111 if
Hiii
"i&ZKZLa- AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. . j TSlJjS
Vol. A7". TVov Xlloomficltl, Iji., Iiiowdny, 3Xaiy TVo. 31.
2
J I'ubllshcd Weehly,
At New Bloomfleld, rcnn'n.
nv
FRANK MOBTIMEB.
BUIlSCKirTION TEKMS.
ONE DOLLAK I'ER YEAH !
60 Cents ford Months 40 Cents
for 3 Months,
ITS VDVOVINeiO.
BETTER THAN GOLD.
Itcttcr than grandeur, bolter tlinn gold,
Than rank find titles a thousand fold,
Is a healthy body, a mind at ease,
And simple pleasures that always please;
A heart that can feel fur a neighbor's woe
Anil share his Joy with a genial (flow,
With sympathies large enough 1 enfold
All men as brothers, Is better than gold.
Ilctter than gold la conscience clear,
Though toiling for bread in a humble sphere,
Doubly blest Willi content and health,
retried by the lusts and cares of wealth ;
Lowly living and lofty thought
Adorn and ennoble a poor man's cot,
1'or mind and morals, or Nature's plan,
Are the genuine test of a gentleman.
Better than gold Is tint sweet repose
Of the. sons of toll when their labors close;
liotterthan gold lsthe poor man's sleep,
And the balm that drops on his slumbers deep;
llring sleeping draughts to the downy bed.
Where luxury pillows his aching head :
His simpler opiate labor deems
A shorter road to the land of dreams.
l'.etlcr than gold Is a thinking mind,
That In a realm of books can llnd
A treasure surpassing Australian ore,
Anil live with the great and good of yore.
The sage's lore and the poet's lay,
The glories of empires past away,
The woild's great drama will thus enfold,
And yield a pleasure betler than gold.
Iletter than gold is a peaceful home.
Where all the llroslde charities coinc,
The shrine of love and the heaven of life,
Hallowed by mother, or sister, or wife;
However humble the home may be,
Or tried with sorrow by Heaven's decree.
The blessings that never were bought or s' 1.1,
And centre there are betler than gold.
WHO STOLE THE DIAMONDS?
IT WAS it strange scene and yet tliero
was nothing startling about it. I could
not, tell wliy my eyes were riveted to the
snot. Probably, I said to myself, it can
only be accounted for by sonic occult pys
chological reason, and I will simply watch
and endeavor not to wonder. My library is
situated in the third-story back-room of an
ordinary-built house in tho neighborhood
of the Heights, and it is there I spend hour
after hour in work and study sometimes,
as the light fades from tho sky, drawing
noar the window with my book or writing,
and seml-occasionally glancing at tho backs
of the houses opposite. The house whoso
garden joins ours has always been an object
of interest to me, ever sinco I moved into
tho neighborhood, on account of ati old
gentleman who was to be seen in his library
at almost any hour of the day. lie seemed
to bo an indefatigable, worker, and was
generally at his post long before I was.
This old gentleman grew to be very enter
taining to mc, and 1 came to miss him very
much when for any reason ho was absent
from his library. The timo aliove alluded
to was early in tho evening In tho latter
part of February. My neighbor had gono
from bookcase, to bookcase, and drawer to
drawer, arranging and putting away, and
at last I noticed or thought I saw him lock
tho drawers of his dusk and put tho key in
his pocket. Soou after I heard tho ring
of their tea-bell, and watched until the old
gontleman walked slowly out of tho room.
