The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-05-23
My Mysterious SerYant


Wing wnlled Of. 5esnarking that there
was too muehee woman wrote .
note TO an intelligence once ID the city
aud whcn the coach came along told
Pete. the driver. through whom Al
ways sent my messages, to deliver Il
While vas adding some instructions 3
woman's face appeared at tie coach
door ana asked In broad Irish voice If
wanted a servant It ended In my en-
caging her. she alighted, large trunk
was removed from the boot, and before
the coach was out OF sight Bridget
o'Tooie. as she gave her name, was get.
ting our supper.
When my husband came in and learn
ed what had done he shook his head
ominously, for l had taken servant
without a recommendation.
Bridget was dressed better than sers
ants usually dress, but / like my sery
ants 10 be tidy, and this did not troubls
me, She was about twenty-five year,
old and very pretty woman. Had, She
not been Irish she would surely have
been Swedish, having the fairness Of
the swede mingled with the rosy colo,
OF the Irish.
Bridget was a mystery finn the mo
ment she came. into the house. Ny nus,
band warned me to look out for my
yaluables, and soon came to suspect
that my servant was deceivlng me
What mystiied me was that occasion.
ally VIXEN she forgot herself she would
drop into q refined English accent. But
I was not surprised that she was able
20 talk thus, for many English servants
have such an accent. I was puzzled 10
know why she used both the English
and the Irish.
One morning took advantage Of her
being in the kitchen to 50 into her
room to investigate. 1 tried tie closet
door where her trunk was, but 1t was
locked and the key was gone. What
Induced me to do so / can't explain,
but turned down pillow on the bed.
There lay beautiful little watch stud
ded with jewels, ticking away just as
If It We're in the boudolr Of a lady. ]
took 1t up TO look at it. and on the
back was crest / put the watch
back where had found It and when
my husfWad came home told him that
he was right-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 depriyins
ourselves Of an excellent servant. The
result was that we did nothing. though
l put everything valuable in the house
under lock and key. Il 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 0.
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 suspi.
cions. examined the 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. He said he had business ir
The neighborhood, and since there was
no hotel within miles he begged that
we would keep him overnight. The
latchstring is always open among
ranchers. and we took him in. BE was
dressed as became the country, but
his accent indicated that he was a well
bred Engiishman. he arrived an hom
before supper. and my husband told
him that we suspected we had coun.
Try woman of his in the house who ap.
pea-ed 10 be sailing under false col
ors, and we would be obliged II he
would advise US what to do in the mat
ter. He replied that he would look
her over when she waited on us at Ia
bic
Supper being announced, we took our
seats, and In a few moments Bridget
came in with a tray of dishes. had
my eye on her and saw her start as
soon as she saw the stranger. he
looked her over coolly, she keeping
her eyes on what she was doing and
going out as soon as she had finished.
The stranger explained her starting al
SEEING him as arising from the fact
hat, living in concealment. she would
tart at seeing any stranger. lie said
he believed she was above the condl--
lion OF n servant or a thief and If We
would permit him n few moments wit.
her. being countryman of hers. be
would try TO get her secret
After Bridget had finished her even.
ms work sent her into the living
Dom. where the stranger was waiting
,or her. They remained in the same
soom for quite awhile conversing in
low tone Meanwhile we waited IN
room across the han. Presently they
came In together where we were.
There Is no longer any necessity
Tor secrecy sold the stranger. Your
maid Is the daughter of Sir Henry
TomlSyns OF England and TIL a few
lays ago was the wife OF British
rancher who had much better be called
brute. But she Is now divorced.
When she came here she was feelng
from his persecution. 1 am Lord En-
sleborn, younger brother Of the Duke
II Winchester and a former sutton for
Lady Allee's hand. There, you have
The story up to date"
And l." said the lady. shave to