The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-13
THAT GAIT MATTER.


o. For this tale offer neither explanation
: nor apology. Judge it by your own stand
ard.
Naomi Failingford, the daughter Of
,, wealthy Tressel Fallingford of Lippenton
Manor, received the attentions of Mr.. Les
, lie Gait.
! One night there were stolen from Miss
Naomi's sleeping apartment, after she had
retired and during night when she was
uncommonly wakeful, jewelry, gems and
cash to the value Of 100000. To acquire
this plumber huge family safe had been
opened. A heavy mahogany chifronnier
was ransacked, and the very mattresses
whereon Miss Fallingford lay were plum
dered. The thief escaped.
l Subsequently Miss Naomi had falling
out with Mr.. Gait, and she saw no more
OF him for several years. The robbery took
place in 1879.
| In 1884 Tressel Fallingford was dead,
and Miss Naomi was living alone, attend
ed by servants, in the manor house. On a
cold November evening Mr.. Leslie Gait
was seen to alight from the mail train at
Iippenton. 1t was about-sundown. He
was seen to take the road to the manor
house. He was seen TO reach 1t. He was
seen to mount the porch, from which a
view could be had into the sitting room,
where Miss Naomi reclined before O crac-
king fire. Hewas seen to sit there for an
hour. At z o'clock he was still on the
porch. At 7:O5 knock upon the door
brought the butler, who reported to Miss
Naomi that gentleman, who would not
give his name, desired to see her.
aYou hnya peyer apap mn hafnra ,,,oI
ami" The visitor was an entire stranger.
"Never, to my knowledge" answered
Miss Naemi, looking full in the mans
face as he stood beneath the chandelier.
"You were robbed in this house in
1857"
II WAS"
You offered reward and no questions
asked if the property was returneds"
~ did,
Here it is, madam, I" and the man placed
the plumber intact upon the table before
Miss Naomi.
Passersby saw her standing by the table,
with Mr.. Leslie Gait opposite her.
''Where did you get these, sirs" ex.
claimed the delighted woman.
Remember, madam, You were not TIC
ask any questions. My reward, please. Z"
Miss Naomi touched bell. The but
Ter entered. She sent for her money. When
he brought it, she counted out the reward
and passed it to the stranger. MADAM,
will you oblige me by expanding this mon
ey upon the deserving poor in your parish
church, do not need itn He laid the
notes on the table. The next day Miss
Naomi caused 1t to be known she had re
covered her valuables. Every one congrat-
ulated her, and also spoke of the pleasure
she must have derived in call from Mr..
Leslie Gait.
Miss Naomi denied having seen Mr..
Gait in eight years. Then peoples bewil-
dered brains began to couple the name OF
Leslie Gait with the original robbery of
the Fallingford valuables. This was very
hard for Naomi to hear, but she could not
account for Mr.. Galt's not calling il he
had been in town. People told her they
saw him on her porch at Z o'clock The
strange man restored the valuables 10
minutes later. Ten minutes after Mr..
Gait had disappeared from the porch. At
no was again seen at the station. But
the strange restorer of the valuables had
been seen by no one in Lippenton, save
by Miss Naomi and her butler. Both de-
clared they never saw him before.
In 1889, one very dark night in Novem-
Der, Mr.. Leslie Gait called upon Miss Mao
mi Fallingford and was cordially received.
Mr.. Gait stated that he had been for
the last few years in Australia.
This brought up the rumor of his visit
to Lippenton, current five years before,
and they both laughed over it.
Mr.. Calf renewed his suit, was accept
ed, and he and Naomi were married in
the parish church at Lippenton.
Among the donations Mr.. Gait made on
his wedding day was large sum of mon
ey for the poor of the parish. The rector,
In accepting it, remarked that the bequest
was very opportune, as they were just at
the end of the last donation received of q
similar amount
In his exuberance and joyousness Mr..
Gait exclaimed:
''oh, yes In 1891 Hush money! Re-
ward remember!'
When people heard what he had said,
they looked scrutinizingly at him, but
five years is a long time, and memory un-
dergoes great strains.
Naomi heard what her husband had
said
But she remembered exactly how the
stranger looked when he called to restore
the valuables. She compared the resem-
blance. 1t was too remote for possibility.
Mr.. Leslie Gait sat out on the porch a
good deal. People passing said to one an
other, THAT is the way saw him back
in 1884 /"
One thing is very strange. Mr. Gait has
always disapproved of his wife's putting
valuables between mattresses, or of plac-
ing jewels in a chiffonnier, or of keeping
bulky safes in the house.
Mr.. Gait claims he can exercise such an
effect upon one by magnetism he possesses
that you would pass him on the street and
not recognize him. He occasionally gives
exhibitions of this power.
have never been present.
Neither has Mrs Galt-Eychanpe