New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-11
A BUTTERFLY.


For two seasons Mrs. WalsiD9ham's butterfly
had been an absorbing topic OF conversation,
Whenever pretty Mrs. Wasingham herself nap
pencd to be present. and on more than ole oc.
casion il had attracted tie aGmlrinG attention OF
Royalty. .
or rather such portion of il as was crowded INTO
The Court Theatre that disastrous night-had
seen the jcwecd insect flashing and scintillatinS
in Mrs. Wasinghams 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
dSmay.
The butterfly gone
Everything had been dore that is usual in such
cases The colonel had looked carefully in the
carriage. and had made Il CROUCH examination
Of each separate fold in his wifcs dress. Next
morning he had gone of to the theatre and
had himself searched the box i'll which they had
been sitting Then, with cOumendablc prudence.
he had cautioned his wife against Speaking about
her loss. even To the scrVahls and in the adNer-
tisement in which he Cterc! a considerable re-
ward for the recovery OF the missing uinkct he
had described IL as "a lcWcilcd insect paste.
valuable To- the owner because specially designer
for the Polish wife # pr &C. borls IIq idnnd
TO supply her compatriots with funds f>f a rrvcln-
tionary uprising
The colonel was very pleased with the wording
of this advertisement. and read IT aloud with
great deal OF complaccncy 80 his wife
Mrs. WalSiu?ham was not quite 50 pleased as
her husband She objected To the sn?ht plt
upon her cherished SO>sessiOn by describing IL
as paste and the aristocrAtc flavor Of its mythical
history did not console hcr
Even il do get il back. she nGImured pam
lively, e slant care to wear II. II everybody
magines il il paste.
When. however the colonel pointed ont TINT
he had referred the public in the first instance
10 a neighboring statiOners. and that there was
nothing whatever in the advertisement 10 suG-
gest To captious world that Nj WalsIrghams
famous butterfly was in question. size was greatly
impressed by her husbands cleVerncsS
That evening the Wasinghams did not, dine
out but had cosey tcte-o-tetc dinner AT home,
10 bp on
news of the stolen level.
Not that am al al sangulne, said the colonel
as he thoughtfuly peeled banana. " If the thief
hope TO see the fly again. It's more likely,
had his eve on ii for some time past.
But even as he spoke the solemn butler came
softly in. - oo,,uood
dcfcreniially ." lie won't give his name. but he
says Foster the stationer has sent him, and that
YOU will know all about ii. ~
Mrs. Wasingh0m gave little start OF dcllGhts
and the colonel could scarcely conceal his excite
mcnt Show him in here Bailey" he said
quickly: il is some one we are expecting
The butler withdrew. and IN few seconds
ushered in slight, genilemanly looking man, with
sharp gray eyes and smooth face.
Colonel Walsingham. | bclicve?" began the
stranger taking with easy self-posscsson the chair
which the colonel indicated al the far end OF the
table. $500
ITO give information about some lost property
Have YOU found t?" queried Mrs. walsing-
ham w Sager fho,s inc, villa, wish to ascertain
said the stranger suavely My name is Sawder.
Fred Sawocr, late of Scotland Yard. he continued,
turning to the colonel I'm detective ana
few hours back came across a piece OF lcwelry
answering 10 YOUR description
Yon don't mean TO say SOP" cried the colonel
cycitedly "Whcre did yOu find it,?
Well, it's oRs story sala Mr.. .,. S9"a arr
50 To speak. professional secrets at present. But
thcre-the whole account will be in the papers
tomorrow. there's no harm n my telling you.
Both the colonel and Mrs. WalSlngham waited
anxiously for him TO on. and after few seconds
pause lie was grlcousy pleased y DO 50: pontedly
addressing himself now 10 Mrs, Walsingham.
great FentOn Court robbery?
Mrs. Walsingham made motion Of assent
"Er-well-the fact is, to-day ! had the good
fortune 10 recover nearly all that stolen iewclry
have Just tclegraphed to Mr.. Fenton to come
up and identify The things to-rnorrow
You have got back the diamonds
Everything, madam, as far as We can tell.
Tell MS all about it, COMMANDED Mrs. Wal
singham in her pretty lmperlous MANNER whle
her husbands face seconded her request
"Oh, we'll there's not much to tcu, ma am
From information received we mad. tbs morning
a raid on the house Of party calc6 Sleepy jim
sleepy. because he just isn't sleepy, don't you see,
madam ? Well. Jim was very easy and careless,
and we searched and searched. anC not thing
could we find, and at last we gave Vt up was
the last 10 60 and | went, fpard-lor my
ears are quick-I heard Jim give tie least little
Come back. men, I shoiifea: TIC things
here. and we won't be such nnn,slI,s as TO go
away without them. Let's have one more look
round. Then it occurred TO me tina Sleepy Jim
had not been sitting on the table for nothing
all the time we were turning his place upside
down So Just pushed him and it on one side,
kicked over the square Of carpet OF which the
table had been standing. and 10 and lrhold there
we're plain signs that the boards had been raised
"Ne had those boards up again IN iny. and
there in deep hole underneath was all the
Fenton Court jewelry!'
The detective paused mpressivcly and looked
at his two eager listeners. as though challenging
Well. and my wife's buttcrfy?' asked the
II am coming TO that, sir Among me things
there were several pins and brooches no included
In the list supplied 10 us al Scotland an hld
seen your advertisement and thought me OF the
miscellaneous articles looked very much like yOur
insect So just asked Sleepy Jim about it.. and
he told me that il had been brought 10 ,im by a
man who had picked it up in Sloane st, and had
been afrftd 10 pawn IT, jim gave him thirty shll-
ilngs for IT.; for he saw the diamonds we're I'M
common good paste, and
-, But they are nothing of the sort. putt Mrs
Wasinqham Indignantly; that was only my
husbands idea to call them paste.
Ah.-That was smart, sir, very smar You
The colonel looked gratifed Wont yol take
a glass OF wine, Mr.. Sawder?7 he said. pshing
the decanter over 10 him.
Thank you, sir, don't mind If do, rphed
Mr. Sawder helping himself and he require littn
pressing 10 be induced 10 repeat the action svcral
times In the course Of the next hour
AS consequence, he soon grew exceedingly
communicative and entertained the colonel with
the most thrilling Scotland Yard narrative, ell
illustrative of the cleverness Of r0gucs the |
superior astuteness Of detectives.
It's not that the criminal classes ar so |
especially clever, he remarked. udicially. lac |
wound up one of his tales; but the public so
uncommonly SOFT
The colonel acquiesced. There were a reat |
many fools in the world lie opined hut 70 his |
mari no haH fOr he himself
never been taken in in his life.
:" can quite believe that, said Mr. Saaler,
politely: and il may make 50 free. ] rocat
again you ought 10 he one Of us"
The colonel did not at all resent Mr.. savers
freedom. He was particularly pleased win nm
ana his stories, and in the fulncss 0f his haTt
fIll - L. Iou.x IN Il