The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-22

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above all the rest.
IF it is stolen" she said. "We al
know who stayed here alone. We al
know who sat near the specimen boxes
There's only one here low down enoug
done il, and needn't name the person
Fan seemed to take no notice, but a
noon something happened that force,
her to come forward.
The girls had had their lunch, and W,
had seen them crowded together in tn
great hall below.
Naturally we thought they would tall
the matter over. But we were not pre-
pared for what was about to happen
At one O'Clock the girls filed in, in l)nl
procession, two by two. Not only tn,
girls in Mrs. Selwin's room hut every
one in the building. They ranged them
selves IN a solid body, and Belle Blai
stepped out of the ranks and faced us
We have had a meeting" she said
'and I've been asked to he spnk 'swO
man. We are honest working girls anC
we don't wish to be suspected of theft
AS long as we have got thief amOngs
u, that is going to happen. We knew
just what Fannie Williams was before
she came here. We never have assO-
ciited with her, and we now respectful
y ask that she be dismissed. In fact
work stops until she goes
We were dumb with ast0uishment. buI
to our surprise, Fan herself spoke before
either of us could.
Il know enough IT, know | must gN,
she said, land shan't make any fus'
about it, Only I'm coming back some
day, and shall prove the ruth before
come. Mrs, Selwin, do you believe | m
honest y
"Ihope you are, Fam" sai Mrs, Sell
win.
Fan only looked at me, bu Ianswered
Yes, swear t."
Fin sa d:
"Tuank YOU" and went ou, at the
nor.
Ir fl cted that she now knew t"adp
at which she could gAt work. But sill
it was I'll very hard and wrong.
thought ui l. great deal that day ana
for several days | want d tn do som, =
thing for Fan, bu could m fl d her.
However, one day | received tile
note from her. A crooked lite thing
in yellow envelope
"lf you II asc, MIR ----'i il read, "nu
mater how queer II sem de- what
ask. Go to The big hail at - Hall
toniIh'. If you de-, I'll prove I'm no
thief FAN"
1t certa ny was a queer + quest. But
Fan was queer and knew she meant
sonnet hing by her note. However it WAS
certain that she could not mean to at
tend 1t. She had neither dress, escort
or money 10 buy ticket. 1t was by no
means cheap affair.
went alone to the ball and early and
AS | saunt red about the rooms. before
any other guests had arrived, saw a
number of girls at the door of the ladies
dressing room. Amongst them stood
Fan. She wore neat brown dress Of
some sort, and the white cap and apron
with blue bows that all the others wore.
Some young women were always EN-
ployed, to take wraps and give checks on
these occasions, and Fan had got the
place.
saw she wanted to speak to me, and
gave her the opportunity by dropping
my handkerchief.
She Instantly left the group at the
door and picked it up and ran after me.
When you hear row come to the
dressing room,n she said.
nodded, aud she left me.
The guests were arriving. After
awhile | saw face knew among them.
1t was handsome enough to remember
for it was Belle Blair's.
She entered on the arm of the young
buyer who had been so fascinated by her
beauty the day the spray of fairy fire
wac lost Sh"uld hnuo oAPlninod that
this spray was no ordinary one and was
worth good deal of money, for every
leaf was of silk aud the centres of fine
gold thread.
1t was n, such a bunch as a lady
ever buys for bonnet or bosom, but
something made for the show window
When saw Belle began to cOmpre-
hend what Fan was driving at. Her
escort left her at the door of the dress
ing oom, and she entered
There was silence for few mOment4.
then a shnll shrek. Everybody rushed
to the dressIng-rOom door, and all be.
held an attendant in white cap and
apron. who had apparently gone mad
and attacked guest.
W lihl L ou" wax - u''N0tu
in while tulle, looped up with fairy fire
II 'ssoms, of which she also mad bunch
in her hair and bosom. Becoming orna-
menls of which Fan was fast despollrng
her as she screamed
"Who stole the spray Come, now,
who stole the spray ? There was only
one among us you knew that was
brought up to beg and steal"
OF course Fan was arrested very
speedily; but few words spoke in the
policeman's ears caused him to take
possession of the fl)wers.
The young man from the West con
veyed his charmer away in dishevelled
condition, and as she did not appear
against Fan the girl was released next
morning.
Fan trotted back to the factory as
soon as she was free.
l had told the story and she was re-
ceived with loud huzzas.
That is a good many years ago. Fan
is fOrewoman now and we would not
willingly lose her.
AS for Belle, we never saw her again.
but some one has told me that she sunk
rapidly to degradation, and was one day
arrested for shop-lifling, and is now in