Foiled by a Woman.
rnilE following telegram was Bent to
J, the mayor In October, 1850 :
Yoiik, ra.j Oct. 10. Bend Mr. Var
noe to Myer's hotel as quickly as pogBl
lire. An Important case for him.
Duhkiuk."
The detective took the next train and
reached Yoik in the afternoon. Calling
at Myer's hotel he registered his name,
upon which the landlord directed him
to a certain address, where a young lady
received him and held a private inter
view with him of about two hours dura
tlon. We will acquaint the reader with
all that transpired at that Interview.
After being seated the lady at once
plunged into tile subject that led to their
meeting.
" Mr. Varnoe, I have summoned you
here on the bare suspicion of fraud
being attempted ; yet that suspicion Is
of such a strong character that I'm sure
you will admit that I am justified in
pending for you to Investigate it. My
name Is Mary Mosher, and my father
keeps the Farmers' hotel. Two weeks
ago two young men stopped at our
house with the intention of remaining
in town until the end of the mouth.
One was called Jocely Kimball, and
appeared to be a gentleman by birth and
-education, and possessed of considerable
wealth. The others name was George
Ilanold, who appeared to be a sort of
servant and companion to Kimball, for
they appeared to be ou very intimate
terms.
" They were about the same height,
rather tall and Blender ; both had dark
eyes, and no beard whatever, But while
Mr. Kimball had dark brown hair,
closely cut, Hauold had red hair, of a
curly nature. Both were of lively ' dis
position, aud appeared to be in the best
of spirits. Yesterday they went away
together, to gather chestnuts in a neigh
boring wood, and two hours afterward
one came back in great haste, with the
intelligence that the other had fallen ofF
a tree aud was terribly injured. The
unfortunate man was the companion of
Jocelyu Kimball.
" A physician accompanied the gen
tlemau to the spot where the accident
occurred, and found the unfortunate
man dead I he having broken his neck
in the fall a height of some thirty feet.
Au indented mark on the ground bore
evidence where he had Btruck the earth
head foremost.
"An Inquest was held on the body
and a verdict rendered according to the
facts elicited. A hoy saw the man fall,
from a distance, and ran to the spot
where he found his companion stooping
over him, and apparently feeling his
head, as it appeared to the boy.
" The man looked startled when the
boy came up, and at once sent him to
town for n doctor, although he followed
him teu or fifteen minutes after, leaving
the uu fortunate man alone on the
ground.
"I suppose you think, Mr. Varnoe,"
observed she, "that there is nothing in
all this requiring your service ?"
"You have more to tell V" queried
he.
"I have," responded she, gravely.
" What follows may only be my imagi
nation ; but I think you must admit
that it required a rigid investigation.
Mr, Kimball drank only wine or porter,
while his companion indulged in ardent
spirits only. Now, however, since his
companion is no more, he appears to
have acquired au appetite for brandy
alone utterly eschewing wine and malt
liquors 1 Mr. Kimball never Indulged
in profanity before, but now he makes
use of it very frequently. He was a
man of mild temper before this accident
occurred, whereas he now appears to be
of a very Irascible temper. Can you fol
low the direction of my suspicion ?"
" I can," replied the detective. " You
mean to intimate that George Hauold
has usurped the name and position of
his dead master!" '
" I do 1" was her emphatio response.
" Many of his acts point to that con
clusion," observed the gentleman, with
a smile, "but you lose sight of the
inconsistency of your suspicions."
" Inconsistency ?" echoed she, with a
lock of surprise.
"Oh I I had forgotten to mention
that Han old's red hair consisted of a
wig."
"Oh!" exclaimed the detective, with
awakened interest,' " that quite does
away with the inconsistency. But how
came you to a knowledge of this
fact?"
' I'll tell you," replied she, with great
earnestness. "At home I always attend
to the chamber work of our guests'
room, aud when thus engaged, I always
wear soft slippers, so as to avoid annoy,
ing any one in an adjoining room, who
might be sick or enjoying a doze. Well,
sir, one day while attending to my
-duties I came along a passage leading to
their room aud found their door open.
