Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-11-16
MY AUNT'S EARRINGS

thorough contempt for probability and
the police. The first thing you should
do when a crime has been committed, as
often said to Uncle Poffkins is to sus-
picion the most unlikely man as being
the criminal
That was the course l adopted when
Aunt Poiflins 5 earrings were stolen. 1t
was in the morning when the theft was
discovered Aunt came down late and
ran into the room where Uncle Pofflins,
Dora and We're breakfasting Ny aunt
bore traces of strong agitation and she
had forgotten her cap.
" My earringsp she cried They
are gone-they are stolenr
God bless my soul r. exclaimed
Uncle Pofkins, dropping his teacup as
if he had been shot and leaping up with
a yell of pain. He said the yell was at
tributed to the heat of the tea, which
was trickling down his legs.
My aunt explained. The earrings were
kept wrapt in cotton wool in jewel.
box on her dressing table The box was
never locked, and the housemaid had ac-
cess TO the room. The girl had only
been in the house week, and was
known to have beau Ny aunt and
cousin at once concluded she was the
thief and sent for policeman. who
searched her trunk and found nothing.
of course. could have told them that.
Meanwhile. | kept my eye on Uncle
Poifkins lie was the one person who
1
ing the earrings. He was very rich,
most respectable aud extremely slow and
NOISY in his movement: moreover. my
aunt would have given him the earrings
| tuny moment il he had asked for them
EVIDENT he vas the last nan TO attract
su piciol. Accordingly, l watched Uncle
Pofxns closely.
We passed week Of excitement The
police were running out and in. Dora
crc examined the housemaid inces.
sanity Aunt PoflSins went about
weeping and reminding every one she
met rhat the earring, were a present from
Uncle Poffkins or the occasion of their
engagement
Ny uncle himself affected to make
light Of the matter, and went so far as
loudly and ostentatiously to curse the
earrings He was wrong it he thought
he could put Inc off the scent by that
clumsy maneuvrc. | never left him
alone: tracked him to the city, hung
about all the morning. Swallowed him
when he went to lunch. when he re-
turned. when he crossed over to the ex-
change.
Unknown TO him | was on his bus, in
side if he rode on the top. and on the top
when it rained and he slowed himself
away inside. He never escaped me ex-
cept when he was in his office At last,
after ten. days weary chasing, l was re-
warded need not say that the police
had discovered nothing. The house was
still topsy turvey and my aunt subject
to intermittent Mysteries.
That wronged creature, the house
maid, did her work with mop in one
hand and in the other a handkerchief,
wet with innocent tears. But to return
to Uncle Poffkins The tenth day after
the earrings had disappeared, as he was
brushing his hat before leaving the
house and looking at my aunt's tear
believed visage, his conscience smote
him, and he so far forgot himself as to
exclaim audibly:
Pm blamed if / can stand this any
longer 70 The folly of the man was in
credible had him now In an instant
| was after him he took bus, ! took !
a cab, aud started for the city. Now
came the odd thing Uncle Poffkins dis
How it happened do not know. but
when the bus pulled up at the bank |
Uncle Poffkins was not to be seen. l |
questioned the conductor. but he had |
evidently been bribed, and told me very |
rudely that he had something better to
do than answer my riddles. He drove
on, and l was left for the first time at
fault.
1t was evening before / saw Uncle
PoHkins. ! was going home in very dis
state, when. about two hun
bred yards from our gate, l espied him
ahead of me. Quickening my pace,
approached him. He opened
the gate and passed in; noiselessly fol
lowed
A little further on, sheltered by the
;hrubbery, he stopped. and, after
,tealthy glance towards the house, took
from his coat pocket small morocco
sase. stood on tiptoe just behind. and,
with mingled horror and satisfaction as
looked over his shoulder. / saw the
sarringsl was right Uncle Poffkins
sighed.
"Shall l give 'em to her or motif he
aid TO himself Its rank waste. Still
{ will keep her quiet. l watched the
struggle between his good and his evil
nigel. Clearly the good angel had tri-
1mphed so far as to bring the earrings
within fifty yards of Aunt Poffkns. but
low came the tug of war. 1t was severe
md it ended in the victory of evil. Uncle
ooffkins. shutting the case with a snap,
acclaimed:
It's all blamed nonsense I'll take
am hack IN hral,ax,, T., .,,o,-,.x- > /