The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-06-27

could not be continually running Their,
for any extra silver I might need, 81
the chest was placed in a vacant room
in third-story front, and we onl,
took out silver for our daily use.
One warm morning. in June / was il
the kitchen rolling out some pie crust
when there came Il gentle knock at thu
door, and opening it. there stood ;
neat, pleasant-faced girl, who inquired
if needed a cook. / eagerly answered
Yes" Was she looking for a place.
And with a few questions on botf
sides the agreement was concluded anG
she was to come to me the next day
Mary came the following morning ant
soon had things Strengthened out ant
everything IN good order.
We congratulated ourselves on the
treasure we had secured. Our neatly
served meals appeared as if by magic
on the stroke of the clock. Mary neve,
complained of the work, but lent {
willing hand to help in the houseworA
as well as her own department.
She had no visitors, for she said she
was a stranger in the place. All her
family We're dead long since and she
was quite alone in the world, she told
me, with tears in her honest blue eyes.
! sOon felt / could trust her with
everything, she was so faithful and
careful and seemed to have our inter.
ests so at heart.
One evening Harry and / were going
to a concert and | told Mary she need
not sit up for us, as we should probably
be late. 1t was after ten when we en-
tered our gate. | was surprised to see
a light in the parlor, when | had left the
gas turned low. The front door was
bolted and could not be opened with
our night key, neither was there any
response to our repeated ringing of the
bell. which we could distinctly hear re-
v~crberating through the house. We
waited several minutes in breathless
suspense, and as nc response came to
Harry last frantic efforts. which fair
ly pulled the bell ont by the roots. we
went around t. the back door to see if
we could gain an entrance there.
1t stood open. As we came up the
steps we could see the interior of the
kitchen at Il glance. EVERYTHING was in
confusion, chairs were overturned,
Marys work basket and its contents
strewed ovcr the floor. and Mary her
self, bound hand and foot and gagged.
lying in a helpless heap under the
kitchen table.
She turned her beSeeching ives to
us. hearing steps approaching. and we
flew to her assistance. My husband
carried her into the sitting-room.
while ran for camphor and ammonia.
for h was quite historical and for
some time could not tell us a connected
story. What we finally gathered was
this: As the evening was warm. Mary
sat in the kitchen with her work.
leaving the outside door open to catch
the breeze from the west. She was
sewing quietly. never thinking of harm.
when she heard stealthy steps and
looking up saw two masked figures on
the very threshold. la Il moment they
had seized and gagged her. and with a
pistol at her head compelled her to show
them where the silver and my jewel
ry were kept. Not content with what
they found, they made up large bun
dies % lIarrv's and my best clothes.
then bidding her hand and foot. 50 she
could no give the alarm. they had left
her in IT, pitiable state in which we
her. She showed us her poor
bruised wr.s'S. where the rope had been
50 tigh. the flesh was cut and
swollen.
Our sympathy Tor poor Mary was SO
great that We hardly realized our loss,
but in looking through the house we
'ound that the burglars had made a
clean sweep of everything of
7alue. They took such odd things. for
besides the basket of silver my choicest |
.ablecloths and napkins had been
undcrclotheS, linen sheets and
showcases and several of nv best
and Ilarry's wardrobe had also
suffered. They had not secured much
IF my jewelry, as most of it | kept in
/ small safe which weighed two hum
ired pounds, and vas too heavy for one
nan to lift alene.
Mary could give no description of the
men, as they We're closely masked. My
telegraphed to Philadelphia
or detectives and two were sent up.
After spending several days in shad-
innocent people they returned to
ne city, leaving us no wiser than be-
lore their visit, but with our purses
considerably lighter. The chest of
in the attic ! nov opened to sup
ply the place of what had been taken.
called Mary to help me carry it down
How her eyes danced when she
,av: the rich contents of the chest. and
fervent were her thanks that the
burglars had not known of this extra
mount.
We felt very grateful to Mary and
tenderly for her until she was
Iuite strong again. She said she suf-
greatly with her teeth. The gag
been Put in her mouth so roughly
hat it had looscned some of them, and
he now made frequent visits to the
Often she was gone the en-
ire afternoon. She always took a
bundle with her. Once when | ques-
toned her about it. She said that she
wrapped up the waist of an old dress to
year in the dentists chair to keep her
lress fresh, and ] could but commend
Ter prudence and careful forethought.
One evening at dusk, when Mary was
l went for a stroll with my hus-
,and. As we We're ascending a steep
ill on the outskirts of the town We
two figures at the top. clearly out
against the evening sky. My
husband hastily drew me into a1hicket
t the side of the road. As the figures
approached. / saw in the faint light
hat one was Mary, and an evil-looking
was with her. They stopped near
S, and Mary, handing him the bundle
he carried. said something about
melting / thought she was refer.
ing to the very warm day just over:
hen hastily separating. as a carriage
'as seen coming up the hill, she called
Il will be here next week at the
anne hour" and walked rapidly away.
" confidence in Mary was somewhat
in finding that she did have ac-
uaintances in the place, when she had
Did me she knew no one; but | did not
efer to the meeting we had witnessed 4:
hen went to the kitchen to give her
lie order for breakfast.
Harry looked unusually gra We the