News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-05-28
A Metropolitan Mystery.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.


Miss Melinda Parkinson had come
| down to New York to buy her sum-
mer patterns and to indulge herself
with glimpse at the great world, OF
which hitherto she had only become
acquainted through the columns of
the weekly newspaper.
1T must be a mortal strange place, y
said that amiable spinster, "where
folks walk up and down Broadway in
their Sunday clothes, and milk sells
for ten cents a quart. And where
they hain't no garrets in their houses
and 90 out to parties just when we
Centervillers are tying on our night
caps to go to bed. Well, well it takes
all sorts of people to make world :"
So Miss Melinda retrimmed her leg
horn hat with sage-green ribbons,
spOnged over her ancient black silk
gown, INDUCES in the extravaganza
of new gloves, and sets forth fer the
great American metropolis to visit
Cousin Lemuel Larkins, whose family
had frequently spent halcyon sum-
mers at the farm, and to partake of
whose hospitality she had had a
standing invitation for some time.
Cousin Lemuel and his eldest daugh-
ter, Persephone, met her at the depot
with faces of friendly welcome. COu-
sin Lemuel was a photographer on
the BOwery, and Miss PersephOn did
supernumerary parts at the Sparkle
Theatre and had the promise of go
ing on" whenever there should be a
vacancy in the regular dramatis
persOn9.
Come along, Cousin Nelly" said
Mr.. Larkins. where's the check for
your baggage? Here, expressmanl
And look sharp, d'y hear?"
But, shrieked Miss Melinda, that
check is all I've got to show for my
trunk"
Its all right said Larkins, it's
all right"
But the man is perfect stranger
"Ain't he an eXpress-agent? said
Larkins.
Yes; but how do you know he'll
ever bring up the trunk at all, gasp
ed Miss Parkinson. 81 once read in
the Sentinel how
"Come along said Mr.. Larkins,
goOd-humoredly. you'll find it'll
be as right as a rivet.
"Ain't we going in a carriage?"
"Bless us, no. said Cousin Larkins.
"We're gOin' in the short-cars."
"But why are you going in the
short cars?" said Miss Melinda, in
great bewilderment. 81 thought you
said you lived a mile and half from
the depot?"
"Oh!" said Mr.. Larkins, short
means the cars, not the distance!
Come. Let me help you aboard,
there's good girl
No sooner was Miss Parkinson safe
ly bestowed between a stout gentle
man reading his paper and black
velvet-cloaked lady. than she again
began to be uneasy in her mind.
"Lemuel," " said she, in stage whis-
per, Il don't like these cars. I'd rath-
er walk"
But why?" said Mr.. Larkins, who
was hanging from strap like first
class trapeze performer. "Eh? The
man next you pickpocket? But,
my dear woman, it can't be possible!
He's a-holding up the paper with both
his hands! How can he be picking
your pocket"
"Ah!" nodded Miss Parkinson,
''they can't deceive me- One of 'em' s
stuffed! I've read all about it! And
he may be a-takin my watch and my
twenty-five dollars out of my under
pocket with the real hand, this very
minute, for all | knOwl''
Madam" said the strange gentle
man, jumping up and turning very
red, as he started for the door, 81
have not yet arrived at my destina-
ton, but | much prefer walking a few
blocks, to finding myself the subject
of aspersions such as these! Conduc-
tor, you will have the goodness to
stop"
"There," cried Miss Parkinson,
starting to her feet, ''it's Just as the
Seminal says! He's escaping! Driv-
er, | insist that he shall be searched!
Conductor, call the police!"
"P'r'aps," suggested Cousin Lem
uel, you'd better see if your watch
and money amt safe, Melindal"
because, marm,' added the con-
ductor, with the corners of his mouth
twitching, "that there gent is Judge
De Griffiths, of the Court of Common
| Complaints, as amt nOway addicted
| to pOcket-picking as ever | heerd
On!
And Miss Parkinson, discovering
| that her valuables were all safe, sub
sided once more into her place and
merely remarked that "we are all
liable to mistakes"
She was rather surprised to discOv-
er that the Larkins family, instead Ot
occupying one of the palatial man.
sions contiguous to Central Park
lived on the fourth -four of a rusty
brick house on the BOwery, whose
front windows were blinded by the
Elevated Road and whose rear out
look consisted chiefly of cats anC
chimney tops. There was SOmmer
garten next door, where a band dis
Coursed sweet music until three o.
clock in the morning, and a shooting
gallery on the other side, and tn,
ground floor of their own building
was occupied by job printer, who's
steam machinery, albeit was under
ground, rOared and hissed and KEEP
the walls a-tremble until Miss Parkin
son declared it was just like living
over the crater of Vesurius
LA, my DEAR" said Mrs Larkins
comfortably elderly lady with {
greasy pOplin dress and a cap cover
ed with crumpled artificial flowers
"you won't mind it after a day o
two. It's really a very superio
neighbOrhOOdl "
They supped off clam chowder, boil
ed Holsters, Vienna bread and Lin
burger cheese-for the Larkins famil.
were quite cosmopolitan in thei
tastes-and spent the evening at tn
- IngOmar Theatre, for which Miss Pei
sephone had always limited numbe