Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-01-03

got track of her. In going into the
city she had entered into conversation
with fellow passenger, and he had
recommended her to boarding house
kept by his aunt. They gave her a
room at the house, but soon saw that
she was queer. The situation sharpened
her wits, and she claimed to be Mrs.
Rose of Chicago, who had come to
search out relatives. As she never went
out, received no letters and employed
no assistance her story was not believed,
and she was an object of wonder to the
other boarders. In about three weeks
she one day paid her bill and walked
off but one of the boarders followed
her to another boarding house. We
hoped and expected to find her there,
but she had changed again and no one
knew where she was. 1t took us three
days to locate her again, and this time
we were too late by an hour only.
In making her second change Mrs
Thatcher had gone to boarding house
kept by a woman who had brother on
farm. He supplied her with vegeta.
bles, and as he came in one day Mrs.
Thatcher saw him, and at once decided
to go out to his farm. She arranged for
her board, bought herself cheap dress
or two, and the pair had been gone
about an hour or two when We rang the
bell. The detective was busy on another
case and decided that he could not go
with me. therefore got horse and
buggy and drove off alone. 1t was
about 3 O. clock in the afternoon of
June day, and l was hardly clear of
the city when noticed that thunder
storm was coming up from the direction
in which / was headed. l drove fast,
hoping to m axe the ten miles before l
was caught, but when seven miles from
tho city the storm broke. The only
shelter / could secure was an old wagon
shed, but while the thunder and light
ning we're severe, but little rain fell.
In the half hour was under the shed
the lightning struck near me three
times, and l was greatly relieved when
the storm passed on. l drove forward
for about mile, and then suddenly
came upon curious sight in the high
way. A farmers wagon was smoking
and burning, while one horse lay stone
dead and the other was plunging about.
On one side of the wagon lay the body
of a woman, on the other side that of
man. l leaped out and secured my
horse, and the man was the first APP
preached. His clothes were on fire
over his breast, and his face was discol-
ored. One glance satisfied me that he
was dead. The woman lay in a heap,
but when l took hold of her hand there
was futter of the eyelids. A bolt of
lightning had killed one Of the horses
and the man, but the woman had only
been stunned. My first move was just
what any physician would have recon-
mendcd. loosened the collar at her
throat to give her lungs a chance to
play. As the collar flew open paper
was displayed. reached for it, and one
look told me that it was the last will
and testament of James Martin.
Then the woman must be Mrs.
Thatcher, but l should never have
known her, dressed as she was. She
came to while was releasing the plung-
ing horse and putting out the fire in the
wagon. The accident had come about
as l supposed, and in half an hour she
was quite herself again. went to the
nearest farmer, got him to come back
and assume charge of things, and then
drove back to the city with my prisoner.
On the way in she fully explained
everything. When Martin found him
sell ABOUT 10 ule he IOlu HeT
to burn the old will. In her
nervousness, and being unable to
read, she burned the wrong one.
When he discovered this he berated her
in as forcible language as he could call
up-indeed, he fell back and died
while cursing her. Fearing that she
had committed some awful crime, and
hoping that if she carried the other
document off with her she might escape
all consequences, she dressed herself,
took the paper aud her money, and
walked over and boarded the train.
Under the will 1 had recovered. all
the relatives shared alike, which was
fair and just under the circumstances,
and instead of making any trouble for
the widow, they presented her with