What was the reason that even then I
could not withdraw my ga.o ? Thore was
nothing particularly Inviting in the apart
ment, now that its occupant had gone, but
still I could not help looking. The gas was
burning very dimly, and I could just make
out the different articles of furniture, as
sisted a little by the light of a very pleasant
grate fire. As I watched, a figure clad in
white camo swiftly in at a door at the right,
A cold, nervous tremor took full possession
of mo. Not that I felt there was anything
supernatural aboutthe vision. I knew bet
ter for I immediately rccogui.cd tho form
and dress of a lady I had noticed in tho
garden only an hour or two before ; but I
did not know that her presence; in that
room at that particulur timo meant mis
chief and woo unutterable. I know that
her feet nmdo no noise as she moved hastily
about, going over exactly the samo ground
which the old gentleman had traveled only
it ftw luciueutii previous, Drawer lift
drawer sho ransacked lifting lids, examin
ing pigeon-holes ; and finally, after a second
spent in looking over tho contents of tho
old gentleman's desk, I saw her grasp what
appeared to mo to be a small box or casket
closo and lock tho drawer, and then waving
her hands aloft, with a singularly trium
phant gesture, hurry from tho room. That
this young woman had been guilty of theft
I was perfectly aware ; also, I felt sure that
sho was somo relative of tho proprietor of
tho mansion ; nnd mora than all did I real
ize that tho fearful consequences of this
work would react upon an innocent and
formerly highly esteemed member of the
household. How did I know this Per
haps I reasoned from cause and effect with
out really being aware that such was tho
case. Perhaps, having been let to sco this
strange performance, I was peculiarly acted
upon as to tho result. However that might
be, it seemed that tho troubled future of
that family was thoroughly daguerrcotyped
upon my heart. After a whilo tlio old gen
tleman entered the library, followed by an
elderly lady I took to bo his wife ; then a
young gentleman I had often noticed him
before and last of all tho lady in white,
with a wide scarlet sash and neck-ribbon.
Soon after a young woman, whom 1 had al
so often seen in tho garden, apparently tho
governess, as sho always had a littlo curly
headed boy by her side, entered, leading
tho urchin ; for tho sole purpose, it would
seem, of bidding them all good-night. Tho
old gentleman took him in his arms and ca
ressed him for a whilo, and after a short
frolic with each ono ho was led off by gov
erness. Then tho young gentleman drew
tho shades and I saw no more that night.
It was some time before I could sufficiently
banish tho occurrence to sleep, and the first
thought upon waking tho next morning
was tho strango sceno of tho previous even
ing. My first glanco at my neighbor's li
brary was sufilcient to assure mo that tho
theft was discovered. Tho old gentleman
with his hands clasped behind him, paced
slowly up and down tho apartment. His
wifo, assisted by tho young woman who
had ransacked every nook and corner tho
night before, went through tho farce of ex
amination. Tho old man was evidently too
grieved and stunned to join in tho search.
During tho forenoon tho young governess
entered, having to all appearanco been sent
for, for tho purpose of questioning. For a
moment she stood, it appeared to me, in
silent wonderment ; then advanced quickly
to tho centre of tho room and confronted
the old gentleman. Tho littlo boy ran into
tho library, and caught her by tho hand.
Tho owner of tho white robo this morning
sho was dressed in a white merino wrapper
facod with cherry, and chorry trimmings
arose from her chair by tho library table
and with an imperious gesture, crfcctly
observable from my distance even, drew
the child away from tho side of his compan
ion. Then the poor girl hid her face in her
handkerchief, and left tho room. It was
plain then as tho sun at mid-day. The
gote.rne. had been ueeuied of the theft.
What was my duty in tho premises?
When I took into consideration that I had
not heard a word spoken, did not even
know what had been stolen, and had only
the pictures of tho different scenes to rely
on for proof, my position was a very ecu
liar ono, to say tho least.
It was certainly a very delicate business
to call at that strango house, and describe
to tho proprietor what I had seen. All day
long I wondered what course it was best
to pursue all tho whilo so utterly uncom
fortable that work of any description was
quite out of tho question. Just at evening
I was summoned to the parlor to meet a
gentleman friend. I noticed immediately
that ho was in groat agitation.
"I called," said ho, "in behalf of a
young lady friend of mine who Is in great
trouble. She has neither relatives or ac
quaintances in tho city. Can you will
you give her shelter for a few days until
the storm of abuse blows ovor, and she can
again hold up her poor head?"
My thoughts immediately flow to tho
house of my neighbor, and I askod
" Does sho live over there?" pointing in tho
direction. "And is sho tho victim of a
terrible accusation ? Charged with stealing
isn't sho?"
" Good heavens ! yes," ho replied. " How
did you know ? I hadn't tho slightest idea
that it had got to bo common talk. I am
afraid it will kill her!" . ,( "
" I have not heard a syllable," I answer
ed ; " not ono. I have simply guessed,
that's all ; and I know she is innocent, and
perhaps my boy, I can help prove it."
