Year: 1875




NV aunt came down stairs one
morning greatly excited.


Louise, step here a moment" she
said.


followed into a small reception
room with some anxiety, for ] kne "
by the pallor of her face, by the cap.
strings united, the absence of care in
her toilet, that something unusual had
happened.


Louise, what am l to think ?" she
asked, as | seated myself beside her.
"Nliss Berry came to me last Thursday
morning let me sec'-she referred to
her tablets --"Y les, it was Thursday,
and told me that she missed her gold
necklace with the jet and gold cross.
| said nothing to you about it, though
it worried me very much


This morning she cannot find her
diamond ring, though she is sure she
put it in her ,jewel-box last night; and
she says a costly lace handkerchief is
also missing. What are we to think ?
Of course the servants could not get
access to her room in the night. And
how could / suspect either Barbara
or Hannah | could as soon accuse
you"


A chain and cross, diamond ring,
and valuable lace handkerchief-th
idea of such a loss nearly took my
breath away. Miss Berry was one OF
my aunt's summer boarders. She was
a Southern woman of good family,
and had spent two summers with us.
Her health being SO delicate that she
did not like to room by herself, she
had hinted that another inmate, in
whom we had confidence, would be
agreeable to her. SO when, early in
June, a letter came TO us, pnp0rtlng
to be from DR.. Russell, an old friend
of my Aunt, asking if we would ac-
commodate his niece, aunty was very
glad Of the opportunity, and had our
large, best room arranged for the oc.
cupancy of two.


Miss Berry was a quiet little woman
of some twenty six or seven years.
She had been very pretty, butill-health
and some disappointment in early life
had given her = faded and sad express
ion. She was quite wealthy in her
own right, and though not following
the fashion to its full! extent, she
always looked very stylish and lady
like.


Miss Betty Willis, the other board
er-nlecc of Dr. Russell, of whom she
talked a great deal-was the exact op.
posite of Miss Berry. She was hand.
some, tall, dashing, and very brilliant
| had not been impressed in her favor,
but Aunt Joe and Miss Berry both
admired her She brought with her a
very elegant Saratoga trunk, filled
with IN abundance of beautiful dress.
es.


| wondered more than once why
this handsome Young girl wished to
board in so retired country place.
To be sure, it was one of the most
beautiful locations in the State There
were mountain views, lake views, and
lonely stretches, Of variegated land
scape Aunt Joe was of a social, hap
py nature, and always had more ol
less young company.


Still, always thought it singular
that Miss Betty did not join some par
ty among her numerous friends, and
spend her summers at a fashionable
watering-place. We two, aunt and
talked the matter over, but came to nc
definite conclusion.


1t was not to be disputed that Miss
Berry had lost her valuables and she
was a person to whom any loss was 8
serious one; yet she had promised
my aunt to say nothing about it for 9
time.


What were we to do Our servant!
had been with us for years, one from
her childhood, and we could not sus
pect either of them. There was nj
one else IN the house save Miss Berry
and Miss Betty, both Of whom bad be