Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-12-05

"A AOs AAoI PC@ Woo o. SIOoO oSS1SbduC0 10
them. Dora May was astounded by her
employers words; she turned red. then
white, and her eyes were fixed upon
Mrs. Harper's face as if fascinated.
''Says have taken her pocket-book ?''
she exclaimed, replying to the latter
part of her employers speech. "Why.
Mrs. Harper, [ did not even see a red
pocketbook. The lady is mistaken"
And Dora May flashed an indignant
glance at her accuser-a richly dressed
ladv, with a handsome but cold face.
The lady was Mrs. Harwich, wife of
Judge Harwich, one of the richest and
most prominent men in BroOkville;
Mrs. HarWich was grand lady in
Brookville; she was beautiful and edu-
Gated, and brilliant light in the social
circles of the town. But Mrs. Harwich
was colder and prouder than any prin-
cess Of the realm, and very ungracious
to those whom she considered beneath
her. She was, moreover, willful and
impulsive by nature, which tendencies
she did not think it worth while to
check, and she was greatly disposed to
jump at conclusions. She was also sell
fish and inconsiderate of the feelings of
others, qualities which i'll beftted lady
in her position. Mrs. Harwich regard
ed the errand girl with cold naughty
stare.
81 do not think am mistaken. miss"
she answered, ''although | have no
proof that you took the pocketbook. l
laid it down tor moment on the coun-
ter near the spot where you were stand
ing at the time, while I was examining
some ribbons, and when [ went to
get it, it had disappeared. / did not
take it, neither did Mrs. Harper, there
fore it must have been you, as there was
nobody else besides us here to take it. IT.
sBut did not take it," cried Dora
May as tears of modification sparkled
in her eyes. Il don't remember laying
my eyes on your pocketbook. l was
busy at that time wrapping up some
bundles, and had no opportunity TO no.
tice your pocketbook. 1t must have
fallen under the counter out of sight
somewhere"
"A likely story" sneered Mrs. Har-
wich. Mrs. Harper glanced from one
to the other in an embarrassed manner
The wealthy Mrs. Harwich was an ex-
cellent customer of hers, and she did
not like to offend her; but on the other
hand she had avery confidence in her
lieve that she had taken her customer 8
pocketbook.
LET us examine under the counter"
she said, land see if we can find the lost
pocketbook. So Mrs. Harper and her
errand girl knelt down and searched
everywhere under the counter for the
pocketbook which had so mysteriously
disappeared. The space under the
counter Of Mrs. Harper's store was &C.
cupied by miscellaneous collection of
bonnet-boxes, etc., packed in every way
and covered with dust. These were
pulled here and there, and vigorous
search for Mrs. Harwich's pocketbook
began. Especial attention was paid to
the spot where the article was last seen,
but though Mrs. Harper and Dora
searched among the boxes everywhere,
they could not find the missing pocket
book.
"Of course not, +" shifted Mrs. Harwich,
when the result was made known to
her. 81 never for moment expected
that you would find it there. That
wicked girl has no doubt stolen it, and
invented that silly story to conceal her
theft. / would advise you to discharge
her"
Mrs. Harper turned to Dora May with
a grave expression on her face.
"Dora." said she kindly, eff you have
taken this pocketbook, confess and re
turn it and you will be forgiven"
"But | did not take it, Mrs. Harper %
repeated the errand girl Indignantly.
fore, and / do not know where it is
But Mrs. Harper was beginning to
doubt her word. Heretofore during the
time her Grand girl had worked for her
she had found her honest and trust
worthy, but Mrs. Harper was woman
who did not trust anybody implicitly.
Besides, she knew that Dora Mays par
ents were very poor, and she thought
the sight of Mrs. Harwich's pocketbook,
which she probably thought contained
large amount of money, had excited
her cupidity and tempted her to steal
it. She regarded Dora rather sternly.
''You must have taken that pocket
book, child,'' she exclaimed. Gas Mrs.
Harwich has said, nobody was here to
take it but you, and it did not fall under
the counter, as you suggested. or we
would have found it. Produce it at
once, or tell us what you have done
with it, you wicked girl ~
But Dora May could only reassert her
utter innocence of having taken the
pocketbook, and repeat that she knew
nothing about it. She turned the pock-
gu Vi uOT uT0SS luSlU0 OUT, duU 0ApOSOO
the contents to her employers gaze to
show her that she spoke the truth, and
that she had no pocketbook. Mrs.
Harper looked blank at this. and was
disposed to believe Dora, but Mrs. Har-
witch dispelled her belief by remarking:
"Oh she has not got it in her pocket,
of course; these thieves are so sharp.
She has probably hidden it in some safe
spot until this affair blows over. But it
doesn't matter much; fortunately there
were only few dollars in 1t. Howev-
er, you must excuse me. [ must go
now, and will leave y ou to dea, with this
perverse girl as you think best"
And with parting adieu to Mrs. Har-
per, the grand lady swept out of the
store, while Mrs. Harper, now convinced
of Dora Mays guilt, and angry with her
for denying it, summary discharged
her, and sent her home with smirch
on her character. So poor Dora went
home and told her story, amid flood of
tears, to her parents, who gave her what
sympathy they could. Dora's parents
were religious people, and had full con-
fidence in their daughter, and they told