The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-11-19
been stripped of valuables and mon.


He had escaped as completely a.
though he had vanished from th,
earth.
When had buried my darling il
the strange city of sepulchres, wher,
THE dead of New Orleans repose, and
waited many weeks in hopes tina,
his murderer might be found, took
my child and went home to my
kindred in old Connecticut. l was
wealthy, and in no fear of want dur
ling my life. But the only posses
sion l now valued was my child, the
boy who some day might wear his
fathers mien, and speak to me ir
his fathers voice.
| had dismissed Jane. She had
been under suspicion, and carefully
examined; but she appeared inno-
lcent. OF all the servants, KEEP
but one to assist me in packing and
to travel North with me.
While the packing was going or
she came to me and said:
/ There's a queer bit of clay on a
board under your bed, ,ma'am. Shall
l throw it away ?"
| burst into tears.
The last thing his hand ever
touched" l cried. oh, no.
will take it with me-"
! So the dry lump made part of my
luggage.
| / found dear ones to grieve with
me and nurse me at home, but my
heart was broken. The only one
object | had in life was to bring Lo-
divico's murder to justice.
! But how, when experienced detec-
tives had failed upon the spot, was
|, an experienced woman so many
miles away, to succeed? They treat
ed the idea with indulgent pity, but
| feltsure God would help me. The
face at the garden gate was stamped
upon my memory. 1t was the only
clue | had, but it was something.
Soon | had another. One day l
began to unpack my effects, and ar
lrange them in my present home.
Almost at the last of the work |
came to that which was to be our
Isleeping cherub, but which was now,
like the hand which thought to mold
it, a mere cold lump of clay. l laid
it on the table and looked at it. |
Thought to weep, but amazement
checked the tears. There in the
midst of the dry mold, was the i'm
press of foot-the lower part of q
coarse, large, manned mans foot.
The truth burst upon me at once.
The robber had trodden in the clay.
remembered that the stairs and
floors were spotted with it. | re-
'membered his ejaculation and the
thud of the clay against the bed
stead. 1t was liain. 1 locked the
door and sat down with both hands
to my head A fierce JOY possessed
me. | knew not what to do. My
hands had dabbled in cast-making
often enough. found some plaster
of Paris, and soon that foot. up to
the iustep, stood before me, with
two toes gone-the great toe and
one next to it-and an incision in
the side, as though it had been cut
away. When l had done this and
though it was a matter of some time
| said no more to anyone. | broke
down and lay a long while. The
excitement had been very great and
brought on fever, from which l
nearly died.
Yet, despite all this. nothing came
of my discovery. l waited and hop
ed in vain. A year passed-five-
the sixth began and crept on until
winter, and yet, though / had writ
ten to influential friends in New Or
leans, nothing was made of my dis
covery.
At last l said "The secret is
veiled from human eyes forever. /
must give up my hope" And was
calmer after that.
My boy was comfort to me and
| had gone to housekeeping with a
young sister for my companion.
She was a beautiful creature and
very much admired. My house
grew gay, for | could not doom her
TO dullness, and young voices and
laughter and music filled the par
iors almost nightly.
Sometimes, however, | was alone
there. while she was away amidst
gay scenes and merry friends, and
then | thought until thinking was a
pain aud the hours seemed years.
One cold winter night | had been
thus alone, when my sister Grace
came home. She was in merry
mood, and cast her fur wraps from
her gleefully, as she sat down by
the fire.
I've made conquest, my dear"
she said.
Is that anything new?" asked |.
He is. What do you say to
millionaire?"
Il should ask what he is besides
a millionaire ?"
"Oh Cuban, forty odd, l suppose
and not a bit handsome; but he
adores me already. It's DO joke.
Ella, and 1 always seid / would
marry a rich man."
Not without loving him ?"
BAH" It's enough if he loves
me.
How do love matches end =? Eth
er one dies, and the other is wretch
ed, or they quarrel and are divorced
in year or two. Better not love,
say I.
l sighed. She was half right,
after all.
He's a mystery, too, said Grace
I" No one knows anything about
him, except that he's enormously
rich. He has bought the Elms-
the finest place here, you know-and
they are making great pet of him
all for his money. He saw me
home, to the envy of every girl in
the room. and be viii probably call
tomorrow and ask how l am. Will
you shut me in my room and send
him away, cruel sister,"
l tried to smile and the thought
came upon me that it might be bet
ter never to know the height of hap