The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-10

L
well settled-by the youngest mem
bers of our family, at least-that our
ealler would prove to be a young man
and neighbor supposed to be deeply
in love with me, when our dainty
waiting maid announced messenger
with telegram.
Of course that unusual event in our
rural and sometimes too quiet exist
snce, caused little connection, and,
rs the dispatch was addressed to me, I
was watched with curious eyes while l
opened the envelope and read its con-
tents.
~"Will start tomorrow to visit you, :"
it said; ''have sent trunk to-day"
signed, ''Mary Norton" She was my
very dearest girl friend on earth and
had long promised to visit me. The
anticipation of her coming made
everyone SO happy that nothing more
was said about my "beau," for which
was thankful.
The next afternoon the expressman
brought the expected trunk. I had it
taken upstairs and placed in my room,
for I insisted that my best friend
should share my lovely, sunny bed
! chamber and not be poked away in the
\cold apartment reserved for ordinary
Guests.
After some trouble and complain
1ngAfor the trunk was unusually large
and heavy, the expressmal helped by
our GARDENER, carried it up and set it
against Ne foot of my bed, there to
walt Tor ~ beloved owner.
AS have mentioned, our house and
grounds wef> large and handsome, for
my father, beng rich, prided himself
on maintaining home BETTING a
country gentleman. We also pos
sessed much jewAry and other rare
treasures, and, foA fear of robbers,
our house was well Motected without
by dogs and within by bolts and bars
and electric alarms at each door and
window. In addition VEAL had large
dinner bells by our bedsides 10 ring
furiously in case Of necessity, and the
male portion of the family had noend
of guns and handy pistols.
Consequently, on the following
morning when we discovered that we
had been robbed during the night, we
were frightened and shocked beyond
measure.
Almost every room had been en-
tered and nearly oil our jewelry was
gone. Even watches from under pill
lows and pocketbooks from fathers
and brothers trousers had been taken.
And most puzzling and alarming of
all was the fact that not the slightest
sign of breaking in or out could be
found at single door or window.
The electric contrivances were all UNI
disturbed.
Who could have done the robbery?
We couldn't suspect our servants of
any share in the crime, for long years
of faithful duty proved the contrary.
If burglar had secreted himself in
the house before closing time, which
seemed probable, how could he have
gotten out and left no trace? The
more we tried to solve the riddle the
more mysterious it became to us,
though the village constable, hastily
sent for, said he'd soon have theory
to work on,
In the afternoon of that awful day
another telegram came to our house
from Mary Norton. 1t read: 'sMoth-
er suddenly i'll. Cannot come. Will
send for trunk. Please deliver to ex-
pressman when he calls. Will write
particulars
In an hour following that came the
expressnan and, glad that Mary was
to be spared the unpleasantness of a
visit at such forlorn time, we again
let our man help him away with the
heavy trunk from its place at the fool
of my bed.
For week we did our best assisted,
too, by city detectives, to discover q
clue to the robbers, but all in vain.
And every day we sent to the post
pffice for my friends promised letter,
put none came. Then anxious for
her mother was seriously i'll,
te to her. By. return mail came
1swer, saying she had sent neither
nor kilograms, that her mother
It sick, and asking what it ali
ce 1 understood our robbery.
glar had been in the trunk
anne, he had passed the night,
he vas making the ro1fnd Of