The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-05-17
MISSING MONEY.

MISSING MONEY.
Erastus Twopeny was lawyer, ex-
pert in real estate values and an apt
oonveyancer, and as he practiced in the
days before the title guarantee hawk
had swooped down upon the legal barn
yard and captured the geese that laid
the golden eggs he made money. As
soon as he found himself in condition
to marry he took to himself WIFE, She
was energetic and ambitious, and while
she proved herself an excellent house
wife she was at the same time infamed
by a strong desire to acquire wealth on
her own account.
Her husband was all that woman
could desire, and she had nothing to
complain of on that score. He was even
generous and showed it by giving refuge
in his comfortable home to his wife's
brother Charles, who had proved him
self incapable of retaining any position
which his friends had procured for him.
He was good looking, agreeable young
fellow, but lacked those staying quail
tiles which make one q good man Of
business. In society he was all right
and a favorite with the families where
he visited. He had no vices SO far as
known by his family, except smoking
can be considered such, and when he
was out of funds his sister always man.
aged to supply him with money enough
to enjoy that luxury.
Erastus was devoted to his profession,
and often after quitting his Office for
the day continued to transact business
during the evening at his home. The
house was an old fashioned one, with
back piazza and an alley at one side,
leading from the front to the yard in
the rear. The front and back parlors
were originally separated by folding
doors, but dainty curtain, tastefully
festooned, had been substituted for the
doors.
One evening in August client called
to pay Erastus 50, 500 on a real estate
transaction, and, as the back parlor was
dark and the front parlor sufficiently
lighted by the setting sun for the work,
Erastus and his client seated themselves
at a table therein, while Mrs. Twopeny
sat near the window. Though she was
chiefly occupied in watching the pass
ersby and the children at play in the
street, yet she could not help hearing
what passed between the two men at
the table. Presently her brother Charles
came down stairs and glanced in at the
door, His sister arose and spoke to him,
and both at the same time looked to-
ward the table on which could be seen
small parcel of greenbacks, with thin
slip of white paper around them.
Charles quilted the house and soon
afterward Mrs. Twopeny arose and stood
between the window and the lace cur
tain, looking out. In few minutes the
men at the table arose and Mr.. Twopeny
accompanied his client to the door. I'm
mediately afterward Mrs. Twopeny
heard slight noise and turning saw the
curtains between the front and back par
1ors moving. She thought nothing of it
at the time, fancying that 1t was the re-
suit of draft occasioned by her hus-
band closing the front door.
The house was only a few steps from
the cross street, and as the client came
down the stoop and turned toward the
corner Mrs. Twopeny followed him with
her eyes. To her surprise she saw her
brother just turning the corner and
wondered what could have delayed
him. While still at the window mus
ing, she was startled by her husband
exolaiming:
"Why, Bertha, what can have be-
come of the money left on the table?''
Become of it," she replied. "Why
it must be there, of course, if you left
it there.
"Well, can't find it," her husband
said. II left it right here in front of
these papers. They are all right. but
the money is gone"
"Oh, that is absurd" she said
Light the gas, and then you will find
it, no doubt. "
While she pulled down the blinds
Erastus lighted the gas, and then both
set to work to look for the missing
notes. They were not on the table, nor
could they be found anywhere about the
room or in the hallway.
Look in all your pockets, said the
wife. You may have inadvertently
put the money into one of them.
"No, no." was the reply. GIVE
searched every one of them already.
It's gone. No doubt about it. But
where?''
"There no one in the house but our
selves, the wife said. II allowed the
cook and Nancy to go out Immediately
after supper. Brother Charles went out
while you were at the table with your
client, and there isn't even a cat in the
house to blame for it. -
Then they made another search, but
it was as vain as the Others And there
each of them \stood, looking this way
and that as one will do when one loses
anything and fondly hopes to discover
1t in some unexpected spot.
"You re sure your client paid your"
Mrs. Twopeny said.
'tOh, yes, and gave him receipt,
was the answer. "And Simpson is too
prominent man to-
He paused and, looked on the ground
thoughtfully. "To what?'' his wife
asked.
Come into the back parlor,' Mr..
Twopeny said.
They went, and Mr.. Twopeny light
ed his cigar and sat down to smoke, as
his custom was when anything disturb
ed him. Mrs. Twopeny sat down oppo-
site to him.
Nov then, to what?'' she repeated.
"To take the money" he said in
low tone.
"Well, 1 don know, the wife said.
"The money was there, and it Is gone
You haven't got it, and / haven't got
it, and it didn vanish without hands. "
sit will never do to hint at such a
thing, Bertha, he said. sit is gone
and it's no use fretting over it.
'Fretting over it. But you'll have
to make it good, won't your"
"Of course. 1t was to pay off a mort
gage, and / must do it tomorrow. For
tunately have the money and little
more.
Mr.. Twopeny paid off the mortgage
the next day, and business went on as
usual. Years passed and Mrs. Twopeny's
family increased so that her three boys
and three girls occupied much of her
time. Two of the boys were at college,
and the expenses of the family were
large. The girls were at first rate
schools, and one Of them was preparing
for Vassar. Still by close attention to