I supposed, from this faot, that they had
left the room, and was on the point of
entering when I heard Mr. Kimball
iay:
" Well, Hauold, you have given me a
surprise; I must con fuss I never would
have suspected that you wore a wig, and
for the reasons you mentioned. Aud
since we look like twins when you have
it off, let me see If I look like you with
a wig on my hend."
" Greatly Interested, I peeped Into the
room while Mr. Kimball put on the
wig, and was perfectly astonished to see
how strangely It resembled Ilanold.
Only it appeared to me that the wig fit
him too loosely, and a moment later he
remarked : ' The wig is rather too large
for me, otherwise I would readily be
taken for you.' "
" When he removed the wig, and re
turned it to its owner, I looked at the
two men, aud to my amazement beheld,
as twins, two Jocelyn Klmballs 1 Twins
could not possibly look more alike!
They had not observed me, aud I crept
away safely and resumed my occupation
at the further end of the passage. s
" The physician when examining the
dead man's head, also remarked that the
wig he had ou was too large for his
head. The companion of Mr. Kimball
changed clothes with the dead man,
after sending the boy away after the
doctor. Can you see it 5"' she asked
eagerly.
"After what you have just told me
with reference to the incident iu their
room, I can readily believe such a thing
was possible," remarked the detective,
with a serious air, "aud the change of
temper, habits and disposition In the
present Mr. Kimball, would naturally
cause one to arrive at such a conclusion.
Knowing what you know, I shall take
the matter In hand, If that is your
desire, and give It a thorough investiga
tion. I shall stop at your father's hotel
under the name of Mr. Otto Kunkaly,
and profess to be acquainted with
you. . Let us therefore agree to this
point where we became acquainted
providing your father Bhould ask me."
" Bay we met at Lancaster last winter,
at a party," said she.
" Very good," was the rejoinder, and
they parted to meet again at her father's
hotel.
Next day, iu the early forenoon, " Mr.
Kunklay" entered the Farmers' Hotel,
and registered his name. At dinner he
saw the host's daughter, but she did not
recognize him, although she appeared to
be anxiously awaiting his arrival. Var
noe wore a complete disguise.
After dinner he saw her alone, and
make himself known. She regarded
him with amazement ! Had he not
mentioned his assumed name, and the
object of his coming there, she would
not have believed that he was Mr.
Varnoe.
She introduced him to her father and
mother, stating where they had met,
then had a long conversation with him
in the private parlor. She informed
him that Mr. Kimball (as we shall call
him for the present), when asked
whether he had apprised Mr. Hanold's
friends of his death, replied :
" No ; for the very good reason that I
know nothing at all about them. I
picked him up in Philadelphia, during
my Btay there, but never heard him
allude to any of his relatives. I think
he has none, so I have concluded to give
him a decent burial in one of your cem
eteries." He thereupon purchased a lot in the
cemetery, and ordered the sexton to
prepare the grave. The funeral was to
take place on the following day.
Miss Mosher handed Varnoe a letter,
sealed and directed to Mrs. Agatha Kim
ball, New Orleans, La.
" This letter," said she, "was handed
to me on the day of the terrible accident.
The real Mr. Kimball asked me to mail
it for him. I had quite forgotten to do
so, and the sad affair, occurring bo soon
after, drove it quite from my mind until
my suspicions were aroused, then I
concluded to retain it and give it to you,
hoping you could discover something to
aid you by perusing it."
" My dear lady," responded the detec
tive, In a grave tone, "not for the world
would I break the seal of that letter ;
you must mall it. I shall send a tele
gram to the same address. I am glad
you have the address, for I was about to
ask if you knew where Mr. Kimball's
friends resided."
" He told me his home was In New
Orleans," rejoined the lady. " He also
informed me that he had been traveling
through the Northern and Eastern
States for the past eight months, and
had not been home during all that
period."
Varnoe at once sent a despatch to Mrs.
Kimball requesting her Immediate pres
ence. He then took a look at the dead
body, aud noticed that the wig was not
on the head of the corpse. He turned to
Miss Mosher for an explanation, and
she replied :
" I removed It surreptitiously before
the body passed into the undertaker's
hands. It may become of use in the
investigation that is to take place."
