Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-10
The girls manner was SO earnest
lh~t Y f.tt d,s.cxos.hf,. ohnrted

sucn 0 charge ana never hau scr
want more attentive and obliging than
Eliza
81 can't say lever saw her steal any
thing, ma'am," said my hsnsmaiden
vehemently. " But I'm as sure aspos-
sible that she took your ring, and no.
body else"
"well, Jane,'' / said, anxious to slit
the matter as soon as possible, al hope
you are mistaken in what you say, but,
as matter Of form, / must see your
box emptied, as ! have already seen
cooks"
"very well, ma'am; I'm sure I've
no objection"
So led the way to the large attic,
where oil the three girls slept. Jane
opened her two boxes with the utmost
willingness and stood beside me with
smile on her face, as much as to say !:
"You will see what an entirely needless
business you have undertaken"
/ lifted up some collars and cuffs.
What could this be? Note-paper and
envelopes with my monogram, e. G.
Edith Catherine Lester. Hidden
away among piles of winter clothing
was miscellaneous assortment Of our
property, some Of which l had not
missed as yet-small knick-knacks out
Of the drawing.room, volume
OF Sir Walter Scott, a pair Of
sleeve-links Of my husbands, two
Of my best pocket-handkerchiefs
and, rolled up in an old news
paper, a pot Of my strawberry
jam I turned Indignantly to look at
Jane and denounce her as the thief she
was, when to my utter amszement /
saw she was staring at the plumber
with an expression Of such complete
and stupefied astonishment that q
stranger would have supposed that she
had never seen the things before and
was puzzled to know how they came
there. At the very bottom of the box
was small package Of white paper,
loosely tied round with thread. Open.
ing it, l saw, to my joy, my missing
ring.
"You wicked, wicked girl :" l said
as l slipped it on my finger. "No,c,
what have you to say for yourself?"
"1f l never speak another word,
na'am," she returned undauntedly, 81
never saw those things before, and |
never put them in my box"
"You can hardly expect me to be-
lieve that" said, indignant at her
falsehood and effrontery. They could
not get into your box without hands"
II never put them there" returned
Jane, beginning to cry. 81 don't
know who did, unless it is some wicked
person who wants to ruin me. 0
ma'am, o ma'am !" she implored earn
estly, lido believe me when | say |
never took them"
THAT is nonsense, jane" l said
sternly. "Telling lie will not make
better Of it. Turn out your other box,
and let me see what else Of mine you
have stolen
There proved to be nothing in it but
caps and her Sunday hat. She never
ceased to protest amid her tears that
she had never touched my things, until
| was quite exaspersted at her hardi-
hood.
Now, Jane, you had much better
confess without telling any more false
hoods. Lying will not do any good.
If you will confess"
81 won't confess to doing what
never did, ma'am," she answered de-
family.
Every well, then. / shall call the
others and show them these things that
they may know who is the culprit; and
then you leave my service at once"
So | rang for cook and Eliza, and,
pointing to my belongings on the fleor,
said that the thief was found. Eliza
offered to turn out her box, saying that
it was only right that she should do SO
as we'll as the others. OF course there
was nothing of mine in it; but it was
much tidier than either Of the others,
with her treasured Bible and Prayer.
Book neatly wrapped in tissue-paper
and lying on the top.
| then told Jane to come to me in
the dining-room, where a most un.
pleasant scene ensued, for she stoutly
maintained her innocence. am rather
cowardly, like a great many women,
about prosecuting dishonest servants
Rather than appear as witness against
her would have condoned great deal
and did not like the idea of sending
such a young girl to prison. HeI
mother | knew to be an honest, hard
working widow, who would be heart.
broken at JAMES behavior. So / told
her that, on account Of her previous
good character and my respect for heI
mother, had decided not to call in the
police but that she must leave the
house Immediately, and need never to
refer to me for character; and
hoped my being so lenient would induce
her to repent and reform.
She listened without the smallest
softening that / could see, and turned
at the door to say: swell, ma'am,
can only say you've been deceived
Some day you will know the true from
the false"
| She departed. Kind Eliza helped hel
to pack her boxes, fetched cab fol
her, and..gave her a tract at parting
with, as cook afterward told me, some
excellent advice. | must say this made
me admire and respect the parlor.maid
more than ever. There are not many
who will say kind word to detected
thief.
Then came up the disagreeable pro
blem Of getting another housemaid at 8
moments notice buthere, fortunately
Eliza came to my relief. She knew &
girl, she said, distant connection o.
her own, who was just leaving situa.
ton at South Kensington. l wrote tc
her mistress, who gave her an excellen,
character, and in few days she wa;
installed in our house. She was not
quite so prepossessing in appearance as
Eliza, as she had rather a cast in her
eyes but she proved an excellent SER
want, and now that Jane had gone, !
was not annoyed by petty pilferings.
| II is not often that my good husband
finds fault with anything in the house ;
but enc evening, as we were sitting at