The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-04-18

~ ~ To Tlulcule IDe
S idea it was pretty
we'll settled-by the youngest mem
bers of our family, at least--that our
caller would prove TO be 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
ence, caused little commotion, and,
as the dispatch was addressed to me, |
was watched with curious eyes while |
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. l had it
taken upstairs and placed in my room,
for 1 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
ing, for the trunk was unusually large
and heavy, the expressman, helped by
our gardener, carried it up and set il
against the foot of my bed, there tC
wait for it's beloved owner.
As / have mentioned, our house an6
grounds were large and handsome, foi
my father, being rich, prided himsel
on maintaining a home betitting 1
country gentleman. We also pos
sessed much jewelry and other rare
treasures, and, for fear of robbers
our house was well protected without
by dogs and within by bolts and bar
and electric alarms at each door ant
window. In addition we all had larg,
dinner bells by our bedsides to rims
furiously in case of necessity, and tn,
male portion of the family had no enc
of guns and handy pistols.
Consequently, on the following
morning when we discovered that We
had been robbed during the night, W,
were frightened and shocked beyont
measure.
Almost every room had been en-
tered and nearly ali onr jewelry wa
gone. Even watches from under pill
lows and pocketbooks from father
and brothers trousers had been taken
And most puzzling and alarming o
all was the fact that not the slightest
sign of breaking in or out could b'
found at a single door or window
The electric contrivances were all I'm
disturbed.
Who could have done the robbery
We couldn't suspect our servants o
any share in the crime, for long year
of faithful duty proved the contrary
If burglar had secreted himself il
the house before closing time, whicl
seemed probable, how could he hHv
gotten out aud left no trace? TIL
more we tried to solve the riddle tn
more mysterious it became to us
though the village constable, hastil,
sent for, said he'd soon have a theor,
to work on,
In the afternoon of that awful da
another telegram came TO our hous
from Mary Norton. 1t read: ''Moth
or suddenly ill. Cannot come. vii
send for trunk. Please deliver to ex
pressInan when he calls. Will writ
particulars.
In an hour following that came tn
expressman and, glad that Mary wa
to be spared the unpleasantness of
visit at such forlorn time, we agai
let our man help him away with tn
heavy trunk from its place at the foe
of my bed.
For a week we did our best, assisted
too, by city detectives, To discover
clue to the robbers, but all in vain.
And every day we sent to the pos
Office for my friends promised lettel
but none came. Then anxious fc
fear her mother was seriously i'll,
wrote to her. By return mail cam
an answer, saying she had sent neithC
trunk nor kilograms, that her mothC
was not sick, and asking what it a
meant.
At once 1 understood our robber,
The burglar had been in the truT
, when it came, he had passed the nigh
save when he was making the round
the house, in my room when / WI
alone; then with his valuable plund,
he had been shipped away in his que'
J hiding place. No wonder the truI
was heavy and big No doubt fro
peepholes in it tho robber had wateh'
me until certain was sound asleel
Then out he must have orept and-tl
thought made me shudder and fe
= faint.
But, though we admired the eunniI
and bold trick, we Immediately s
:. about tracing the trunk to where
went after leaving our house,