The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-01-21

~ AO~SANO ~ NtoASoAo va a large, plcdSdnu,
and comfortable room, with double win
dows looking upon the road. It was too
full Of knickNAacks l Thought, but that was
my wife's doing. I had contributed only
small gold vase which a ~favorite mare of
mine had won in q trotting match. It
stood on a cabinet between the fireplace
and the window, a couch being just in front.
vance of it I placed a chair for myself, in
tending my visitors to sit in the armchair
iigss. ~ns.s 'nss "0ola De facing 'ns
to see that it it was already II 80, so that
clashing was nearly inevitable after all.
Let me say at once that she wa q very
different woman from what / had expected.
There was not a trace of 'hardihood about
hers q meeker.looking creature / never
saw. In fact, l began to think there must
be some mistake.
She was neatly dressed In black; in figure
she had a pinched face, with a very mourn
fu! expression. When she first entered she
raised her eyes to glance at me and then at
the room, but after that they fell as if they
were h~abitually fixed upon the ground.
Her intellect, I imagined, was a little
dull, for she apparently mistook the seat I
assigned to her and occupied the couch. In
self-defense l was obliged to move my chair
further away and face the light, which was
any notice OF nay action, Miss White laid
down by her side a black bag she had been
carrying. Then she drew out her handker-
chief, placing ft on her lap, n folded her
hands over it. In this attitude, with down
cast eyes, she silently waited for me to
begin-a most difficult thing to do, as ] now
found. As l tried to shape the. necessary
| questions 90 as to be the least offensive, I
1 grew very uncomfortable.
"Ahem," / said, "Miss WhiteM
There was a knock at the door, and
James, my fsctotum, entered.
"A lady to see you, sir" he announced;
MRS. Stone"
Ifancied that Miss White raised her eyes
| again the next moment. The idea tina she
had guessed the object Of this second visitor,
and felt herself to be subjected to q sort Of
competitive examination, only added to
my embarrassment.
tShow her into the dining-room, James,"
I said, 'and say In be with her in . few
| minutes.n
| humbly. 'sSince the death Of my poor
parents I am used to being set aside for
| others"
"But, Miss White" protested.
"No, please don't apologize; am not used
to that. All my life long I have been tram
pied upon. 1 don't complainant, l don't
complain. I merely state the fact, as I
\ think it only right you should know every
thing, il am to become an inmate of your
aAnotherlady to see you, sir" announced
James; "a Miss Mildew."
Here was a pretty ENHANCEMENT. What
on earth has brought her along before her
timea OF course. that other woman in the
meaning Of her visit. I was growing very
hot, indeed.
"Show hef into the library, James," I
stammered.
aDon't mind me-" again said Miss White,
applying her handkerchief to her eyes;
"please don't mind me. I'm used to being
left alone. Pm only an unfortunate single
woman, without a friend in the world. I
think it only right o should know that
Also"
"Your parents,n said /, making a frantic
attempt to get to businese; s'were-"
"'Most respectable people, but unfortu-
nate. Yes; it's only right you should know
"Another lady to see ysu, sir" announced
James.
This time the rascal was certainly smiling.
knew quite well he was thinking of my
wife. l knew, also, that her appearances
of, but / had no reason to apprehend any
thing so dreadful.
Miss White had a clearer idea of the
situation; She looked at me in the same
reproachful way as before, and then COM
posed herself in that attitude of patient
resignation which made me feel as il ! were
doing her q positive injury.
what room is vacant, Jamesm ] asked
hurriedly. "Is any room vacantan
"Only the boudoir, sir"
sThen show-who did you say 1t wasr
"Mrs. Dark, sir"
Show her in there" Fl
"Oh. don't let me detain you,, said Miss
White, humbly. 'Tm not used to detain-
ing people,"
And then, as If the thought wal too much
for her, this most depressing woman burst
By the time that my fifth visitor arrived,
an event which happened very shortly after
the arrival of Mrs. Dark, l was we'll nigh
distracted. There really was no room for
them .gossiping together, and, perhaps.
quarreling, so 1 was compelled to ask Mrs.
Heslop to wait in the hall. 1t was very
rude, but what else could I do? Besides,
entirely her own fault-her eagerness to
secure the post having brought her two
hours before her proper time.
tsMiss White" I said, feeling atlast secure
from further Interruption, fare you-pray
excuse q Necessary question-are you really
Iput the question bluntly, because / was
convinced that no woman who had so many
tears at her command could possess the
GOODNESS essential to successful pilfering,
and my only object now wa to get her out
Of the house. Instead Of replying she
sobbed more bitterly than ever. II was dis
tressing to watch and listen to her. Look
ing around desperately for some handle to
use against nor, i 6Xperl60CeO q ruQe SQOCK.
My gold vase had disappeared.
From that m my opinion of Miss
White underwent a profound change. !
rushed, perhaps wrongly, to the other
extreme, and set her down as a most artful
woman, whose weakness was assumed to
owe her nefarious designs. Naturally
enough 1 felt rather sore on this point, for
/ ( placed a high value upon the vase. There
could be no doubt as to what had become
of it. For other purpose could she
4 I.-1 1890 A1AA rr1rDsor1r,a l~1ts~- h1~@l
bagl
mit,' said l, with a feeble attempt at
POPULARITY, Tin avery practical manner. /
it was cleverly done, without doubt"
She dried her tears and looked at me
with mournful surprise.
Ppm not used to being told that 1 do
first who has told me that since my poor
mother died. But whatt thing do you mean.
"Why,"I replied, trying to smile, my
gold vase, which you have put in your bag"
do you accuse me Of stealinsa" she
Notwithstanding the flood of tears which
she held in reserve somewhere, l saw then
that there was fire in the woman. The
dangerously. She sat erect, but still with
folded hands. Dreading a scene / answered
somewhat hastily:
"No, no; by no means. 1t is an excellent
c%onjuring trick, but nothing more"
Because she said, severely, II am used
to being insulted; 1 am used to being trod-
den upon, but / have never been SO insulted
or so trodden upon as that-at least by a
gentleman"
'Then," I said, when / could in some
measure collect my thoughts, "you don't
know what has become Of the vase2"
"Sir, 1 have never seen it."
"But-but-pray excuse my ~pertinacity
you came here as a kleptomaniac. Now,
didn't you, Miss White!"
'qt's very hard" she replied, weeping
again, 'tfor a poor defenssless woman to
be attacked in this way. But I don't com.
plain, for / I'M used to it. l came here in
answer to an advertisement said to proceed
from a gentleman, and l only wish ]
hadn't"
"And that advertisement was for a klep,
tomaniac. Really, Miss White, l must ask