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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1897)
5 STORY OF A A detective runs across n lot of queer things iu his life, and someliow the queerest never find their wuy Into the newspapers. It Is difficult to say why; perhaps it Is be cause they are too queer. For Instance, I doubt If you have ever heard of a cer tain strange Incident that happened only a season or two ago in that select section of the fashionable world known as "society." A leader of fashion, Mrs. Register, re quested me to call on her one morning when the season was at Its height. "I want your help, Mr. Lowe," she began, anil then stopped awkwardly. "Perhaps you are not aware that at sev eral balls and dinner parties this season there havti been jewels and ornaments tttolcn. 1 1 lias, of course, caused a great deal ol.tinpleiisantness. In several cases trinkets have even been actually taken from the wearers, without their know ing how It was done or who did it." I had heard several wild tales of arti cles having been missed at fashionable gatherings, and there was much specu lation as to who was the culprit. The articles were not, as a rule, of Immense value, and they always disappeared singly, consequently no public notice had been directed to the matter. In one or two eases the police had been con sulted, but It was Impossible for them to help. There could be no doubt that the tlilef was a person who mixed In society as an equal: probably a woman, who hail allowed her love of Jewelry to tempt her to dishonesty. "I presume, then, that the er thief Is a guest u person In society?" I said, inquiringly. "I am afraid so. Two or three things were missed at a dance which I gave last week. Now, I am giving another dance next Thursday, and I am, of course, most anxious It should not oc cur again, at any rate In my house. I thought I would engage your services tor the evening, to see if you detect any thing suspicious. Of course, you would lie treated as a guest." We made arrangements about terms, and It was agreed that I should be in troduced as an Englishman, by mime Captain lturke. "1 suppose. .Mrs. Register," I said, carelessly, "you don't suspect anybody iu particular?" " h. no." she said, but 1 noticed wtlat I thought was a look of anxiety on her face, and made a mental note of it. .s I was leaving. Mrs. Register said: "Of course, .Mr. I.owe, you quite under stand, there must be no expose, if you make any discoveries, they must be treated as secrets. 1 can't have a scene of any kind. It must be hushed up." 1 returned to the otlice Impressed with two Ideas. First, that my task was one of those delicate cases that re quire all your tact and yield very little credit; secondly, that Mrs. Register knew more, or, at any rate, guessed more, than she eared to tell. Thursday evening arrived, and I went to the Register mansion, l'ractlcally, my duty was to mingle with the guests, enjoy myself, and keep my eyes wide open. Nothing seemed to tue more Im probable than that there should be n thief among the brilliant throng that crowded the rooms. Everything was conducted In the most luxurious style, a Hungarian band discoursed the sweetest of dance music, and the guests were among the highest lu the land. Fur n while nothing occurred of the smallest significance. Rut at about two o'clock lu the morning, w hile I was sit ting In a snug corner of the conserva tory, where cigarette smoking was per mitted, I noticed a couple take up n po ultioii lu the opposite corner. They were both young, and evidently very much lu love with one another. The girl was lmndsoinely dressed, and wore Boino valuable Jewels. Iu particular I noticed a pair of diamond ear-drops, which had Just come luto fashion again. Without being a conuolsseur of pre cious stones, I understand them well enough to know that these were very valuable Indeed, and likely to be worth several hundred dollars. These two young people were sitting out during a dance, and they flirted nil through a set of laucers, without any Impatience at their length. KLEPTOMANIAC. At last they got up and went Into the ball-room again. On the chair, where the girl had been sitting, lay something shining. I strolled across and examined it. It was her vinaigrette, which she had probably left there by accident. I replaced It, thinking It might serve as a trap for our fashionable thief, if he were in the neighborhood, and with drew to my corner, where I was almost invisible. Presently an old gentleman strolled out to smoke a cigarette. He was a tall, handsome. Intellectual-looking man, with the air of the true aristocrat. His name I didn't know, but I had noticed him chatting with the guests. He was evidently known to everyone, and was a man of social Importance. Presently his eye caught the little Jeweled vinaigrette. He looked care lessly round the conservatory, to see if he was observed, and picked It up. He now had his bin to me. I was on the point of stepping tip to him, when lie turned round, and replaced the vinai grette and walked quietly away. It was lucky I had not moved. I should have lookeil rather foolish. Some curious instinct bade me cross the con servatory, and lis)k at the vinaigrette again. Without thinking about it, I put it to my nose. The next thing I remember Is. that I found myself sitting iu a chair. Grad ually, things became clearer. The vinaigrette lay by iiiy side. It was drugged. For a few minutes I had lost consciousness. I still felt dizzy and sick. but. knowing Hint everything de pended on my being prompt and acute, I managed with an effort to pull myself together. Then n rose the question, What should I do next? Should I go straight to the man who had tampered with the vinai grette? A moment's thought showed me that that would be worse than use less. I had no proof of anything. The situation must be allowed to develop Itself before I Interfered. After some little retlectlon, I decided