The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-02-27
Finding the Diamonds
How Maidservant Was the Means
Of Restoring Lost Jewels.

loose anywhere near, she was up and
after 1t with anything she could lay
her hands on.
She showed you that lying didn't pay
when she was concerned. A lie turned
into serpent as soon as it got out Of
your mouth, and you were glad to get
behind another.
Not to say that her system hadn't
its drawbacks. Every system has.
And the naked truth is sometimes an
awful thing-ten times more awful
than any lie you can think Of at the
time.
When Susan Jones came, however,
Mrs. Robinson had her work cut out.
The girl lied like an eel-there was no
catching hold of her.
At first she just chirped out lies as
light hearted as a bird. "Pleas'm it
were the cat" or anything that came
uppermost. But the cat had a way
of proving an alibi that astonished
Susan.
So Susan got as cautious as charity,
and 1t would have done your heart
good to see the two at it, for Mrs. Rob-
inson had no sooner got the ferret of
truth into one hole than Susan was
out and in at another.
Any one else would have got sick
and disguised, but Mrs. Robinson
didn't.
"For," said she, ''the girl has her
good points, and I'll make woman CT
her,"
And she succeeded, for Susan got
worn out by the sheer uselessness Of
the thing and at last shut down in dis
gust After that the girl did not de-
part from the truth for six months,
and then she let off the awfulest lie
Mrs. Robinson had ever heard in her
born days. At least Mrs. Robinson
thought it was.
1t happened like this. One morning
when Susan was in the coal cellar she
found a lady's ring that dazzled your
eyes and took your breath away.
Its one of them cent things as
you can buy in any tinkers shop" she
said to herself. Gust lot of rubbishy
glass. l don't believe it's worth both
ering about"
She took 1t to her mistress, however.
Mrs. Robinson gave cry when she
saw the ring and started up with her
mouth open. 1T looks like one of the
rings mentioned In my grandmother's
inventory" she said. 81 shouldn't won
der if it belongs to the lost set of dia-
monds."
Mrs. Robinson was a widow and liv-
ed with her brother John. Few men
could look wiser than Mr.. John when
he tried it. His spectacles made him
look like Solomon. When he came
home, he put them on and raked out
the inventory and placed his forefinger
ON an exact description of the ring. 1t
was valued at 5000.
After they had all wondered awhile
they put on last years clothes, got
candles and went into the cellar; but.
though they shifted the Goals about for
hours, they got nothing but their faces
BACKED. Mr.. Johns was the blacklist.
When she had got herself washed
and busted, Mrs. Robinson put the
ring on and wore it till night, but be-
fore retiring to rest she put 1t on her
toilet table in case 1t got lost in bed
In the morning the ring was gone.
Susan took a red face as soon as her
mistress came down stairs. Mrs. Rob-
inson just stood still and looked at her
Tor moment, and then she said:
Susan, what have you done with the
cingY'
Il never touched it, ma'am," was Su-
sans reply, and the girl sat right down
on her chest and burst into tears.
"Then what are you crying for?' in
luired her mistress.
But Susan sobbed on and said moth
Ing.
''Ill give you an hour to make up
your mind about it," said Mrs. Robin
son. You're not to do any work for
that time"
Susan sat on the chest the whole 60
minutes and cried herself out. Mrs.
Robinson came down at the end of
that time and found her still glued to
the lid.
"Now, Susan. want the solemn
truth"
"Yes'm.'
"Where's the ring?"
"Mr. John took it, ma'am."
"My brotherY
"Yes'm."
Wise as he was. Mr.. John was struck
In heap when his sister mentioned
the matter "What-wha-wh atY he
gasped. ''The girl is stone mad.
never heard such thing In my life. l
never did"
81 guessed as much" replied his sis
ter. "She is sitting on her chest, look
ing as guilty as red herring"
what is to be done?"
eve shant call in the police. The
girl has been making progress, and the
prison would put an end to all that.
believe she will give us the ring yet.
But it would be wrong to keep her
here. She shall pack up today and
leave tomorrow morning"
And Susan got notice accordingly.
81 knew you wouldn't believe me-"
said the girl, gulplng down sob.
"Then why did you tell me such a
thingY"
Because it's true"
"Dont say any more. don't want
10 near it. don't suppose you will
expect any wages"
Susan turned CHASTITY white. II must
have them" she gasped. my mother
needs the money to pay her rent. II
she doesn't get it, they will turn her
out into the street, and she's not
strong"
"She doesn't intend to try to sell the
ring-at least not yet" thought Mrs.
Robinson. IF l give her her wages,
she won't need to do it, and she'll send
it back"
AS the old lady lay awake in the
middle of the night the door was eau
tiously pushed open, and Susan came
In silently.
"Mrs. Robinson, are you awaken"
The question came in terrified
whisper. Susan's eyes were starting
out of her head. and her teeth were
chattering
"What is the matter, SusanT"
"Master has gone up to the garrett
with candle. | think there Is some
thing wrong"