chOos-
ing it on account of its isolation as. he said he
| would not be troubled with meddlesome neigh
! bOrs. He fitted up In the grounds sort of lab
OratOry or workshop, where he spent most
| of his time and the boys who used to go gun
ming tor snipe and other game in that locality
| got to calling the place the magicians castle.
! Though Bailey pursued a sort of hermit life. he
| did not deprive Maud Of the advantages to be
gained by contact with the world She grew up
| to be tall and beautiful girl, having
| all the accomplishments that money could aid
| her in acquiring. She was known all over the
| city for her charms Of mind as well as person.
Bailey loved her as fondly as If she had been his
own daughter and as she grew into woman
! hood, his heart saddened, as he felt that some
| day lover would come to claim her from
| him. But at the time I am speaking though
| Maud had legion of admirers she was heart
| and fancy free, and devoted herself to promot-
| ing the happiness of Bailey. / had considerable
| business to manage for Bailey in connection
| with patents and other matters, and was obliged
| to call upon him now and then in
| professional way. From making professional
calls it was an easy step to drive out that way
| summer evenings for an unprOfessiOnal chat.
| and think the hours l spent after the labOrs Of
the day in the company of this guileless pure
| hearted old man and the intelligent frank. WIN
| ming girl, who was always by his side. are among
l
| ways suppose. made me congenial compan-
| Ion for Bailey. l am making my story long. but
if you will be patient will ill my pipe again
and go ahead"
The Judge having relighted his meerschaum.
| and taken two or three long whiifs proceeded
with his narrative. We'll. think l was the
only visitor that old Bailey used to see in a
social way. He had some relatives living in
| another part of the city. They called
| themselves fashionable people, and when
| Bailey was Woodworking mechanic dis
owned him. After he became rich they suddenly
| discovered that he was a very excellent man.
| but Bailey showed no disposition tn cultivate
their acquaintance, and. in fact. guess. gave
them to understand, in very plain terms that he
did not care to have anything to do with them
| One day note came to my Office from Miss
| Maud, telling me that her father-she always
| called Bailey father-was ill. rode out to the
| house that evening and found Bailey suffering
with high fever. accompanied WITH delirium.
| The doctor, who was there. told me that he ex-
pected soon to break the fever and he had
| no doubt the patient would recover.
| Maud seemed to be greatly cOmiOrted by my
confidence and left her watching patiently by
| the side of the sick man. At noon the next day
| | was shocked by message stating that
| Bailey was dead. l at once fastened to the old
house and found that it was true. The doctor
| had just left. One of the servants told me that
| the old gentleman had had an unusually violent
| delirious attack. had then recovered conscious
ness long enough to speak Maud's name and take
| her hand Then his eyes closed and ne passed
| away as peacefully as tired child
chamber Maud was kneeling at the bed
| side mute in her great grief. and still clinging
to the cold hand 1t was no time for me to in
trude, so l returned to the lower floor and gave
such directions as were necessary concerning
the disposition Of the dead When was about
to leave. carriage drove up to the gate. and
in trooped. noisy and. thought at the time,
with triumphant swagger. the relatives
of old Bailey. OF whom l. have spoken.
These We're Mrs. Simmons and the
Simmons brushed by me in the hall without any
ceremony, and ordered a servant to open the
drawing room. She had come evidently
| to take possession. thought it best that Maud
in her distress should not De forced to meet
these brazen women alone and l remained
After the Misses Simmons had made hasty in
spection Of the furniture. Mrs. Simmons called
them and they decided to go up stairs. l pre-
CeOeU Cncu W the IOOlu NutTe MAUI kepC Her
silent and lonely vigil by the dead. When they
entered one of the Misses Simmons, going to
the bedside. drew down the sheet to expose the
old genteman's face, with as little concern as q
person would push back window curtain.
IL suppose this young woman" said Mrs.
Simmons, pointing to Maud's crOuching FORM
lean stay here until after the funeral"
was about to reply with some indignation,
but checked myself and said. as calmly as 1
could, 81 suppose she can stay here SO long as
she chooses"
mo" said Mrs Simmons. 'She will have to
find a home elsewhere. She lived on old Dick
while he was living long enough, and set him
against his own blood and kin. You know
Dick made no will"
Though it may sound unlawyerlike. had
never in the shock given me by the death of
the old man, bestowed one thought on the ques-
ton as to who should succeed to his estate. As
his lawyer. knew the old gentleman never had
made will. He had some sort of eccentric OBJ
lection to making will. He had -confded to
me his purpose of settling his property on Maud
before he died. but, with that confidence in con-
tinued existence that is part of human nature,
he had neglected to perform what he considered
sacred duty until it was beyond his
power Mrs. Simmons was right and Maud
was from that day poor homeless orphan.