The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-05-26
MISS ARACES- ILLUSION.


MISS 6RACE'S ILLUSION.
34E sSr --.-=--l
Miss Grace AfchSll, the youngest
daughter of q wealthy city merchant re-
siding at South Kensington, received on
her sixteenth birthday 8 present of . hand.
some diamond necklace from her god
father. It was an extrayagant gift for
young girl, bnt the donor was. rich and
eccentric. Miss Grace was naturally
highly delighted with her first really
good piece ofjewelry, and wore it with
conscious pride al q little birthday party
the same evening. Her parents were
away on the Continent. or probably they
might have objected to this proceeding.
In their absence, however, Miss Grace
scoffed at the wisdom of her elder sisters
who represented. not without spice of
envy. that -such ostentation was in bad
taste. She received many congratula-
tions on her good fortune from her
Young friends, who. regarded the dia-
monds with sort,of woe.stricken admir-
alton. On,retiring to rest, Miss Grace
persisted in carrying the necklace to her
room. pervefselY deciiningfto deposit it
in the stropg.room, where the plate was
kept. being, apparently Irather unduly
elated at the sensation it had caused.
In the middie.of the flight the, house
hold was aroused by aAoud shrek, and
Miss Grace was found Oh the landing out
side her door IN very scared and hys-
terical state. It waa some time before
her sisters and the servants could ascer-
tain from her what Ygs the matter; but
at length they elicitSd that she had been
awakened by som% one moving about
her room, and had fdistinctly heard and
seen man 20 mp 40 her dressing-table
and subsea uently disappear through the
door. According to her account she haG
rushed out Of bed, too frightened te
utter O sound, &hd had seen the mar
making his way down the stairs. Sht
had not dared 70 follow him, but had
with some difficulty raised the slarm.
This recital naturally caused the great
est excitement. The butler and foot
man, who slept in the basement, had no
yet appeared onthe scene, and the terri
fed women. for there was no male mem
Der of the family in the house, began tt
scream and make q commotion. Some
body threw up q window which opened
on the street and shouted for the police
One of the elder girls, more courageou'
than the rest. went downstairs to put ths
men servants ON the alert. There was I
general move toward Miss Grace's room
where it was ascertained that not only
the diamond necklace, but o ring and ,
few smaller articles of iewelry had van
ished.
In the midst Of the lamentations anc
paroxysms which ensued the door bel
was heard TO ring, and several persons
mounted the stairs headed by the butler
Among others was q young surgeon
named Lake, who resided few doors
off. A constable was also of the party
which was mainly, composed of gentle
men who were returning home from 9
ball in the neighborf10od. The cause oi
the alarm having been explained, care
ful search was made for the burglar, bat
no trace of him was found. 4 window in
one of the Landings was discovered to be
open, and it was possible he had escaped
by it, though the descent must have been
perilous. This possibility, however, be.
came certainty when it was ascertained
that all the other windows and doors in
the house were securely fastened, and
that the thief was clearly no longer upon
the premises.
While the search was proceeding. DR..
Lake was requested to step mp stairs &c
Miss Grace's room, where one OF the ser,
wants nad 1ainted from a., terror ana coulo
not be orougns 20. Inc DOCTOR was q
young practitioner who was said to be
extremely clever at his profession, bu
ne was ailoWea' rev opp~ortunltles ~ OF CIV
ing evidence OF ms aplilsy. IN otnei
words, he had no patients though ne nae
been in practice year or two, and was
undergoing that palniui pef.od OF pro
baton which falls to the lot OF most med
ical mon. He had rather striking face
with keen eyes and 2 resolute chin, ane
was decidedly good-ioonng.
He soon disposed OF his patient, whom
he restored to consciousness by the sim
pie and summary method OF dousing hel
head withscold water He .then turned
to Miss Grace, who was now quiet anc
composed. and looked very pretty In ne
fair hair down her back, her flushed
cheeks and her smart dressing-gcwn1
which showed off her girlish figure TO ad
vantage. knew the family rather IN
tinAtAly in n neiphbOrly way and had