The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-04
THE SPIDERS WEB.

Not long ago found hole In the back
yard fence of my premises. No one about
the house appeared to know how or why
or when the narrow board became loosened
nor what became of it. I remember quite
well that it was on Sunday afternoon
noticed the broken fence, and L thought
at the moment that on the following
morning I would speak to a carpenter
about having it repaired. I noticed also
upon that particular Sunday that an en-
terprising spider had selected the cross
beam at the very spot where the board was
missing as the scene for his endeavors,
and where the board should have been the
fine threads of thu SPIDERS web hung
gracefully and sweyed gently in the sum
mer breeze. 1t was an elaborate web,
too, for, upon closer inspection Of it, I
marveled at tho intricate design and the
rather peculiar construction of the threads.
The artistic beauty of the work impressed
me, and 1 made no attempt to disturb the
result of the spiders industry.
The members of my immediate family
had departed for the seashore the only &C.
cupants OF the house being myself and
Wah Hong, my highly priced Chinese cook.
An unusually busy season at the Office had
compelled me to remain at home while my
family enjoyed their summer vacation at
the beach,
1 had been detained at the Office rather
late one recent afternoon, and having been
paid a large sum of money by an out of
town customer was in quandary where
to place tho package of bills for safekeep-
ing over night. The banks had been clos
ed for an hour or more, and l could not
therefore deposit the money until the fol-
lowing day 1t is true there was an old
fashioned iron safe in the Office, but as we
seldom used it for other than ledgers,
which were placed there as a precaution
against fire, 1 did not deem it advisable
to leave 50 large 81 sum in SO insecure a
safe. know that l discussed the matter
with my chief clerk, Jonas, and he finally
agreed with me that the safest place for
the package would be in my own room at
the house, where could place it in my
shoecasc where even the most expert bur-
glar would not look for it. So the matter
was settled and Icarried the money to my
house in a small handbag.
I slept unusually sound that night, and
when awoAe in the morning the sun was
streaming in at the window. had some
trouble with an obdurate collar and while
1 struggled with it I walked to the win
dow which looked to the rear OF my prem
ises, and unconsciously my eyes fell upon
the broken spot in the back yard fence,
and I saw the fine threads of the spiders
web had been rudely broken and the rem
nants of the web shining like lines of sill
yer in the bright sunlight of the morning
Completing my toilet, I looked in the
shoe case and then stepped back with a
cry of astonishment. The money was
gone. 1 Will not deny that was excited,
and could partake of but a mouthful of
the excellent breakfast that Wah Hong
had prepared for me. made hasty ex-
animation of the house and found that the
lock of the kitchen door had been broken.
1 said nothing to the Chinese about the
burglary, because he had not known of the
money being in the house. 1 did question
him, however, as to the broken lock, and
rs I anticipated met with stolid igno-
rance. I found nothing in the yard to af
ford me the slightest clew, and after look
ing over the ground and coming to the
conclusion that the burglar had entered
and departed by way of the hole in the
fence 1 proceeded to my Office in what I
admit was very troubled frame of mind.
Jonas was there before me. He had al
ready donned his office coat and was busy
with the ledgers when I entered. He bade
ne the usual good morning and handed
ne my letters. For some reason 1 said
nothing to him of the robbery, but sat
down at once at my desk and penned
letter to the superintendent of police, tell
night and giving him every possible clew
upon which to work. walked to tho rear
Of the office to ring for a messenger boy,
and just as my hand touched the button I
happened to see the coat and hat of Jonas
hanging on a hook near by.
For the second time that day stepped
back in establishment. My hand fell list
lessly from the electric call, and the letter
addressed to the superintendent of police
fell to the floor. I seized my hat, and
rushing from the Office hastened home
ward. Half walking, half running,
turned into the alley and stopped at the
hole in the fence, trembling and excited.
And turning on my heel 1 walked slowly,
calmly and deliberately to police head
quarters and saw the superintendent in
person.
told him my story in all its details and
requested him to accompany me to my Of
fec. Jonas looked up from his ledgers as
We entered. There was a surprised look
upon his face, and when the superintend-
ent requested him to put on his hat and go
with him to headquarters tears came to
the eyes Of my chief clerk. He opened
drawer in one of the desks and there,
hidden under a newspaper, was my miss
ing package of money. Later in the day
he made a full confession. He knew l and
the cook were alone in the house, and the
money 1 had carried home with me was
great temptation. He had entered the
house from the rear just at daybreak, and
after getting the money had proceeded di-
roctly to my office. AS he craHled through
the hole in the back yard fence, in bending
over to escape the crossbearn, his coat had
caught the spiders web, and fully one
half of that pretty network of silver threads
had chung to him like Nemesis of justice.
My quick eye had detected the web upon
his coat when l was about to touch the
electric call, and although there were
chances of Jonas being entirely innocent I
knew intuitively that my own clerk had
robbed me. The web the spider wove had
caught the thief.-Will NJ Clemens in
Golfers Weekly.
Sebele and the Prince of Wales.
Before he succeeded his father as chief
: - l.