Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-09-05

| MS laSU Gays as pl0aSanG DIS possible
know he is getting old-for he has
seen rough times out in the west, ano
has earned a good rest, I'll warrant
The fact is this was trif1e hypo-
Truth was he was beginning to get g
little anxious over the fact that Uncle
George was not making any lavish ex-
penditures of his vast wealth.
In another part of the house that
night there was another interesting
little scene 1t was behind a huge
bank of ferns and palms that the vi
vacious Miss Bessie was explaining to
her betrothed, Frank Jewett, all about
the new-found relative.
ssYou must be very good to him,
Frank" she was saying. "Of course
I know he is horrid looking old fell
low and he dresses like a scarecrow
and he's stupid as stick and all that;
| but then he's rich and we all want to
keep on the good side of him. If it
wasn't for that we wouldn't have him
in the house.
''But papa is going to let him make
his home with us, and when he dies
he will surely leave us all his money.
And wouldn't be particle surprised
if we keep in his good graces, if he
would furnish our house for US from
cellar to garrett when you and [ are
married"
Was that chuckle that came from
the other side of the thick bank of
ferns and palms?
One morning Uncle George failed to
come down to breakfast. This was
not an unusual thing, for Mr.. Leslie's
avuncular relative was in the habit of
taking long morning strolls, "jest to
brace up my appetite Bit" he would
explain.
But when he failed to come down to
lunch, to dinner-when night arrived
and still no Uncle George-Mrs. Les
lie began to be alarmed.
ssI am afraid something has happen
to him. she said to her husband.
''He is not very well acquainted in the
city Who knows but he may have
been robbed and murdered?'
So Mr.. Leslie hunted up the chief of
detectives and reported the mysteri-
GUS disappearance. He described the
missing man.
"Was the gentleman's right fore
finger missing up to the middle joint?"
asked the chief.
eyes," replied Mr.. Leslie, wonder
ing how the chief knew that fact.
ssAnd he had sort of innocent, rus
tic, modest air about him.
eyes, yes" said the other; 'you
have found him them"
'SNo," replied the detective with
quizzical smile, but I wish I could. Is
this his picture?7' he asked, pointing
to photograph which ne had select
ed from large brown book.
ssThe very man!' exclaimed Mr..
Leslie. elias anything happened to
him? How did you come by his pict-
ure?''
''The gentleman has the distinction
of having his photograph in the
rogues gallery" was the reply.
"Rogues'? Why, what do you mean,
mani" gasped Mr.. Leslie. ''He is my
wife's uncle.'
''Can you prove that?" queried the
chief.
''Why, yes-that is-well- stammer-
ed the now thoroughly astounded
man. New light was thrown on a
thousand little circumstances of I'm
Gle Georges visits and actions.
'sI tell you," continued the detec-
tive, pityingly; 1this man is Louis
Rebstenise, one of the sharpest con-
fdence men in the country, who max
a business of this sort of work. He
has been missing for some time, and
I suppose he has been out west, where
he probably met the real Uncle George
and learned enough of your family
story to play his little game.
eff you search your house you will
probably find that all your silver
ware, jewelry and money are gone,
or at least as much of them as one
man can carry away"
The chiefs surmise was correct.
The choice old family plate, Mrs. Les
lies jewelry and two hundred dollars
which Leslie had taken in the day be-
fore after banking hours were
gone; loss eight hundred dollars.
In their place was little note pin
ned on one pillow of the bed lately
occupied by the departed. 1t read:
[ must be off. Have enjoyed myself |
hugely. Sorry I can't leave you my |
vast fortune. No, Bessie, I am afraid
I won't furnish your house from eel
lar to garnet this year, if you did try