Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-04-02
An UNCONSCIOUS DETECTIVE

Miss Twitterbit was devoured with
curiosity about her new ledger. For
nearly six weeks he had hardly stirred
out of the house, but had remained shut
up III his room from morning till nigh t,
doing nothing, SO far as she could OBJ
serve, though he sometimes had a book
II his hand. He received no visitors
and no letters, and could not be in
duced to divulge anything whatever
about himself except that his name was
Hunter. He appeared TO be agentleman,
was we'll dressed and rather good look
ing, and showed no outward traces OF
il-health to which he attributed his Sc
cIdsion. As he gave no trouble and
paid his way with unfailing regularity,
Miss Twittefbit had nothing to complain
of, but her kind heart was touched by
his loneliness, and she felta sympathetic
interest III him, which induced her to try
the experiment of sending him a valen-
tine.
She did this because she had arrived
at the conclusion that the poor young
man was pining away from the effects of
an unrequited attachment. Havin G
been herself cruelty Tilted thirty-fve
years ago, Miss Iwitterbit imagined she
knew the symptoms Of a bruised and
broken heart. This romantic theory
commended itself to the worthy lady's
sentimental mind, and seemed to ex-
plain Mr.. Hunters habitual detection,
his reticence and his strange shrinking
from his fellow men. The approach Of
st. Valentines day therefore suggested
TO her the idea of sending him tender
missive In disguised hand, partly with
the charitable object of enlivening his
solitude, but chiefly, it is to be feared,
III the hope that 1t might lead to his TAX
ing her into his confidence regarding his
blighted affections.
Accordingly, Miss Twitterbit pur-
chased highly ornate and sentimental
1ucubration and sent it up In an en-
velope on Mr.. Hunters breakfast tray.
The lodgers name had been inscribed
by the young lady at the shop where
the valentine was purchased; and in or
der 20 enhance the mystery of the pro-
ceedings, Miss Iwitterbit instructed the
servant girl to inform Mr.. Hunter, IN
case be asked any questions, that the
letter had been lett at the house by an
unknown lady. Miss pwitter bit did not
DOUBT but she herself In turn would be
sent for and cross. examined, and she
would then be able to form her own con-
illusions from the young mans manner
whether she had rightly diagnosed his
disorder, even if, in the fullness of his
heart, he did not make a full confess
sion
Miss Twitterbit was as mild and gen
tie an elderly lady as ever existed. aud
nothing would have induced her to do
anything knowingly to vex her ledger.
quite apart from prudential consider
atoms. She never dreamed that any harm
could arise from her little experiment,
and consequently she was quite upset
when she learned the extraordinary effect
her valentine had upon Mr.. Hunter.
ssHe turned as white, Miss, as sheet
as soon as ever he saw the envelope,
said the servant girl, when she returned
from the dodgers apartment In great
state of excitement. "He took Ii up as
though he expected it to bite him, and
when he saw the valentine he swore
dreadful, and ordered me out of the
room double quick"
"Dear, dear me!' murmured Miss
Twitrerbit, deeply concerned. ''Did he
say anything or ask any questions?"
s'He asked how the letter came here,
and mentioned what you told me, said
the girl.
Il hope you did not bring in my
name. Bridget" said Miss Twitterbit,
with sudden trepidation.
s'I didn't let out anything, Miss, il
you mean that" answered the girl. ''In
fact, be quite frightened me, and ]
hardly dared to open my mouth.
at that moment q violent ring rover
berated through the house, and Mr..
Hun er's voice was heard on the land
ing above, angrily summoning Miss
TWitterbit,
81 suppose | must go up to him
Bridget" said the poor lady, feeling un-
accountably nervous.
'sHe seems a gettin' angrier every
minute" said the girl, referring to the
dodgers repeated vociferations.
Miss Twitterbit took the hint, and lost
no time IN fastening up stairs. Mr.
Hunters aspect plainly showed that he
was agitated and out of temper. He
was striding impatiently about the room,
kicking the chairs and footstoolc
viei0usly aside when they impeded hie
path, and biting his nails fUrlOusly
His face was distorted with rage, and
the fierce expression of his eyes was suf
ficient to startle a nervous person
breathless from a hurried ascent of &
staircase. Miss Twitterbit presented
herself with face as pale as hel
dodgers, and felt as guilty as thougL
she had committed crime.
81 wanted to ask about this, (" said Mr.
Hunter, picking up the unlucky valen
tine from the floor, where it lay in 9
crushed and nangled condition. ''Wher
did it Gomez"
Miss Twitterbit was on the point Of
making clean breast of her iniquity
and confessing that she alone was re
sponsible for the offending misgive, but
while she was hesitating, from awkward