" That wag discreet, Miss Mosher,"
replied the detective. " You have many
qualities that are requisite to make a
good detective."
" Thank you for the compllmeut,"
replied sho, with a blush aud a smile.
Varnoe received Mrs. Kimball at the
station, and on the way to the hotel
made her acquainted with all that had
transpired during the past two or three
days. The presumed death of her son
he broke to her gently, tenderly sooth
lng her grief, adding that there was a
bare possibility that It was the compan
ion (Hanold), Instead of her son, Who
lay in his Shroud. x
" Oh, I could not be mistaken In my
son 1" said Bhe, the tears flowing afresh,
" Living or dead, my heart will tell me
which Is my boy."
By the advice of the detective she was
to try the test. They separated some
distance from the hotel, and she was to
come alone and register an assumed
name. The detective would manage it
that she and the young man should Bee
each other as If accidentally; and not
byjdeelgn.
Mary Mosher offered to effect this
meeting. Mrs. Kimball sat in the
ladles' sitting room, and the youug girl
requested " Mr. Kimball" to get her a
certain book from that room.
He eagerly obeyed, and entered the
apartment hastily, probably not think
ing it had an occupant. Ho halted,
when his eyes fell upon the lady, who
started perceptibly, when she noticed
his strong resemblance to her son ; yet
the mother's heart was true to its
instincts. After the first glance It
whispered, "this is not your sou !"
"Excuse me, madam," said he, ad
dressing her as he would any strange
lady, " I was requested to get a book for
a young lady, and was not aware of any
one being here."
"You are excusable, sir," returned
the lady, bestowing upon him a glance
of contempt for the part he was playing,
compelling her also to play a part for
the time, and keeping her away from
her dead son.
Varnoe was concealed In a position
where he could watch the features of the
young man, and noticed that not the
slightest sign of recognition was visible
In his face when he beheld Mrs. Kim
bull. After the young man had left the
room, Varnoe entered and approached
the lady. Before he could say a word
she rose to her feet, aud appeallngly
holding out her hands cried :
" Oh, sir! now that I have seen the
living imposter, take me where I may
behold my dead sou !"
The detective tenderly placed her
hand within his arm, aud with bared
head led her into the presence of the
dead. Some half-dozen persons were
seated in the darkened apartment. Miss
Mosher and the imposter (as we shall
henceforth call him) were seated near a
window.
When Mrs. Kimble and her escort
entered, Miss Mosher reached out her
arm and opened the shutters, admitting
sufficient light to enable the bereft
mother to see her dead son's features.
The moment she beheld the beloved
face, she fell upon her knees beside the
coffin, and pressing her lips to those
of the dead, she cried in anguished
tones :
" Oh, Jocelyn, my son, my son ! Is it
thus we meet again V"
Further utterance was checked by her
vehement weeping, and for a period
naught else waB heard save the walling
of the widow, bereft of her only son.
At her anguished words, and at the
sight of the face In the coffin, the im
poster started to his feet, white as the
face of the dead man whose name he
assumed, and trembling in vague alarm.
Then bonding his head he whispered to
the girl at his side : " Miss Mosher, who
is this lady who calls him in the coffin
her sony"
"It la Mrs. Kimball," replied she
without looking up.
"Damnation ! I was not prepared for
this!" muttered he, In a low tone; but
It reached the attentive ear of the detec
tive, nevertheless, who placed his mouth
to the iraposter's ear and whispered :
" No, George Hanold, I suppose not ;
nor for what will follow I"
" Sir! What do you mean ?" demand
ed the young man in a fierce whisper.
" Step outside this sacred room and
I'll inform you," quietly replied the
detective, opening the door and leaving
the room.
After a moment's hesitation, Hanold
followed, and the detective and he met
in the yard of the hotel, when the im
poster demanded an explanation. This
wag given In the following words :
" George Hanold, the wisest course for
you to follow is to confess your attempt
ed 1 m posi tion . Themotherofthe dead
son hag pronounced against your claims
by not recognizing you as her son,
Jocelyn Kimball, when you and she met
in the ladles' sitting room a few min
utes since; neither did you recognize
the lady whom you probably never saw
before in all your life ! Come, what say
you?" and the cool beaded detective
looked him square in the face.
