Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-11-05
ABOVE PROOF.
/ don't like Menken.

In his ideas
He is. however, very good company,
Ind have passed good many even
ngs with him over pipe, aud will
lcquit him of ever having bored me-
went to his lodgings with him a
ew nights ago from the club. and soon
ound myself seated in an arm chair
BY the fireside. We talked of many
Kings, till at length, l forget how the
conversation turned on murders and
nurderers.
After all, | said, in ninety-nine
murders out of hundred circumstan-
ial evidence and motive are the only
helps TO conviction. No one in his
lenses commits q murder il there is
my one looking on"
No said Menken, slowly, 'peo-
pie prefer doing these things in pri-
rate If possible. But sometimes they
Ire not aware that there are wit
Iesses."
He paused and filed his pipe
1T is not every one" he went on,
"who has been a secret witness of u
murder; but have"
WAS he convicted and hauged?" l
lsked.
1t wasn't he but She" said
Menken, smilingly. And she was
not convicted and hanged, or even
tried"
But surely you was beginning,
when Menken broke in.
My dear fellow, nothing / could
ave said could have convicted the
;omau. 1t was a very odd case alto
ether; one of the most ingenious
nings l ever heard of. | will tell you
he story, if you like; it will be simpler
IAN your getting it out OF me by cross
Examination. About four years ago
was travelling in Switzerland. In
ne course of my rambles ! reached
.auserwald. | was much taken with
he place; the scenery was superb,
he hotel Old-fashioned but delight
ully comfortable.
After l had been there about a
ortnight on entering the dining room
or dinner. | noticed some new ar
rivals. Among them was party of
,hree English-an old gentleman, his
1oung wife, and daughter Of the old
gentleman by former marriage. The
daughter, poor girl. was blind. She
was about twenty and looked delicate.
| cannot say she was pretty but yet
she was not unpleasing. The old boy,
her father was just like other old
English gentlemen you see about
The wife was decidedly pretty; she
was about eight-and twenty fair. with
gray eyes, and most undeuiable fig
are. They seemed to be well off, but
they did not hold much intercourse
with the rest of the inmates of the
hotel
Il was not long in finding out three
facts. First that the old gentleman
was madly fond of his wife and indif-
terent to his daughter; secondly that
the daughter adored her father and
did not like his wife; thirdly that the
wife hated them both.
'One morning after the party had
been in the hotel about a week, the
bid gentleman did not appear as usual
At breakfast and in reply to inquiries,
his wife said that he was not feeling
we'll In the course OF the day the
toctor an Englishman by the way,
was sent for and in the evening the
landlord, who was as angry with the
Did man as II he got his illness on pur-
pose, told me confidentially, with tears
of rage, that the old gentleman had
been pronounced by the doctor to be
III OF gastric fever, and that the case
was serious. The landlords anxiety
was not without reason. The fact
could not be concealed, and visitors
began to leave in haste. Only q few
besides me remained on. l am not in
The least nervous about illness, and /
had no intention of leaving the place.
Tor such a cause, a resolve which
raised me greatly in the landlords es-
.eem.
One morning the French maid came
running down to the family with great
excitement in her dark face, and in
broken English informed them that
Madam had slept not in her couch,
aor could Celeste find her anywhere,
though she search, she search every
Eherem
Then Henry recollected all at once
that he had rather neglected his
mother lately. Mrs. Henry forgot her
cultured" calmness and joined in the
search, weeping bitterly. Jane came
running in with reproaches for her.
self and all the others. Joe left his
iesk for once and set telegraph wires
| 10 work. and confusion and grief
'eigned supreme, while the sons and
daughters found their minds wander
ing back to childhood and mother"
IS they had not done for years, and /
think they learned over again, and
ar more perfectly the lesson of flial
! owe.
Hours passed, and no news came of
The missing, and fears grew graver and
stronger till at last Henry walking
he floor in anxiety, exclaimed sudden
y, as the idea struck him, She's gone
homen and running to a drawer in
his desk, where keys of every size and
lorm lay punched and singly, he
turned them hastily over.
Yes, the key is gone and she has
wandered back home. I'm sure OF 1t
Why We did not think of it before, /
cannot think. Oh, mother! you never
wanted to leave it, the dear dear old
house where we were born. and which
iheltered us all so faithfully. And we
dragged you from it selfish doltsr
Too impatient to wait for trains not
due for hours they set of across the
country in carriages, AS they drew
hear the old house they found news OF
the lost one. She had passed only an
hour before, plodding YEARLY along
the familiar road. so with lightened
hearts they went on.
Leaving the carriage and horse al
the village they followed the rest OF