" God grant it 1" suid ho fervently.
"Hut how did you suspect? Who could
hnvo hinted lit such a thing ?"
" I tell you again that I have not heard
a word no ono has hinted. Go for your
friend, and I will do all that lies in my
power to comfort and help her."
An hour after Miss Hastings for that
was tho namo of tho governess sat in my
room, tho most abject picture, of misery
I over looked upon in my life. Her eyes
were swollen with weeping ; and whon I
welcomed her to my homo, and assured her
of sympathy and love, it seemed as if tho
child's heart would break.
"Oh," sho sobbed, I had such a pleasant
homo until sho camo. Old Mr. Dcmming
was so kind to mc, and so thoughtful of
mo ; and Mrs. Dcmming, too, did every
thing in tho world that woman could do for
my comfort ; and, then, my darling littlo
Fred, and his papa. And now, just to
think they all think mo a thief 1 and I havo
loved them so ! Merciful Father, how could
they !"
I'y degrees I succeeded in getting at tho
wholo story.
Littlo Fred was Mr. Demming's grand
son ; nnd littlo Fred's papa was a widower,
and Miss Hastings was employed to tako
cxclusivo charge of tho widower's littlo son.
' But who is hc ?'' I asked, with a shud
der. " Tho woman that always dresses in
whilo, with cherry-scarlet trimmings "
"Then you havo seen her ?" sho inquir
ed, looking up quickly.
" Yes, I havo seen her. What relation
is sho to tho Dommings?"
" Mr. Dcmming is her great-uncle, and
ho had tho care of her education. Sho has
been in Etiropo for tho last three year,
traveling with a distinguished professor
and his wife. It seems that Mr. Dcmming
lias had chargo of somo jowol3 which wero
left in trust for her until sho should becomo
of age. -Tho day of her arrival ho brought
them homo from tho safe at tho office, to
sco how she would like tho jcwols reset,
intending to havo them ready for her at tho
expiration of tho time, which was only
thrco mouths. For tho last two days they
havo been consulting about it, apparently
unable to come to any decision. I was
called on yesterday to givo my opinion,
and when told what they desired of mo,
this is what Mr. Dcmming said : "Now,
let's hear what littlo Lottie suggests." Ho
always called mo "littlo Lottio" from the
moment of my entering tho house. I laugh
ed, and said : "littlo Lottio thinks that if
sho owned thes jewels sho should bo very
careful how sho let them lie round tho
houso long."
"'That's so,' said grandpa Dcmming,
'but I have got a littlo tuck-away cornor
where they aro safo enough in tho daytimo :
of course, I don't leavo them down hero
nights.'
"That's all I know about it," continued
tho poor child, with a frosh hurst of tears.
"We talked a littlo about tho sottings,
and this morning I was told tho diamonds
wore gono."
" Whore wero you," I asked, " whilo tho
family wore at tea?"
"I was at tea, also," sho replied. One
of our servants was quite ill, and I went
down long before it was timo for the tea
boll to ring and toasted broad. Then Mrs.
Demming had a lamo wrist, and sho asked
mo to pour the toa."
" Did you leave the dining-room," I in
quired, "for any reason, during tho toa
hour?"
" Not fur a moment."
"What dress did you wear lust even
ing?" "This one," sho replied, glancing down
at her dark alpacca and bu rstiug into tears.
" What is the name of this niece?"
"Clara Mason."
" And you woro sure those wore her
jowels?"
" Positive."
What would induce a woman to steal hor
own property, I wondered. There might
be, I thought, some desperate reason for
obtaining possession of it before tho speci
fied time. Home lover in tho case it might
bo or somo debt, or crime, which sho
must cancel or havo exposed. Just then
Mr. Cloavclaud and a young Mr. Dcm
ming woro announced
" I can not sco him," groaned tho heart
broken child. , "I can not soo him."
But I knew it was best she should ; and
so I invited them to our private sitting
room. I found that tho grief was not all
hers. Tho young man's face bore traces of
deep suffering, and it was with the utmost
effort that he could keep from breaking
down as he greeted hor, . ,i i
" Lottie," said ho, "you know I do not
bcliovo this horrid story. I know you m
well at you know yourself. Father don't
boliove it eithor j but of course ho doesn't
know what to do with Clara's story."
