Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-08-15

| Retncr. MaDel ala not care TO aQOrl
herself with diamonds when she wen
to market or to church, but she cdul,
not listen to sermon in peace If tn,
gems were not about her. And some
how it did annoy her to carry con
cealed wealth, like q brigand or ,
smuggler.
But when Leander had chance t.
buy shares in the Little Catawba'
Lumber company, and to make al
much in three months as he would IL
a year by his clerkship, Mabel woulG
not listen to the suggestion that the
bank would advance enough on the
diamonds to enable him to make the
investment.
Then Leander discovered that his
wife could be q very obstinate woman
1t was in vain that he laid before her
the benefit that would result from a
transient disposal of the gems. She
replied, not without logic on her side,
that the Little Catawba" might be a
failure, and then her precious securi.
ties would be forfeited. Leander, man
fashion, grew angry, and after some
hot words reached the penultimate OF
passion.
~ WISH" he said in tones Of invec-
tive, that burglars would get the
hateful stones. They might at least
be of some good to theml"
1t is said that curses, like chickens,
come home to roost. After Leander has
asked forgiveness for his rudeness and
Mabel had sweetly extended the olive
branch of reconciliation, he suggested
that she be doubly careful Of her cher
ished possessions.
1.-THE town is full of burglars, and
they know the people who have fine
diamonds, and if they once set out to
get them they'll succeed
Mabel did not sleep with the dia-
monds in the same room. Woman-like,
she thought if she secreted them in
some place where they would never be
detected, they would be safe. Neither
the ash-barrel nor the ragbag entered
into her calculations, but places just
as inconsistent did.
One night there was a crash in the
room below. Mabel shook her sleep
ing husband and whispered in his ear:
Burglars! Get your, revolver and
go downstairs. The diamonds are in
the bottom of the clock"
Leander was startled and confused,
but as the noise continued, he hurried
on his clothes, and taking his revolver
ran softly down the stairs. Mabel re-
manned where she was, shivering with
fear. There was fearful commotion
below, the noise of falling furniture,
opening and closing of windows, and
the rapid firing of the revolver, after
some flying robber. Then regard for
her husbands life compelled Mabel
to hurry to his assistance. She found
him lying on the floor grasping his re-
volver.
She did not faint nor shrek, but
kneeling beside him bathed his face
and besought him to speak to her.
Where am II" he asked feebly as he
tried to raise himself; ''are the dia-
monds safe?"
Never mind the diamonds" said his
wife, "are you mortally wounded any
where?"
~ don't know" answered Leander,
feebly, and to her credit be it recorded,
Mrs. Leander assisted her husband to
a couch and sent off, or rather called
for assistance, before she even thought
of her diamonds.
Then the open door of the clock told
the whole story-the diamonds were
gone root and branch! And they were
the only things stolen.
If Leander had been surprised at the
of his wife on receiving the
jewels, he was astonished at the calm
Indifference with which she parted
from them. She allowed the usual
course to be taken to recover the thief,
or thieves, to justice, but when no re-
suits followed, she said she was glad of
it, that the gems had been like an evil
eye to them, and for her part she never
wanted to hear of them again.
Il wonder" she said, ''that did not
see it in that light before. l will never
keep anything in my house again to
tempt the cupidity of the wicked or un-
fortunate. To that extent am my
brothers keeper"
but the erect upon her husband was
entirely different. Either he caught
cold on that night of the burglary, or
his nervous system received shock,
for he was almost i'll from the effect Of
his tussle with the burglar. And he
could not endure to have the subject
mentioned before him. Not even the
success of the Little Catawba," in
which friend had invested for him,
gave him the peace and rest he craved.
A little incident that happened at
that time did, however. help to re-
store him to his normal condition. His
wife received a small package, accom-
panied by soiled and dilapidated
note, which, upon being opened, read:
''honored madem: i gets no sleap
sence stoal yure dimons no yure lady
an am reich if Civ them up pra fur
me. IAN UNNoNE FRIEND"
And in the package Mabel found her
exactly as she had last seen
them.
She was pleased-where is the WON
an who would not have been?-and
she at once showed her confidence in
her husband by placing the gems in
his hands for safe keeping in the bank.
Il wish l had taken your advice