The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-01
A MODERN INVENTION.
How It Came to the Residue or
Mrs. Bascomb.


Howard Bascombs pleasant home.
and. stepping to il, she received this
message from her husband;
"TIellol Is that you, Lottie? I've
concluded to leave for New York this
noon. The boy is on the way to the
house for my grip You know what
Ill need for week or ten days abb
sence. Get your sister to stay with you
for company Good-by, dear, s'long.
Take care OF yourself
Then he rung off. and Mrs. Bas-
comb went IN search Of the satchcl,
which she packed with deft hand
She was n young woman, sensible,
well balanced, and nothing ever dis
turbed or annoyed her to the extent OF
making her fidgety or nervous. Being
in robust health, she hardly knew
what nerves meant She was4self=re-
liant but domestic, and absorbed In
her home life. which comprised her
world. She had perfect faith in her
husband, or else pretended to have,
and cheated herself comfortably with
the delusion And she never crossed
any bridges until she came to them.
She knew that her husband had i'm
tended going TO New York on the fol-
loving day. and did not wonder or
ponder over his change Of plans
When the messenger came for the
satchel she sent it carefully packed.
just rs she knew her husband wanted
il. She added nothing TO its usual con
tents. ana subtracted nothing. Yes,
stay. She did take out his seven-shooter.
every chamber OF which was loaded,
and laid it on the table under the
mirror, ii the back parlor.
.slowdy has one revolver with him.
That will have to do him this trip,
like to have one handy in case should
need it,
She smiled and smiled again without
being q villain. The idea OF needing
firearms seemed so incongruous and
absurd.
In the afternoon she went up to her
homo to "borrow her sister" as she
expressed it But Miss Madgie had
gone away with some young friends,
and was engaged to spend the night at
the house of schooimate. So Mrs.
Bascomb returned home alone.
Two men stood in the doorway OF an
unused flight. OF Office stairs and read
an evening paper
They were mucn occupied in discuss
ing one item among the personal news.
1t was this:
THE Rubber Horseshoe company is
an assured fact Mr. Howard Bas-
u. ~;--s--- 4L~..ee-sa dniIars
from the M. q NJ. bank to-day, the in.
vestment OF the branch company
formed here, and will leave for New
York tomorrow. A capital Of eighty
thousand dollars is assured"
do y seer' CALCULATED the younger
and smaller of the two men. Drew
sixteen thousand dollars in spondulicks.
Goes home with 1t in his vest pocket,
blow me eff he don't
Maybe not, pard S,posin' it's a
certified check?''
Then there'll be reward offered to
get it back-see2'
Jim, g'roun' to tn bank an find out
which and whether it WERE" suggest
ed the older man.
Bank clussed, remarked Jim, sen.
tentiously.
'S'pose it air. Did yer expect to send
ident? Get aroun' an interview TIL
janitor Represent yerseH as Mister
Bascombs confidential bizness man,
carn't yer?'
Jim started off at once without wait.
ing to give his pard" any outline OF
his plan. lie was gone an hour, but
when he returned he was freighted
with intelligence
Bills" he ehuckled, five hundred
and one-thousand dollar -whewl
An he'll sleep with them about his
honorable pusson tonight me bbe !"
Does yer know the house?" asked
the other man, after spell Of silence.
Il don't, pard. but I've looked it Ut
III the directory, and it's as handy as !
mitten on yer nose. Let's 20 and pet
somethin' wet 70 improve our minds
It's tween us this time-yon outside
me in savey?n
The rascals, who, in appearance a
least, might have passed for homes
men, walked ont of the doorway anc
parted company, to avoid the eagl,
eye Of the police, which would hay,
recognized in their duality a conspirac.
againstlaw and order.
When Mrs. Bascomb returned from
her visit il was dark She had staid /,
supper, and as the girl opened tn,
door she saw that she was somewha
excited
What is it hitty2' she asked
rather grayely, because the girl wa
inclined to get illustrated easily.
Oh, mem, what was the name O
the girl as lived here before | came?
she responded with counter question
Her name2 Sarah something, / can
not remember just now whyqa
NOh, there was young man her
looking for his sister, but her name wa
Annie Donovan. He said he hadn,
seen her in ten years and she wa
grown up now, and he talked butch
fully about her. It would bring III
tears till your eyes, ma'am, to he
heard him. T
Kitty, ] wouldn't gossip vii.
strange men If we're you II ism
safe. He probably was tramp. an
all that story about his sister was Jus
made up out Of whole cloth VIVA
else did he wantpn
Nothing, ma'am, and ! didn't le
him inside the kitchen door. III
warn't no tramp, an I'm sure he wer
tellin' the truth"
Mrs Bascomb did not prolong til
argument, but busted herself until bee
time with some household dutie,
which We're really in the line Of plea.