The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-15
SHE WAS A KLEProMANIAo.
How a Society Girl Got Her Jewelry
and Gowns

- DSNAVNJ 1AlA AOt 4cE gG"9l
and Gowns.
Some years ago. says the New York
Tribune, several girls were gathered to-
gether for afternoon tea IN the boudoir Of
their hostess, a stately dame OF the old re-
gime, when. to please her young guests, the
old lady bad brought out many old time
treasures in the way Of gowns and
jewels. Placing the latter in their casket
as the party broke up, Mrs. s. turned
the Key IN the lock and put the box away,
neg!ecung to verify the casket I'M
I'll later In the evening; then,
lessness, she opened the clse to see that
nothing was missing. To her consterna.
ton she found that a very valuable ring
was gone. Or course the most minute and
thorough search OF the room was made.
and every part Of the old gowns carefully
examined. All was in vain; the ring had
d disappeared, and was never seen again.
Deeming it useless, Mrs. S. decided not 70
mention the matter to her young guests.
fearing 1t might make them uncomfortable.
and so the matter was dropped
A few months later three Of the party. fn-
GLIDING Mrs. s. happened to be stopping
together at large country house on the
hudson. One morning when most of the
house party were at breakfast their hostess
worried. 81 have had most ANNOYING
loss" she said as she entered the room.
Two rings OF considerable value have been
taken from my room. At this season al
ways have my coffee early, and work for
half an hour in my rose garden.
leaving my rings on the ring stand
on my dressing-table. 1t is a careless
habit, know, but l have done so con-
stantly, and most of the servants have been
with us so long that never felt that there
was any danger. This morning left them
there as usual, but when / came back TO
dress for breakfast / found two OF them
gone" The event naturally caused great
commotion in the house; the servants were
Intercepted and suspicion finally attached
itself to new French nurse who had lately
entered the household. The theft, how.
ever, was not proved, and she left, vowing
vengeance. "You insult US, you examine
our effects, she screamed in shrill anger.
but regard them in the trunks of
ces danes; they can be voleurs as well as
nous autres The fine miss will betray her,
self some fine day, be sure Of that" And SO
she departed metaphorically shaking the
dust from of her shoes. Her last remark
BILE, she said to herself. "that the woman
was right" No, 1t was too absurd but
Minnie dressed wonderfully well for q girl
in moderate circumstances. But how
wrong" thought the conscientious old lady,
ITO let the chance word Of a dismissed serv-
ant influence me, and she felt that she had
done wisely In hot mentioning her own loss
OF the winter before
One year later Mrs. 8. visited a WE'LL
known watering place, where she found
Minnie stopping with some friends at the
same hotel, and the same afternoon she on
countered Josephine, the suspected French
maid, walking with two pretty little chill
dren on the veranda. Stopping her as she
passed the girl poured forth an eager stream
OF entire aties. She had found good place,
she said, and a kind lady; madame, she
begged, would not mention last years an
noyance; abe assured madame she was inno-
cent, las madame would find out yet" she
added meaninRly. The kind hearted
Mrs. s. promised, but she felt
thoroughly bewidered when, a couple
OF days later, mutual acquaintance
who had recently arrived missed valua-
BILE bracelet. "Is it not odd, dear Mrs.
s." said Minnie, running up to her in
the drawing.room, did you know jose
ought to do about last years But even az
she spoke she turned CHASTITY pale, for be-
hind her stood the French woman, her dark
face aliRht with triumpant revenge, and
holding up the setting of the bracelet out of
which every stone had been distracted. II
nave witnesses, she 1alrly Missed. II knew
where to find the bracelet but, mad
emoiselle, where are the stones7" Fairly
cornered by the clever precautions of the
revengeful maid, the miserable girl at
tempted no defense, and subsequently made
full confession. For years she had been
no better, nay, rather worse. than a com-
mon understanding petty articles at first,
but becoming holder as she found she could
obtain money by selling her stolen goods.
Not only did she buy dresses and jewelry
for herself, but for the last twelvemonth
she had taken to stock gambling. succeeding
beyond her anticipation at first, but finally
losing everything. 1t was her urgent need
to make good her recent Losses that tempted
her to take the bracelet, hoping
to draw suspicion upon Josephine.
| With great difficulty the latter was
silenced. and Minnie's uncle, who was also
her guardian, was telegraphed for. One of
the proudest of men. and devotedly attached
to his children, he keenly felt the disgrace
Of her conduct, and, after consultation
with Mrs. s. and the lady whose bracelet
she had taken, the choice was offered to the
girl Of a public prosecution or a life i'm
| prisonment In a maison de sante. where she
could have every. comfort consistent with
confinement. She chose the later; the
secret was well kept, and society only knows
Of her as an unfortunate girl whose mind
has become unsettled.