" Bee here, my fine fellow," exclaimed
Hanold, dropping all his assumed refine
ment, " you had better be a little careful
how you 'chin' to one, or you'll get
your ma'g monkey Into a condemned
hobble. Do you know, you scarecrow ?"
This was accompanied by the exhibition
of a clenched fist in close proximity to
Vernoe'g olfactory organ.
A smile of mingled scorn and pity
rested for a moment on the lips of the
detective, which gave place to a frown
when the man made the movement as if
to strike.
" Look you, George Ilanold," observ
ed Varnoe, In cold tones, keeping a
wary eye on the fellow, " If you are
wise you will drop this thing at once."
" Curse you for a meddling fool!"
cried the other furiously, I'll drop you
first," and he lunged out savagely.
The detective warded off the Intended
blow, then seized Hanold's two wrists,
pinioned him against the wall, and thus
addressed him:
" Bee here, my pugnacious bantam,
unless you abandon all further preten
sions to the dead man's name, you are
my prisoner. Do you understand ? I
am Varnoe, the detective, sent here to
look Into this matter. I have sufficient
proof to condemn you and send you to
the penitentiary for attempted fraud;
but Mrs. Kimball desires me to persuade
you to let the matter drop and go your
way. Bhould you refuse this, I am to
take you into custody at once. Decide
quickly I"
Hanold Bpoke not a word, but sud
denly attempted to trip Varnoe, but
that was a thing easier in conception
than execution. The detective was all
eyes, as it were, and detected the move
ment at once. To avoid losing his
equilibrium he released his hold, and
once more the now desperate fellow
attempted to fell him with a blow.
Varnoe now warmed to his work ; he
turned the blow aside with his right and
let fly the left. No man had yet been
able to withstand that terrible blow ;
and Ilanold acknowledged its crushing
power by a most ungraceful movement,
to wit : turning a backward somersault ,
and reclining on his back directly after
wards. When he opened his eyes they
wore a look of wonder. His wrists
were encircled by a neat pair of polished
steel bracelets, and the detective stood
leaning against the door-jamb, with
pleasant smile upon his face.
The belligerent fellow was entirely
subdued, which he eloquently expressed
by saying :
" vell, old fellow, 1 'cave.' x ou are
a figure above me. I played a high
game and was euchered. You held the
best hand."
Then, after a pause, a serious turn
took possession of him, and his face
wore an alarmed expression as he ob
served :
" But I hope you won't charge me
with killing Kimball? I'm none of
the best of fellows, I own, but by
had nothing to do
he fell from the tree
low."
with his death-
while I was be
" Rest easy on that, my man," replied
Varnoe, with commiseration for the
foiled Imposter. " No one accuses you
of harming him, and had you heeded
my advice you would now be at lib
erty."
" Well, let up on me," said he, ap
peallngly, " and I swear I'll 'git.' Come
now, will you ?"
" I must at least take you to the lock
up until after Airs. Kimball is more
composed, bo that I may consult with
her. In a day or two I may be able to
inform you what her decision is," re
joined Vernoe.
Hla prisoner submitted to what he
could not well avoid, and was accord-
ly locked up.
In the examination that followed,
Hanold made the subjoined confession
He had met Kimball iu New York,
and this Is how it happened : He had
been to a photographer's to have a
picture taken. While the operator wag
making preparations for the process,
Hanold whiled away the time by look
ing at the specimens of the photograph
er's art. Among them he saw the
picture of a man who so closely resem
bled himself that his own likeness could
not look more like him. He resolved
to hunt up this man, without any other
object than merely to see bim and ascer
tain who he was thinking it probable
that he was a relative. He asked the
artist if he knew his name, and where
he could be found. The man looked at
him, then again at the picture, and,
without at once answering the other's
question, asked him if be wag not
brother to this man. Hanold, who
possessed a somewhat fertile brain for
invention, at once hatched up a plausl-
ble story, and replied:
" Yes, we are twin brothers, but have
not seen each other for ten years. Bo
please tell me what name he goes by,
and where I can find him V"
The artist believed every word the
man uttered, and gave him the name
and address of Jocelyn Kimball. Han
old procured au auburn wig to conceal
the remarkable resemblance, and made
the acquaintance of his counterpart. He
soon became quite Intimate with him
and won his friendship.