" What it Iter story?" I inquired.
"Oh," ho ropliod, wearily, "Clara swears
that last evening about nine o'clock, as sho
was passing along tho hall on her way to
hor room, tho hall door stealthily opened,
and that Lottio crept in, covered with her
waterproof, although tho night was very
fair and that sho, Clara, stepped back
into a passago-way, and as sho did so, Lot
tie removed her wrappings, and said in a
hoarso whisper 1 Thank Heaven 1 no one
has scon mo.' "
" Woro you out last evening ?" I inquir
ed of tho terror-stricken girl.
"No," she moaned. 'I remained in
Fred's room until ho fell a sleep, and then
I read till lato, expecting to havo a chanco
of bidding Mr. Humming good-night."
Hero tho child blushed to tho root of her
hair, and tho wholo story was told.
'Could Clara havo manufactured this
torriblo story, or did sho soo somo ono enter
and imagine it was Lottio? It seems to mo
this tcrriblo suspenso will kill me," said
poor Demming.
" If you will como with mo both of you
round to your house, Mr. Demming, I
think I can not only exonerate this little
girl hero, but can placo tho crimo where it
belongs. In other words, my dear sir, I
know who stole those jowels."
Had I weighed tho probable effect of my
words before I uttered them, I should not
havo been so abrupt ; for Lottto tipped
over as dead as a log on tho sofa, and Mr.
Demming, in his fright and relief, camo
mighty near tipping in tho samo manner.
An hour after, wo entered tho Demming
mansion. Lottio was now calm and self
possessed, whilo my coward heart scorned
inclined to walk quite out of its surround
ings. Wo wero shown into tho front parlor.
Tho old gentlemen ontcrcd.
'Father, I havo brought Lottio round,"
said tho young man ; "and lam going to
havo her skirts cleared from this horrible
suspicion before another fifteen minutes
rolls ovor my head."
"God grant it !" ejaculated tho venerable
gentleman fervently. "Poor littlo Lottio,"
ho continued, "wo havo all loved her so
dearly from tho beginning. Wo must clear
her of course wo must. Don't cry, littlo
girl," as sho again broko down under his
caressing language It was evident that
tho governess had made for herself a very
warm and tender nest in tho old man's
heart.
"Fathor," said tho young man, "this
lady Mrs. , has decided information iu
regard to our trouble Ma and Clara ate
in the library let's go in there."
He led tho way, and wo all followed, tho
old man bringing up tho rear.
"Fred tells mo," said tho latter, "that
this lady" pointing to mo "has some
thing to say on tho tho subject under dis
cussion."
Mr. Demming couldn't help being par
liamentary even at this critical timo.
" Was the bag containing tho jowels in
this desk?" I askod, placing my hand on
tho artiulo of furniture.
"It was," replied Mr. Drominiug.
"Did any of tho members of your family
know exactly whore you did keep thorn ?"
" No ho auswerod. " I never would
lock them up until everybody had left the
room."
That accounted for the rummaging."
"This is all I havo to say," I continued.
" Last evening at precisely half-past six, I
saw a lady dressed in white, with a scatlot
sash and neck-ribbon, enter this apartment,
oiien tho different drawers and doors of
these bookcases, and then "
" You lie I" screamed tho girl iu white.
" You lie ! you lio 1 You know you lio I you
bad woman you fiond in human shape 1"
" And thon," I continuod I saw her open
tho desk, soarch it awhile, and finally take
out a bag which sho hold aloft for a moment
and thon run out of tho room."
"You you you" sold tho culprit,
trying to reach the place whore I sut. Her
undo caught her in his arms and laid her on
tho sofa In a porfoct paroxysm of rago and
despair.
They remembered that Clara was teu
minutes lato at the toa table ; and ono part
of tho story fitted into the oilier so perfectly
that there was not tho slightest loop-holo
for hor to crawl out of. .
Lottio did not go back with me. I left
hor with littlo Fred in her lap, Grand
pa Demming besido her, and little Fred's
pa at hor foot, and the old lady hov
ering near.' I have an invitation to a
wedding next week. ' -i' :
It was found out aftorwards that Clara
Mason stole the jewels, as I suspocted, to
enrich hor lover, who was, of course, a
scamp.
