Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-03-11

There had been a new topic Of con-
versatlOn at the Mdgely table. The
Midgely table was an excellent table
IN itself, and Mrs. Midgely was careful
IN the selection of her boarders, a
good deal of time a waiting list of per-
sons DESTROYS to be enrolled on Mrs.
Mldgely's carefully selected list, en-
abled that lady to choose wisely.
In this manner Mr. Mink came into
the circle grouped about Mrs. Midgelys
tables, and more especially Mrs. Nudge
ly's round table with its flowers and
shining silver and snowy drapery, and
absolutely immaculate china.
But the coming Of Mr.. Mink was a
sensation Of only secondary Import
ance. AS the serpent stole into Eden,
SO had a destroyer OF boarding house
happiness stolen into Mrs. Midgely $
and stolen away again, after stealing
divers articles of more or less value.
These thefts covered quite period,
four months at least. They began with
the theft of Mrs ROdway's brooch, and
this was followed up by the taking OF
Mrs. Pangborn's watch. and then by
the disappearance of roll of bills that
Mr. Gilchrist had carelessly left in
pocket of a discarded vest. There were
a few other thefts, either OF jewelry
or money. but the most of them covered
articles of minor value.
They were a delightful mystery,
those robberies-eXcept for the losers,
and Mrs. NIidgely and the servants.
How they were accomplished nobody
could offer any practical solution. In
each case window on one Of the two
upper floors was found open, and three
times the front door was left ajar.
How the open window was reached or
why the door was left ajar, nobody
seemed able to explain. As for the ser
wants, there were only two who could
be considered permanent fixtures; the
others were continually going and COM
ing. The two fixtures Mrs. NIidge-
ly's mind-were above suspicion.
The robberles were not punched.
There were seven of them altogether
during the sixteen weeks that followed
the disappearance Of the brooch. For
an entire month nothing was taken,
and Mrs. Midgely breathed easier.
Then came the disappearance of Mr..
Edgewood's diamond cuff buttons.
To tell the truth, nobody liked Mr..
Edgewood. He was gruff and bluff and
argumentatlve. He had come to Mrs.
Mldgely's little before the first dis
appearances much dated from that
and according to Mrs. Midgely was
well recommended. When he went
sway-and nobody seemed to regret him
he left vacancy which was almost
Immediately filled by Mr.. Mink.
The new boarder, a smooth faced lit
tie man with light blue eyes, was In
troduced to Mrs. Midgely's professional
family at the round dinner table.
Mr.. Mink comes to us handsomely
endorsed by Mr.. Edgewood," said Mrs.
Midgely.
At which explanation Mr.. Tyndall's
expressive eyebrows might have been
seen to rise little Mr.. Tyndall's eye
brows were bushy and extremely well
trained. Their owner was 40 and florid
and decidedly outspOken.
"In business here. Mr.. MinkT' he
asked IN his abrupt way.
I'm with a down town brokerage
firm," the new boarder replied. 1--WE
handle South American dyestuffs"
Miss Clements looked at Mr. Mink's
hands.
''It must come Off easy" she said.
81 beg your pardon" said Mr.. Mink
with an interrogative infection.
'sThe-the dye you handle"
The others laughed at this, all except
Mr. Mink.
I'VE don't handle them IN the way
you mean. miss" he gravely explained.
ave deal In them"
"Oh, I'm so sorry" said Miss Gle
ments. Miss Clements had way of
saying she was sorry when she made
one Of her frequent conversational
Olunders And when she said 1t this
time everybody laughed again-every-
body except Mr.. Mink.
'The fellow absolutely hasn't a par
ticle of humor," Mr.. Tyndall muttered
to Mr.. Chester.
Then there's no use trying any Of
your old gags on him." Mr.. Chester
muttered back.
you find our family quite small"
Mrs. AIldgely explained to Mr.. Mink.
'It's the holiday season that draws
them away. We have lost eight alto
gether, but only temporarily"
well acquainted with EdgewoodT"
1t was Tyndall who asked the question.
"0nly in a business way," replied the
new boarder.