He finally accepted Kimball's offer to
become a traveling companion, at a
liberal salary, and accompanied him iu
bis eo centric wanderings for the period
of six or seven month, until their com-
panlonshlp terminated lathe catastro
phe at York.
Up to that period he had never enter
tained any evil design against his friend
and companion ; but while he lay dead
before him, it suddenly occurred to him
that by assuming the dead man's name
and position, he might live the life of a
gentleman instead of living by his wits,
as he bad frequently been obliged to do.
The result of this venture is already
known to the reader.
As Mary Mosher had surmised, he
had removed the dead man's clothes,
and put his own (Including the red wig)
on the dead body.
In consideration of the fact that the
prisoner had really done no harm, and
wag merely guilty of attempted fraud,
he received at the hands cf Mrs. Kim
ball a very Hght sentence.
Mary Mosher, being considered main-
ly instrumental in the exposure of this
attempted imposition, was handsomely
recompensed by the grateful mother;
and Varnoe, for the part he took In the
matter was not forgotten.
The affair created quite a stir in the
community for many days, and Mary
Mosher became a heroine among those
who knew her.
When Varnoe took leave of her, he
presented her with an elegant gold
watch, with this inscription engraved
on the inside of the case :
" To Miss Mary Mosher, from 1 Var
noe,' as a tribute to her admirable
detective qualities."
The Result of a Dream.
A FRIEND who lived In the country
had for some time past been miss
ing things. That there was a thief in
the house could not be doubted, but who
it was, it was impossible to find out.
Bread, meat, butter, bottles of wine, etc.
all disappeared in the most unaccounta
ble manner, and always in the night.
That none of the servants left the house
at night was an ascertained fact, and it
was equally certain that no one entered
from without. How then, were the ar
ticles conveyed away? And by whom?
These were questions which puzzled Mrs.
M , and caused her a good deal of
anxiety. At length she dreamed one
night that she was standing in the gar
den, and looking toward the bouse she
saw In the moonlight a man's figure
glide up the avenue and stand under the
window of one of the servant's room.
Presently the window was softly opened
and a basket well filled with provisions
wag let down by' a rope. The person
below untied the basket, and quickly
disappeared among the surrounding
trees. The rope was then drawn up
and the window very gently closed. On
awakening next morning, Mrs. M
told her husband of her strange dream.
It made such an impression on her that
at length she persuaded her husband to
watch in the garden that night. Bo,
accordingly, he and one of his sons
stationed themselves in a little summer
house in the garden, which commanded
a view of the window in . qnestion, I
may as well mention that neither of
them had the least faith in any kind of
dreams or visions. What, then, was
their astonishment when they beheld
the very figure described by Mrs. M
glide softly up the avenue, and stand
under the window, which was opened
and the basket let down, all exactly as
she had told them I Before, however,
the man had time to make off, they
rushed out and seized him. He was
brought into the house, and the police
sent for. They immediately recognized
him as a very bad character returned
convict. The wretched woman who
was his partner in guilt was his mother.
They were both tried at the next assizes,
and punished as they deserved.
Let us Pass On.
Read this paragraph carefully, and you
will enjoy it again when it is recalled to
your mind by the manner in which
gome partisan of one side of a question
discussed in our future will skip lightly
over the difficulties of the case and the
objections of his wicked and malicious
opponents. It is about an old Scotch
preacher, who, instead of sermonizing
on one text,. used to expound to his peo
ple the Bible, chapter by chapter.
When he (frequently) came to a verse
he didn't understand, he used to Bay :
" No doubt my Christian friends.there
is great difficulty here, as all the com
mentators are agreed upon that ; so let
us look the difficulty boldly In the face,
and pass on I"
O" This short prayer from the Ital
ian may find responsive minds in any
clime j
" I pray that I may never be married.
But If I marry, I pray that I may not
be deceived. But if I am deceived, I
pray that I may not kuow of It. But If
I know of it, I pray that I may be able
to laugh at the whole affair."