NOBODY'S DAUGHTER.
A COKESPONDEJJT of tho Cincin-
1Y nati Chronicle assures the verity of
tho following highly romantio story, which,
whilo in tho fidl flavor of tho choicest old
stylo fiction, has still to find its solution in
modem fact:
In the dusk of an evening of hist winter,
when they were just lighting tho gas iu
tho stores of a city supposed to bo St. Louis,
there cntored a certain fashionable jowol
or's establishment a palo, slender, very
shabbily dressed girl, apparently about 15
years old, who timidly asked a clerk In
chargo if ho would not buy from her a
much tarnished small bracelet, which she
rather stealthily exhibited. Carelessly no
ting tho soiled general look of the article
tho clerk at first gavo a sharp refusal ; but,
happening to havo his attention incidental
ly attracted by tho antiquo setting of somo
ornament in tho bracelet, and next discov
ering that said ornament was a valuablu
ruby, with a monogram inside, he sternly
refused to let tho would-bo seller or her
ware leavo tho storo until his employer
should havo arrived. Consequently, when
tho jeweller camo iu from his dinner ho
found tho girl crying with terror, awaiting
him in his private office, and tho clerk hold
ing her in custody for suspected theft.
Examining the bracelet closely, ho becamu
convinced that it was foreign both in man
ufacture and ownership ; and this convic
tion, added to the pleading manner and in
nocent look of tho terrified girl, induced
him to credit tho hitter's tearful protesta
tions of honesty. I?y a skillful admixtuic
of paternal kindness of tono with admoni
tions to a full explanation for her own
good, tho golden merchant presently per
suaded tho alarmed young croaturo into
such disclosure of hor history as he had lit
tlo anticipated.
The girl described herself as tho daugh
ter of a " great lady" in Europe, from
whom, somo four years ago, sho was remov
ed by her undo, who placed hor on board a
ship at night, iu caro of a man never seen
by her boforo. She know not why this was
done. It came upon her without a mo
ment's warning, and to all her protests and
questions a command for silence was tho
only response On tho ship sho camo to
this country, vigilantly guarded by her
strange, wholly incommunicative custodi
an, who, aftor their landing in New York,
hurried hor to tho AYcstorn city, delivered
her thcro to tho chargo of an obscure and
poor family, evidently advised of her arrival
beforehand, and then disappeared, to be
seen of her no more.
Upon hor arm when sho left homo was
the bracelet. Her reason for attempting to
soil it was that the people having tho care
of hor wore too poor to provide her with
decent clothing, and had not objected to
her sale of the bracelet in the interest of
her wardrobe.
While scarcely inclined to credit this cu
rious and unsatisfactory story, tho jeweller
felt sufficiently interested in tho girl to
mako inquiries about hor of tho people witli
whom she lived. Thoy verifying all that
sho had told him, though stubbornly refus
ing to add an explanatory word thereto, he
took the mysterious young exilo into his
own home as a nursemaid for his children,
and placed hor bracelet in ono of tho show
cases of his store as a curiosity.
So tho affair rested until a few days ago,
whon the bracelet produced a now sceno.
A priest, lately despatched by his ghostly
superiors in Europe to some duty in Amer
ica, had left his watch at tho jewellers' s for
the usual rectification after a sea voyage,
and whon calling to receive lt,againJnoticed
the bracelet In the show-case, and asked
tho privilogo of inspecting it more closely.
His request boing granted, and tho bauble
placed in his hand, he was soizod with an
agitation too powerful to bo repressed, and
after a moment's pause, solicited an im
mediate private intorviow with tho jeweller.
What passed during that interview can be
only vaguoly inferred, for one of its effect,
it appears, was to commit tho Jeweller al
so to tho secrecy heretofore involving all
others concerned with the bracelet. At the
close of the Interview the priest accompan
led tho merchant to his private rcsidonco f
from whence, after an hour's pause, priest
and girl came forth together, to enter a pri
vate carriage, and drive it is not known
whithor. So onds all of tho story that can
be known at present j the; gonoral reader's
ingonuity and powors of imagination be
ing convoulently left at liberty to devise
the solution most agrocablo to his, or her,
sense of tho logic of romaneo and poetic
justice, aud tho most obvious Induction
from Uio fuels revealed.