The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
Vanishing of WainwHghts.


The Wainwrights appeared t. have no
particular reason for coming ~ toH n
| They wandered in vaguely and rented a
cottage at the outskirts of the village.
Henry Disbro owned the place, and he
was rather particular about his tenants.
| but the Wainwrights quite took his fancy.
They had soft blue eyes and looked inno-
cent, like people who would nor break
| a gate OF its hinges or drive a nal IN
another mans door molding.
/ The Wainwrights had a pension. they
said. and .-makings" from preserves, and
sometimes Olive, the lean and red-headed
daughter. did something in the way of
work TO help out a neighbOr. Besi les,
they gardened and sold the truck. Taken
for all in all, Mr.. Disbro opined that they
would not be mad tenants.
I'VE like movin' about" Olive VAIN
! wright confded to her next door neigh
| Dor. 1T gives US a chance 10 see what
/ different places are like. We like TO go
about the world a little if we are poor"
The neighbors were all hard working
folk, and at night they were apt TO be
| tired. so they did not prosper in their &C
quaintance with the leisurely VAIN
wrights, who appeared to be untouched by
| the fever of the age. They saton their
| doorsteDs a good part of the day and
| often far into the night. The neighbors
could hear the musical murmur of their
| voices and their lazy laughter. They
/ were never through talking with each
other.
| Henry Disbro was busy man and sell
| dom had time to look in upon his tenants,
and he had a prejudice against agents
| So he usually chose Sunday afternoon,
when he was out driving with his wife
and babies. to stop at the gates OF his
| several cottages and make casual in
| quiries. He always found the Vain
wrights enjoying themselves, in spite Of
| the fact that the garden was unweeded,
| the porch unswept, and the windows con-
spicuously dusty
| Really, charming family" was his
conclusion. What a comfort it is now
and then to see repose-actual repose Of
| soul and manner"
| Il call them downright shiftless," said
his wife.
They're rather individual" admitted
| Mr.. Disbro, but they viii live a great
deal longer than we will.
| One Sunday, after the Wainwrights had
been in their house over three months,
Henry Disbro, out for an early constitu-
| tionaT, passed the cottage, and took note
| of the fact that there were no signs OF
| life about it. But he supposed that the
| Wainwrights had gone for picnic. or
=
| Eng by a week later he noticed that the
! place looked deserted. He knocked at the
! door, but no one answered. He tried the
lock, but it held fast. Inquiries made
at the neighbors' revealed the fact that
/ the house had worn this appearance for
over two weeks.
Perhaps they are sick" suggested Mr..
Disbro, vaguely. The woman he was talk
| ing to seemed to have no ideas on the
/ III
as to whether they were or not. Her
son, however, consented to go over with
Mr.. Disbro and make an investigation.
I've bin sayin' to ma off an on for two
weeks said he, that it was mighty
| queer we didn't see hide nor hair of them
folks. 'Mayhap they've bin murdered.
| says I. Then, don't you so near says
| she"
These remarks caused Mr.. Disbro to
suffer from apprehension. He had
| dread of beholding some sickening sight
as he forced the door and entered the
| front room.
There was a bed there which presum-
ably had been occupied by the lank and
| red-haired Olive, as a pair of corsets and
bingham petticoat lay on it. 1t was
in disorder, having been left as its occu-
pant vacated it. A pair of girls shoes
stood underneath it. Mr.. Disbro pointed
at these in a sickening manner.
"Oliye Wainwright was not likely to
have two pair of Shoes" said he. The
young man with his shook his head lu-
gubriously.
Don't you think I'd better go home
for map he asked. Mr.. Disbro shook
his head and went courageously on to
the next room. Here stood the breakfast
table, set, the victuals on it and I'M
touched, the full coffee pot still on the
stove, the WATERFALL full 10 the brim.
Tit must-must have happened in
the early morning" he said, mastering
courage to go on. The other mans
teeth were chattering. and he nodded his
reply. There was only one more room,
and this was a large sleeping apartment
of the kitchen. Here the bed was IN
made. too, and here, also, were shoes
two pairs.
Jew must search in the cellar" said
Mr.. Disbro, but he went there alone, for
his companion. murmuring something
about ma made a bolt for the door and
was seen no more.
The Wainwrights had been possessed
of many barrels of old dishes, carpets,
pamphlets, and clothes. which they had
never disturbed themselves TO unpack
and with beating heart and chilled fin
gers Henry Disbro unpacked each of
counter some awful Thing But his
search was fruitless, and he visited the
barn and woodrShed without success.
In sore perplexity he returned to town
and told the police. But the police did
not seem to be much interested. 1t was
midsummer, and they were not looking
for sensations.
Two months went by. No word came
of the vanished family. And then man
came along who wanted to rent the cot
tage, so with feelings akin to sorroy,
Henry DisbrOw saw personally 10 the re-
moval Of the Wainwright furniture
which for want Of better solution, ne
stored In his barn.
1T would have been easier TO have
given the old stuff away, ne said to his
wife but it may be that we shall yet
find some clew to the Wainwrights By
keeping il. Anyway. It was impressed
upon me almost as a sacred duty that !
ought TO care for ii.
Three months later an angry man err
tered Mr.. DisbEO's office. IL was Mr.
Wainwright in state Of the most IN
questionable viEor.
You're a thief" he shouted. "a thief
and ! am prepared 10 prove H. You pur-
loined my furniture and I've seen IL this
day WITH my own eyes concealed in your
barn.
There was no placatiug him. The ready
return Of his furniture did not comfort
MIN. Re asked z round sum fer the
wear and tear 20 which IL bad been sub
iected- and ne wanted monetary redress
for being expelled from his own house
without mis- consent or knowledge
But what was 7 10 Think inquired
Henry Disbr9. remembering his u1csnny
search for the bodies Of the vanished
WainwrighEs.
What business had you 70 enter ny
house at air. retorted n. Wainwrsghf.
When saw the breakfast unesten and