The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-05-29
My Mysterious Servant


ttAAl-- WING ne NttAte4s LiG Nct1okas-A-
I.had not been IN charge a week when
Wing walked on, -emarElng that there
was too muchee woman wrote :
note TO an intelligence once In the city
and when the coach eame along told
Pete. the driver. through whom al,
ways sent my messages, to deliver It.
While was adding some instructions
woman's face appeared at the coach
door and asked in a broad Irish Yeice Il
1 wanted servant. 1t ended In my en-
Caging her. She ailghted. large trunk
was removed from the boot, and before
the coach was out of sight Bridget
o'Toole. as she gaze her name. was get
ting our supper.
When my husband came In and learA
ed what 1 had done he shook his head
ominously, for had taken a servant
without recommendation.
Bridget was dressed better than serY
ants usually dress. but like my serv
ants to be tidy, and this did not trouble
me. She was about twenty-five years
sld and a very pretty woman. Had she
not been Irish she would surely have
been Swedish, having the fairness OF
the swede mingled with the rosy color
Of the Irish.
Bridget was mystery firm the mo
ment she came Into the house. My hus.
band warned me to look ont for my
valuables, and soon came to suspect
that my servant was decelyIng me
What mystiHed me was that occasion
ally VIXEN she forgot herself she would
drop Into refined English accent. But
was not surprised that she was able
70 talk thus, for many English servants
have such an accent. I was puzzled to
know why she used both the English
and the Irish.
One morning took advantage of her
being In the kitchen to 90 into her
room to Investigate. tried the closet
ioor where her trunk was, but II was
locked, and the key was gone. What
Induced me to do so / can't explain,
but ! turned down a pillow on the bed.
There lay a beautiful little watch stud.
ded with jewels, ticking away Just as
II 1t were In the boudolr OF lady. ]
took 1t up to look at 1t, and on this
back was a crest. put the watch
back where had found 1t and when
my husfSld came home told him that
he WAS rfEht-we must have a thief In
the house. When mentioned my find
he said that he didn't know what we
could do in the matter unless we dis
charged Bridget, which we must do
merely on suspicion, besides depriylng
ourselves Of an excellent servant. The
result was that we did nothing. though
put everything valuable In the house
nnder lock and key. It was rather
singular that Bridget and her mIstresS
should be locking their belongings from
each other.
Bridget received letters occasionally
and we considered the propriety ..
opening them. But there is something
about opening other peoples communi
cations that refined people shrink from.
Besides, the letters coming thus in our
care somewhat diminished our suspl-
cions. ! examined tie writing on sew
eral Of them addressed in a. coarse
hand and suspected that 1t was dis.
guised. But of this was by no means
sure.
One evening man alighted from
the coach. IIe said he had business In
the neighborhood, and since there was
40 hotel within miles he begged that
we would keep him overnight. The
latchstring is always open among
ranchcrs, and we took him in. He was
lressed as became the country, but
dis accent indicated That he was a well
pred Engliehman. He arrived an hour
before supper. and my husband told
him that we suspected we had a coun.
Try woman Of his In the house who ap.
pea-ed to be sailing under false col.
1rs, and we would be obliged II he
would advise US what to do In the mat
ter. BE replied that he would look
her over when she waited on US at tn.
bic.
Supper being announced, we took our
seats, and In a few moments Bridget
-ame in with a tray OF dishes. had
ny eye on her and saw her start as
soon as she saw the-stranser. he
looked her over coolly, she keeping
her eyes on what she was doing ana
going out us soon as she had finished
rhe stranger explained her starting al
seeing him as arising from the fact
hat, living In conccalment, she would
.tnrt Mt seeing any stranger. he said
re believed she was above the condl-
don OF a servant or thief and II We
would permit him few moments wit
ler. being countryman OF hers. ID
would try to get her secret
After Bridget had finished her even.
ing work sent her into the living
Dom, who're the stranger was waiting
Cor her. They remained in the same
room for quite awhile eonverslng IN
/ low tone. Meanwhile we waited IN
room across the hall. Presently they
came in together where we were.
''There is nc longer any necessity
for secrecy" said the stranger. your
maid is the daughter Of Sir Henry
Tomkyns OF England and TIL a few
days ago was the wife OF a British
rancher who had much better be called
brute. But she IA now 1iivnrcad