The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-01-14
aI won't confess to doing what I nevt

did, ma am, she answered denantly
every well, then, l shall call the others
and show them these things, that they
may know who is the culprit; and then
you leave my service at once.
So rang for the cook and Eliza, and,
pointing to my belongings on the floor,
said the thief was found. Eliza offered
to turn out her box, saying that it was
only right that she should do so as well as
the others. OF course there was nothing
of mine in it but it was much tidier than
either of the others, with her treasured
Bible and Prayer Book neatly wrapped in
tissue paper and lying on the top.
then told Jane to come to me in the
dining room, where most unpleasant
scene ensued, for she stoutly maintained
her innocence | am rather cowardly, like
great many women, about prosecuting
dishonest servants. Rather than appear
as witness against her would have con-
doned great deal; and did not like the
idea of sending such young girl to prison.
Her mother I knew to be an honest, hard
working widow, who would be heart-bro-
ken at James behavior. So L told her
that, on account of her previous good
character and my respect for her mother,
| had decided not to call in the police;
but that she must leave the house imme-
diately, and need never refer to me for a
character; and | hoped my being so lenient
would induce her to repent and reform.
She listened without the smallest soften
ing that l could see, and turned at the
door to say: "Well, maam, 1 can only
say you We been deceived Some day you
will know the true from the false.
She departed Kind Eliza helped her
to pack her boxes, fetched cab for her,
and gave her tract at parting, with, as cook
afterward told me, some excellent advice.
l must say this made me admire and re-
speet the parlormaid more than ever.
There are not many who will say a kind
word to detected thief.
Then came up the disagreeable problem
of getting another housemaid at a mo-
ment's notice; but here, fortunately, Eliza
came to my relief She knew a girl, she
said, distant connection of her owD, who
was just leaving a situation at South Ken
sington. I wrote to her mistress, who
gave her an excellent character, and in a
few days she was installed in our house.
She was not quite so prepossessing in ap-
pearance as Eliza, as she had rather a cast
in her eyes; but she proved an excellent
servant, and now that Jane had gone, l
was not annoyed by petty piiferings.
1t is not often that my good husband
finds fault with anything in the house;
but one evening, as we were sitting at din
ner, he did take exception to the tarnished
condition of our plate generally, and es-
pecially of one piece on the sideboard-a
large silver salver, which we used for a
tea tray on state occasions; two very mas
sive cups, and a fine tankard, quite Is
inches high, which had belonged to his
grandfather. 'Yes, I know it wants clean
ing badly" said II intend to have it
all done one Of these days. The London
atmosphere soon furnishes it,
We had great deal of plate-most of
it very old, and which had been in my
husbands family for generations. As he
was an only child he had inherited it all.
had also good many handsome silver
articles among my wedding presents. |
hepe shall not be accused of boastful ar
rogance when l say that, between us, we
had almost more than we knew what to
do with. 1t was nuisance to keep clean
aud constant worry to me. We kept it
all in the house. We had tried leaving it
at our bank, but that method was very in
convenient when we were giving dinner
party and needed number of extra ar
ticles. Also, my husband liked to have it
to look at, as also to show occasionally
some particularly old and valuable piece
to some connoisseur friend. So, though
we had often been threatened by our
friends with burglars, and warned that we
should have our plate stolen, we continued
to store it, except those articles in use, in
a room at the head of the stairs, next to
our bedroom, where we must hear any
sound there in the night. The plate was
not in safe, being so large in quantity;
but we had had an especially strong oak
press, with double doors lined with iron,
made expressly for it. The press was
fitted with shelves and drawers lined with
green baize Connected with it was an
electric bell, which must infallibly ring if
any unaccustomed hand essayed TO open
the outer lock. The locks themselves
were of complicated construction, and we
never left the house in the daytime with
out at least one servant in it. On the
rare occasions on which could persuade
my husband to indulge himself with few
weeks of holiday we always sent all the
plate to the bank. / may add that the
door of the plate room itself was always
kept locked and the key in my possession,
and that the window was protected by
heavy iron bars inside.
My husband laid but few restrictions
upon me, but there was one point upon
which he was resolute-nobody must ever
go to the plate room but me. No matter
how trustworthy the servants might be, |