Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-30
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
BY BELLE MOSES.

BY BELLE MOSES.
Little Mary was the color of chestnut,
brown and shiny. with black eyes and a
shock OF wool, tied In little tuft on the
top of her head. She was called Little
Mary to distinguish her from Aunt
Mary" who was nobody's aunt in par
ticular, but Little Marys own mother.
Aunt Mary was Miss Virginia Pember-
tons cook, and Little Mary. who was
just fifteen. had also been taken into Miss
Pemberton's service, but though she had
only been three months in her new posi-
tion she had established her reputation
as a china smasher and breaker of valu-
able articles.
Who. swept all the costly ornaments
from the parlor mantel with one flourish
of the feather buster? Who took a sur
reptitious rock" in the rosewood rocker
and fell backward. cracking the frail thing
from top to bottom? Who reduced the
fine Bohemian lamp shade to powder?
Who dropped the cut glass butter dish on
the dining room hearth? Who threw the
silver spoons in the ash barrel by mis-
take? Who but Little Mary could do
these things and do them thoroughly?
And not only did Miss Pemberton lecture
her, but Aunt Mary quoted the gospel on
1SSeSoAVh6-
de chilli" she would say. And conse
qYeptly everything that dropped from Lit
tie Mary's treacherous hands was associ-
ated in her mind with certain slender
switch behind the kitchen door. But Lit
tie Mary's mishaps were not confined to
breakages; she tore, she cracked. she
spilled things to such an extent that Miss
Pemberton lost patience and warned the
small maid that the very next accident
would be the last; she could not have
Sl1ch a carapSS girl ahOuf her
After this Little Mary tried very hard,
and for some time nothing went wrong.
Then one day the house was turned topsy-
turvy, for Miss Lucy was coming home
to spend her vacation. She was Miss
| Pembertons pet niece, a girl about Little
Mary's age, and loved by everybody, white
and black. Little Mary adored her and
went about beaming with delight over the
/ preparations.
When she arrived Little Mary, who
stood by! as the carriage drove up, took
| the satchels and other belongings to carry
| them upstairs. ..-
and she followed Little Mary with the
queer looking case. AS she ran upstairs
the projecting handles gave the wall a
| hard whack. which knocked out piece
| Of plastering.
"Oh!" exclaimed Lucy, and then she for
got all about it. but Little Mary remem-
bered. Miss Lucy shouldn't get the blame
of that If she could help it.
She watched until the coast was clear
| and slipped out. to take a look. There
| plastering lay on the stair; she could put
it back, and the place might not be no
| ticed. She pumped down on her knees
and went to work. Suddenly she felt a
faced Miss Pemberton, who pointed an ac-
cusing finger at the spot. a..
when did you do that, Little Mary?"
"l-I--sho' 'nuff. Miss jimmy. amt
lot
an-an'-I was .jes tryin' to mend it
good as could"
You were trying. to hide it, so that
could not see ~ said Miss Pemberton
severely.
Homes true. ma'am. amt broke dat
| WALL HI-I-seen the plasterin' on the
| fo'- anil was putin it back in de hole,
when You come up
Then what made you jump when l
head. Miss Lucy" must be saved at any
cost. r... $3.50
.T-I-dunno." she faltered.
You are deceiving me and you have
never done that before: you remember
"Ya'as'm:" 4-..re, -
:'::Well. I'm going to keep my word;
you must find another place"
But I amt broke It'll ANTI amt"
walled Little Mary. - g.
Come with me-" said Miss Pember-
ton. sternly; she was determined to be
just; she took her below and questioned
the servants. No one knew about the
broken wall. Little Mary had been
caught in the act; even Aunt Mary
sided against her and glanced menace
ingly behind the kitchen door.
Little Mary went home in disgrace,
and Miss Pemberton looked grave when
Lucy asked about her favorite.
II sent her away. dear; she told me
an untruth, and that cannot overlook.
found a big piece Of plastering torn
out Of the wall and the child on her
knees. trying to mend the gap. She de-
MED, having done the mischief, but she
looked guilty, and I'm sure she knows
about IT.
Lucy gave a little startled cry. 1.-THE
wall-where, Auntie?"
"on the stairs. going up to your
room"
why, why, I did that, my own self.
and never thought Of telling you; but
didn't know I'd broken anything.
accidentally hit the wall with my golf
sticks. Oh, I'm so sorry. Poor Little
Mary. That's why she wouldn't tell,
suppose. Get her back, Auntie, as quick
as. you can, please please"'
| So Little Mary was reinstated with
public honors. and though, week later
she brought Miss Pembertons best tea
pot the good lady only administered the
mildest reproof, and for once Aunt Mary
forgot the switch behind the kitchen
door.