Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-02-05
Tie Suave Mr.. Perkins.
copyright. !

London, dropped in at a sale OF goods
aud chattels at private hou"e. A
box was put up which
caught his fancy. He bid first against
q ferret faced man and determined TO
have it. The people around him got
on to the feet that he was Yankee
and made comments that further deter
mined him. To the auctioneer's sur
prise. the bids went up to t10. Mr..
Treadwell would have carried them to
double that sum but the other bidder
rushed away to look for some one In
the crowd. aud, being afraid Of miss
ing a good thing. the auctioneer knock
ed the trif1e down to the last bidder.
anil it was handed to him aud paid for
amid giggles and open laughter. He
had not gone two blocks from the
house when a young woman overlook
him. She explained that she had been
lady's maid in the house for number
Of years and coveted the box as IL SOU
venir or her dear dead mistress. The
ferret faced man had been bidding for
her Would MIR. Treadwell respect the
sentiment that actrmted her and Lei;
her have the hox for what he paidi
Nj. Treadweil declined to sell.
The hotel had scarcely been reached
when haries Perkins desired an in
Ter, lew Mr.. Perkins was suave-ex
eeedinglr suave He had been in Amer
lea. He had seen Boston Common
IAlthogSh he was one of the most pa
Ariotic of his uajesty's subjects. he had
Eazed upon Bunker Hill monument AMI
found his heart swelling with pride al
the thought of how bravely it had
been held against the redcoars
When Mr.. Perkins had got through
praislng Uncle Sans country and
children he turned to the subject IN
hand. 1t was his wife that had died
and his furniture that had i.-en sold
at auction. he was an architect az
had met his downfall 10y trtlng To l..
1roduce American ideas into Engtan,
such as dark bedrooms pari0rs ir
which two people had 10 sit with the.s
Knees touching and hot air f'r'naees
1hat only produced hot air tr,nn tht.
mouth Of the manufacturer. That sau
0alwoOd box had been presented L.
his wife by Queen Victoria in person
for making the best pumpkin pies IL
al England. There were other ass",-ia
dons connected with IL. and he h1L
called in hopes that Mr.. Treadwc,l
could see his way clear 10 t;laIn. -
sum Of Els for the sad relic.
! Mr.. Treadwell felt for the srave MIR
Perkins, but he couldn't part with the
box. He was still mad at the people
who had called him Yankee and gig
gled over his bargain. and he had he
gun to smell rat No sixpennv san
dalwood box was worth tl5 unless
there was some secret connected with
and get even. He therefore turned Mr.
Perkins down and took the box 10 his
room and examined it 1t seemed
nothing more than plain handker
chief box. There were no traces OF
the tears shed by the dead and gone
If the late Mrs. Perkins had ever bro
ken it by throwing it at the head of he
husband, It had been repaired again
Mr.. Treadwell peeked and peered and
found nothing. 1t was only when he
came to measure that he suspected q
secret drawer and at length found one
The contents consisted Of a birth and
. marriage certificate of the same per
son. and the death Of that person had
taken place fifteen years previously
~ near as could be figured out, the
papers were valuable to complete a
record and establish claim. The fer
Set faced man knew it. the young wo-
man knew 1t, and the suave Mr. Per
kins knew it They were in cahoots to
get possession. and not for one moment
did Mr.. Treadwell believe that any of
them had legal right to the docu-
nents.
He had read them over and over.
and he sat bordering on the matter.
&hen his bedroom door opened softly.
He sat with bis back to it. and the
hour was almost evening. He heard
nothing and had NO premonition The
arst he knew two hands gripped his
throat and pulled him over backward
on the floor Then he looked up to
ind Mr.. Perkins sitting on his chest
and another man in the room
Don't kill the bloke" whispered
1he other man. The documents are
right here under our noses. and we
ought 10 be obliged to him.
Mr.. Treadwell was not thrott!ed to
death. Mr.. Perkins had evidently
come prepared for such an event. but
gave over grudgingly and slipped Il
gag into the mouth of his victim. Then
he produced cords and trussed him TN
30 speedily and securely as to almost
excite admiration. When he had I'm
ished his work he showed the body
aside, took a glance at the papers and
shook hands with his coadjutor The
latter may have been in the same
architectural line of business. Mr..
Treadwell had ordered up bottle of
wine. but had forgotten to open it.
The Two men now saved him the
trouble. 1t was good wine. and they
smacked their lips over it and compIi-
he