Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-06-26
A BUTTERFLY.
The Neat Scheme Of the Coloneps
and How 1t Resulted.

When Mrs. Walsingham lost the
diamond butterfly which her husband
had given her on the first anniversary
of their wedding-day, she was naturally
much perturbed by her loss.
For two seasons Mrs. Walsingham's
butterfly had been an absorbing topic
Of conversation, whenever pretty Mrs.
Walsingham herself happened to be
present, and on more than one occasion
it had attracted the admiring 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 scintilating
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!
Every thing had been done that is
usual in such cases. The Colonel had
looked carefully in the carriage, 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 commendable prudence, he had
cautioned his wife against speaking
about her loss, even to the servants,
and in the advertisement in which be
offered a considerable reward for the
recovery of the missing trinket he had
described it as "a jewelled insect
(paste,) valuable to the owner, because
specially designed for the Polish wife
of Prince Boris Ivanvitch, when she
secretly sold the Ivanvitch diamonds to
to supply her cOmpatriots with funds for
Revolutionary uprising"
The Colonel was very pleased with
the wording of this advertisement, and
read it aloud with a great deal of COM
placency to his wife.
Mrs. Walsingham was not quite so
pleased as her husband. She objected
to the slight put upon her cherished
possession by describing l. as paste, and
the aristocratic flavor of its mythical
history did not console her.
Even if ! do get it back" she MUIR
INJURED. plaintively, Il shan't care to
wear it, if every body imagines it is
paste"
w men. however inc AOlOHG1 pOlnltA
out that he had referred the public in
the first instance to n neighhOring sta
TONERS, and that there was nothing
whatever in the advertisement to sug
gest to a captious world that Mr.. Walls
ingham's famous butterfly was in ques-
tion, she was greatly impressed by her
husbands cleverness.
That evening the Walsinghams did
not dine out, but had coy tete-a-tete
dinner al home, so as to be on the spot
If any one came with news of the stolen
jewel.
Not that | am at all sanguine," said
the Colonel, as he thoughtfully peeled
banana. ''1fthe thief had happened to
be stray pickpocket. we might hope to
see the fly again. It's more likely,
though, that the vagabond who has the
thing now had his eye on it for some
time past"
But even as he spoke the solemn but
Ter came softly in.
"A person to see you, SIR" he an
nounced, deferentially; The won't give
his name, but he says Foster (the sta
tioner) has sent him, and that you will
know all about it.
Mrs. Walsingham gave a little start
of delight, and the Colonel could scarce
ly conceal his excitement. ''Show him
in here, Bailey" he said, quickly; sit
is some one we are expecting"
The butler withdrew. and in a few
seconds ushered in slight, gentleman
Unlocking man, with sharp gray eyes
and smooth face.
Colonel WalSingham, / believer" be-
gan the stranger. taking with easy self
possession the chair which the Colonel
indicated at the far end of the table.
The Colonel aSscnted. You have
come, presume"
ITO give information about some lost
property of yours. Precisely"
Have you found it?" queried Mrs.
Walsingham eagerly.
well, that's just what wish to ascer-
tain," said the stranger, suavely. My
name is Sawder, Fred Sawder, late of
Scotland Yard" he continued, turning
to the Colonel. Pm a detective, and a
few hours back l came across piece of
jewelry answering to your description.
''You don't mean to say so,' cried the
Colonel excitedly. ''Where did you |
find it?' ,
We'll. it's a long story" said Mr.. |
Sawder, deliberately, land brings in |
matters which are, so to speak. profess