The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-06-14

Miss Bessie was explaining to her be-
trothcd, Frank Jcwett. all about tho
new-found relative.
'You must be very good to him,
Frank" she was saying. "Of course
know he is II horrid-loolling old fellow
and he dresses like n scarecrow and he's
MS 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
Tor that we wouldn't have him in the
house
"Bmt 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 II particle surprised, if we
keep in his good graces, if he would
furnish our house for us from cellar to
garnet when you and are married" :
Was that faint chuclllc 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.. Leslics nvun-
cular relative was in the habit of talk
ing long morning strolls, Jest to brace
up my appetite Bit" he would eX-,
plain.
But when he failed to come back to
lunch, to dinncr-whcn night arrived
and still no Uncle Georgc-Mrs. Leslie
began to be alarmed.
III am afraid something has happened
to him." she said to her husband. "uc
is not very well acquainted in the city.
Who knows but he may have been
robbed and murdcred?"
So MIR. Leslie hunted up the chief of
detectives and reported the mysterious,
disappearance. lie described the miss
ing man.
"Was the gcntlcman's right fore finger
missing up to the middle point?" asked
the chief.
YES" replied Mr.. Leslie, wondering
how the chief knew that fact.
".And he had n sort of innocent, rus
tic, modest air about him?'
"Ycs, yes" said the other; "you have
found him, thcn?"
NO" replied the detective with q
quizzical smile, but wish could Is
this his picturc?" he asked, pointing to
n photograph which he had selected
from Il large brown book.
The very mani" exclaimed Mr.. Les
lie. Has anything happened to him?
How did you come by his picturc?"
The gentleman has the distinction
of having his photograph in the rogucs'
gallery" was the quiet reply.
"Rosucs' gallery! Why, what do You
mean, mun?" gaspcd Mr.. Leslie. ale
is my wife's uncle"
Can you prove that?" qucricd the
chief
"Why, ycs-that is-wtll"-stam-
mcred the now thoroughly astounded
man. New light was thrown on Il thou
sand little circumstances of Uncle
Georges visit and actions.
III tell you," continued the detective,
pityingly; this man is Louis Rcb-
steise, one of the sharpest confidence
men in the country, who makes Il bust
ness of this sort of work He has been
missing for some time, and suppose he
has been out west, where he proba-
bly, met the real Uncle George and
learned enough of your family story t>
play his little game.
IF you search your house yon via
probably find that all your silvcrwarc,
jcwclry and money are gone, or atleast
as much of them as one man can carry
away"
The chiefs surmise was correct. The
choice old family plate, Mrs. LeSlic's
jcwelry and two hundred dollars which
Mr.. Leslie had taken in the day before
after banking hours-all were gone;
loss eight hundred dollars.
In their place was little note pinned
to one pillow OF the bed lately occupied
by the departed. 1t read:
must be OF. Have enjoyed myself hugely
Sorry can't leave you my vast fortune. No,
Bessie. am afraid won't furnish your house
from cellar TO garnet this year IL you did try TO
keep on the good side of your horrid-loohing
old Uncle Gorge.
L. S.-Good-Gy.
Boston Globe