The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-03-21
FRIED OYSTERS.
An Account of the Disappearance
of Mr. Cassidy.

An Account of the Disappearance
of Mr.. Cassidy.
''My dear" said Mr.. Cassidy, put
on the frying-pan, and get ready to
make some oyster fritters. Pm hungry
and we'll have bit of supper before we
Sleep"
Mrs Cassidy liked bit of supper and
oyster fritters as we'll as her husband,
and she nodded an assent; and, putting
by her work, went into the little kitchen
at the end of the fiat, and having handed
her spouse a small tin kettle with a
handle, looked to the fire, and set all
that was necessary on the cooking
table. Then she sat down to wait for
him.
1t was warm in the kitchen, and COM
Portable and cozy.
Mrs. Cassidy, waiting for her spouse,
leaned back against the wall and shut
her eyes. Not sleeping; oh, no, only
thinking. The clock licked on: the tea
kettle sang it's song. Mrs. Cassidy was
back in the country place where she
was born, talking at the garden gate with
Tom. Then something aroused her.
She started up.
Tom. Tom. Why, where was Tom
Cassidy? He had been gone an hour. And
the oyster saloon was only around the
corner. She must have had nap.
Frightened and nervous, she ran to
the door. All was very still in the
street, and where the houses were not
utterly dark, the lights had gone to the
upper floors.
Perhaps the saloon was closed and he
had gone farther for the oysters. Yes:
that must be 1T.
She went back to the kitchen and
waited, but no Tom came.
In fact, he did not come that night
About dawn next morning the servant
coming downstairs to kindle the fire.
saw her mistress crouched up in the
corner of the kitchen Fireplace moan
ing and rocking herself to and fro.
When asked what was the matter, she
said:
Your master is dead, Sally"
Sally shrieked, but when informed
that her lady's reasons for this statement
were that her husband had gone out in
was not yet at home, Sally grinned and
took the affair lightly.
depend upon it, num-" she said,
"he's only gone off on a spree. They
all does it sooner or later. My last
lady didn't see hers for three weeks one
winter. Mr.. Cassidy IL turn up all
right again SOON"
But her mistress could not be com
forted Neither was Sally true prophet
1t was soon evident that Mr.. Cassidy
had disappeared.
All his male relatives and connection!
went to work at the search for him al
soon as they could be telegraphed for
No gentleman of his description had in
quired for oysters late that evening il
the neighborhood.
At his place of business a person
waited for him at nine that morning, b,
appointment. Failing in this meeting
was very disadvantageous to Mr.. Cas-
sidy
He had bought tickets for the theate
the next evening, for Mrs. Cassidy ant
himself, and had given them to her t.
keep safe. Not the most suspicious de
Mr.. Cassidy had voluntarily left home
A respectable gentleman of his age
we'll dressed as he always was, prob
ably, would have been taken to
hospital if he had been seized with
sudden attack of illness in the street
or, at least, if he had been supposed t
be intoxicated, dubbed, and locked u
in cell for daring to have apoplexy o
heart disease, his remains would hav
have been found by this time. The
searched high and they searched 10,
for week. At last body was foun
in the river. Its clenched hand wa
closed over something that proved to b
the handle of a tin can. Time an
weather had done the worst with perso
and wearing apparel, but the body wa
identified by the loss of two front teet
and bald spot on his head.
To be sure, Mr.. Cassidy in life ha
worn two artificial teeth, but that wa
nothing. The detectives, the brother
in-law, the two cousins, talked the sa
affair over, and decided that there coul
be no doubt concerning the manner {
his death.
The unfortunate widow had the new
broken to her. She was prepared TO
the worst by that time. And the mex
days paper had full account of tn
affair. They stated that
mr.. Cassidy, u prominent business man
our city, feeling some appetite at eleven o'cloc
at night, on "Wednesday, the - of -, wit
the simplicity and amiability that distinguish
him. took small tin can from his kitche
dresser and set forth to procure q certain mum
Der of these luscious biva;vcs, which his esti
mable lady-a true American wife-agreed tt
dress for him. Proceeding down the street, h<
had reached lonely and deserted place oppo
site the wellknown church under me pass6r
age of DR.. Checkem. when suddenly from the
shadows of the sacred portal ruffian dartet
toward him, crying: Your money or your life
and at the same time dealing him furious
blow in the mouth, which deprived him Of twt
front teeth. Mr.. Cassidy defended himself
ably with the can, but finally fell senseles
under the blows the wretch continued to dea
him. The can was wrenched from the handle
which his manly hand still clutched even in in
sensibility, and after having been robbed Of al
his valuables, his pocket-bo0k, and even hi
shoes, he was dragged toward the wharf ant
cast in. In vain his anxious wife watched ans
listened for his return, His body Jay beneath