The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-07-02
A BUTTERFLY.

A BUTTERFLY.
When Mrs. Walsin@ham lost the dia-
mond butterfly which her husband
had given her on the first anniversary
of their wedding-day she was natural
Iy much perturbed by her loss.
For two seasons Mrs. Walsingham'
butterfly had been an absorbing topic
of conversation whenever pretty Mrs.
Walsingham herself happened to be
present, and on more than one occa-
sion it had attracted the attention OF
royalty.
And now the butterfly was lost. The
world-or rather such portion of it as
was crowded into the Court theater on
that disastrous night-had seen the
jeweled insect flashing and scintillatin9
in Mrs. Walsingham's pretty brown
hair all the time of the performance.
But, when husband and wife stood in
the light of their own hall lamp, the
former had uttered an exclamation of
dismay.
The butterfly was gone!
Everything had been done that is
usual in such cases. The colonel
had looked carefully through the car
riage, and had made a thorough
examination of each separate fold in
his wife's dress. Next morning he
had gone off to the theater, and had
himself searched the box in which they
had been sitting. Then, with COM
mendable prudence, he had cautioned
his wife against speaking about her
loss, even the servants, and in the adj
vertisement in which he offered con-
siderable reward for the recovery of
the missing trinklet he had described
it as "a jeweled insect (paste), valu-
able to the owner because specially
designed for the Polish wife of Prince
Boris Ivanvitch when she secretly sold
the Ivanvitch diamonds to supply her
compatriots with funds for revolu-
tionary uprising"
The colonel was very pleased with
the wording of this advertisement, and
read it aloud with q great deal of COM
placency to his wife.
Mrs. Walsingham was not quite so
pleased as her husband. She OBJ
jected to the slight put upon her cher
ished possession by describing it as
paste, and the aristocratic flavor OF
its mythical history did not console
her.
..Even if do get it back" she mur
INJURED plaintively, Il shan't care t.
wear it if everybody imagines it i
| paste.
When, however, the colonel pointed
out that he had referred the public il
! the first instance to Il neighbOrins
| stationer's and that there was nothing
| L. oI, tn cTlpr
! gest to a captioUs world that Mrs
| Walsingham's famous butterfly was II
question, she was greatly impressed b,
her husbands cleverness.
That evening the Walsinghams die
not dine out, but had Il cosy tete-a-tet
dinner at home, SOFAS to be on the spo
e any one came with news of the miss
mo level.
III IN 1t that I am at all sanguine,
cold +bo colonel as he thoughtfulI,
maeiad Te,J s banana. 'If the thief ha
bonnenod | . be stray pic6-pocket W
noig5t nil hone . see the fly again. 1t
n1GTa mo iI(aIV o tb, >ugh that the vagabon
,lTa IL In ,,l1 tia +biu 2 now had his eye o
it for some time" A. ao7o,,,
butler came softly IN. in
"A person to see y, u a.. sir, 41 III a.
nounced deferentially; 'lG Nv VIZ e., =,
his name, but says Foster \tHo SS"VtUi IS,i
err has sent him, and tina you WI
know all about it, >,o s+o,
Mrs. Walsingham gave a lit Tic i sIaI
of delight, and the colonel Gu Gu
scarcely conceal his excitement. Ply
him in here, Bailey" he said quicS 81.
sit is some one we are expecting
The butler withdrew and IN fe'
seconds ushered in slight gentleman
" looking man, with sharp gray eye
and smooth face.
"Col. Walsingham, believe?" bega
the stranger, taking, with easy seit-po'
session, the chair which the eQlone
indicated at the far end of the table.
The colonel assented. "1ou nav
come, presume
ITO give you information ahol
some lost property of yours. Precls
s.Have you found itP" queried Mr.
Walsingham eagerly.
'.Well, that's just what wish to a
certain" said the stranger suaVeGl
INV name is Sawder-Fred Sawde
late of Scotland Yard" he continue
turning to the colonel. I'm a q
tective, and few hours back can
across a piece of jewelry answerli
to your description" -,
'.You don't mean to say SOP crl'
the colonel excitedly. "Where q
YOU find it?''
s.Weu, it's a long story" said NJ
Sawder deliberately, ''and brings
matters which are, so to speak pI
fessional secrets at present. But tue
the whole account will be IN the
pers tomorrow, so there's no harm
my telling you" wilt
ham waited anxio usly for him to
on, and after few seconds pause:
was graciously pleased to do SO, pooi,
edly addressing himself now to NJ
Walsingham-
''Of course, madam, you have me- nc.
q of the great Fenton court robbery!
Mrs. Walsingham made motion
q assent.
E .Er-well-th fact is, to-day |
q the GOOD fortune to recover nearly
: that stol len jewelry. 1 have just t.
. graphed to Mr.. Fenton to come up
3 identify the things tomorrow"
r .You have got back the diamond
2 madam 9S