The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-01-04
HOW IT WAS FOUND.

Mrs. MofTet was in despair No Won
der. Here she was, ga lone, lorn widow"
who having been left in straitened cir
cumstances - with only the house in
which she lived to call her own-had
been reduced to the dernier resort of
taking boarders. Well, surely that is
misfortune enough, as all poor, worried,
tired out boarding house keepers can
testify; but now calamity had come upon
her, and she was about to lose her best
paying boarder-lose him just as the
winter was coming on, and the thousand
and one extra expenses which cold
weather is certain to create all to be
met. The immense coal bills, the extra
gas, the endless additions to her already
exorbitant list of expenses.
Mrs. Moffet was meek little woman,
timid and retiring; she dislilSed change
in her household affairs, she disliked
worry and anxiety, being naturally
cheerful and lively in disposition, and
she did like Mr.. Montgomery Truman
Montgomery, bachelor, had been a fix
ture in the Moffet boarding house ever
since Mr.. Moffet had ''shuffled off this
mortal coil" which he accomplished in
hasty manner one day, falling dead in
the street of heart disease.
From the time that the childloss widow
had turned away from the lonely grave
under the crisp November sky, and went
back to her desolate home to face her
own poverty, from the time that mod
est placard had appeared upon the front
door, stating in clear, concise terms
that there were ''rooms to rent" within,
Mr.. Truman Montgomery had been her
most distinguished and best paying
boarder. He had been the first to apply,
had secured the most expensive apart
ment, furnished it to suit himself, and
engaged to take his meals also at the
Moffet table; as time wore on he had
come to be part of the household. Men
might come and men might go, but
Montgomery stayed on forever. And
now this cold morning in early winter
Mrs. Moffet was forced to stand face to
face with the truth He was going
away. And why? All, that was the
worst Of it! He had lost money-a large
amount-from his room, and refused to
longer remain in house whore thieves
were harbored.
Mrs. Moffet was a plump, pretty little
woman of some-pshawl who can guess
a woman's age? If woman is really
''as young as she looks" then Mrs. Mof-
fet could not be much past 80; at all
events she had not yet begun to look out
of the western windows of life, and she
was in every way charming woman.
She listened to Mr.. Montgomery story
with alternate horror, terror, despair.
At its close she burst into tears.
"Oh, dearl 1t is awfull' she sobbed.
q "You know that am ignorant of the
whereabouts of your money; and oh, il
will ruin my house if it gets lnownw
"Can't help it, ma'am. Very sorry,
I'm sure; but then it's q mere case of sell
defense. Can't stay in house where
am liable to--to-be robbed"
And then Mrs Moffet bowed with as
much dignity as though she were an em
press.
every well, sir. You know best, Of
course, sir. will have your bill ready
! in a few moments, and you"-
! "Stay, Mrs. Moffet. | will not leave
, until my month is up, which viii be il
' three days, believe"
Mrs. Molfet bowed once more.
a = Gas you like, sir. In the meantime We
y will do all in our power to recover tn,
!, missing money"
= But Mr.. Truman Montgomery lookeC
= blank, for he knew that the money wa
gone beyond earthly hope of recovery
: and Mr.. Montgomery was a man who
:, like Jack Bunsby, ''allus knew his owl
= mind"
y Poor little thing! How pale sh
, looks' he said to himself, rs he wen
back to his room to 60 through with
long and fruitless search once more. ="
wish it had been different. But then
man can't stay in a house and look upo
= it as a home when he is always losinl
~ :, money. First, it was that package G
I. y S100-I didn't say a word 10 Mrs. Moffe
~ about that, for fear Of hurting her fee
= ings; and then it was $50 bill; an
=. now-now it is this package of 5000
" Too much to lose. Altogether too much
1 declare. Yet ! wish it had not hal
"a pened here Lucy Moffet is the sweete'
little woman alive, think
And at that very moment "the swee
est little woman alive" was shut up
~ her own room in close confab with Fran
% Glyndon, one Of the boarders, who Wa
also private detective.
"He tells me, madame, that he hs
lost money here before, the young ma
"a. is saying as he studies Mrs. Moffet's pal
,al agitated face intently; "and / real
think-for the sake Of the reputation
49,. your house, if for no other reason --yo
.s' -. ought to have this mystery cleared u
1' Pm in favor Of searching the boarders
'tMeroyY shrieked Mrs. Moffet. "
er' wouldn't do, Mr.. Glyndon. I'd lose Il
on last one Fancy searching Col. OvertC
and his stylish, fashionable wife
me their rooms--to find stolen package
an money. No-nol Whatever you ms
ate see fit TO do in this sad business must
done secretly.
bv The detective took a new tack,
ny eAIrs. Moffet, there is closet adioi
in' ing Mr.. Montgomery's room. May o
cupy it to-night2 / have an idea, al
esi- would like to prove IL my theory is CO
Is rect. If you consent, will slip into q
IKE closet after Montgomery has retir'
an (there is another door, you know, and
not the morning / win make faithful !
port 70 you
eat At last it was settled. There were on
ari- three nights before Mr. Montgomerl
ear intended departure. They must ma
and the best of the time,
1--WE The next morning Frank Glynd
be- smiled knowingly in Mrs. Mohett's
reetion when he met her al the bass