to go back to the drawing-room, where I could see what was going on. Under any circumstances 1 must not lose sight of the girl to whom the vinaigrette be longed. For nearly half an hour I waited In vain. She danced with two or three different uieu. but did not seem to have missed it. At last, after one of the dances, she appeared to be looking for something. With what was, I presume, nn apology to her partner, she skipped across the room to a group of girls. Evidently she was asking If any of them had seen her vinaigrette.' For some time she got no information, but presently a girl who was passing, leaning on a man's arm, turned round and made some remark, pointing with her fan to the conserva tory door. The owner of the vinaigrette gave a little nod of thanks, and hurried across the room. All tills time I observed that the man who had drugged the scent bottle, and who was chatting with some of the people standing about watched the girl closely. As soon as she had left the drawing room he broke off his conversation, aud strolled quietly toward the conserva tory. As he passed through the cur tains I noticed that he glanced around to see if he were being followed. That settled It; I had found mv man, and must act promptly. Mrs. Register was standing near the piano. Remem bering her injunction that there was not, under any clreumstauces, to be an expose or a scene. It was necessary to proceed with caution. I caught her eye without much difficulty. She under stood at once that 1 hadouiethlng to say, and disengaged herself from her friends. "Will you come with me to the con servatory?" I said, quietly. "I believe I have solved the mystery." She turned pale. "Very well." she said. "Give me your arm. Be careful what you do, Mr. I.owe," she added, In a troubled voice; "it must be hushed up." When we reached the conservatory we found, Just as I expected, the young lady lying back In a chair unconscious. Htr ear drops were missing. "Miss Kenton has fainted," said Mrs. Register. "One moment," I said; "there is no cause for alarm. Do you see what has happened? Hcrdian d ear-drops have disnppea red." "Do you know who it is?" she whis pered. "Yes. Her vinaigrette lias been drug gednot sufficiently to do her any harm. I saw it done." "What shall I do? Fetch General Register, will you? He must advise me." "Which Is General Register?" She came to the curtains and pointed him out to me. "Very well," I said. "Chafe Miss Benton's hands, and try to bring her round, but don't send for any help at present." I don't think I ever felt so reluctant to proceed with a case as I did at that minute. The man whom Mrs. Register had pointed out as her husband was the man who had drugged the vinaigrette who had followed Miss Renton into the conservatory. In a word, General Register was a kleptomaniac. "Will you come with me into the con servatory. General?" I said. As I spoke I looked him sternly iu the face. He turned deadly white, and his eyes shift ed nervously about the room. "What's the matter?" he said, husk ily. "Is anything wrong?" "Miss Benton has fainted." "Oh." he murmured with relief. "And her ear-drops have disappear ed," I added. For a moment I thought lie was going to drop down. ' I put my arm through his, and led hint toward the conservatory. He was trembling like a leaf. When we got well Into the shadow of the curtains I stopped. "General Regis ter," I said, quietly, "take my advice, and give them up to me at once." "What do you mean?" lie said, hoarsely. "The ear-drops. It will prevent a scene." lie put a trembling hand Into the breast pocket of his dress coat and gave me the ear-drops. He did it like a man In a dream, and I really believe that for the time being he was unconscious. Then lie turned away and left the dra wing-room hurriedly. "Will he not come?" said Mrs. Regis ter, with an awful look of terror iu her eyes. "General Register Is not well." I re plied. "Here are the ear-drops." Tlie poor woman went scarlet. She knew what I meant, and I was deeply grieved for her. From the first she must have had a faint suspicion i." the truth, and was anxious to save him from pub lic disgrace ami scandal. She was thoroughly unnerved. Miss Benton showed signs of returning con sciousness. ".Now." I said, "put the eardrops back Into her ears. She won't know what has happened." Mrs. Register replaced them with trembling fingers. "Send someone to look after this girl; I'll stop with her till help conies. Hut you must go and find your husband. Make haste." I added, significantly, "or you will be too late." My work was not quite over. When Mrs. Register found her husband 111 his dressing-room he was. as I feared, on the point of committing suicide. She saved him. A number of trinkets, some of great value, were found iu his safe. There is, of course, only one explana tion. On that point the General was mad. There was no object in Ids steal lug ladies' ornaments, as he is a very wealthy man, and had not put them to any use. There was not much dllllculty In tind lug their respective owners. I returned them myself, asking each one as a mat ter or courtesy to make no Inquiries as to how hey fell Into my possession. Buffalo Times. The Man and His House. Tlie ordinary polite inquiry, "How d you do'-" alls for nothing'but a con ventlon.illy polite response; but If a man is past "the allotted age." and a philosophy besides, it may elicit a re ply full of meaning and worthy of record. When John Qulncy Adams was eighty years old he met iu the streets of Boston an old friend who Bhook his trembling hand and said: "Good morning! Aud how is John yuiney Adams to-day?" "Thank you," was the ex-President's answer, "John Qulncy Adams himself Is well, sir; quite well. I thank von. But the house In which he lives -it present is becoming dilapidated. It is tottering upon Its foundation. Time aud seasons have nearly destroyed It Its roof Is pretty well worn out. Its walls are much shattered, aud It trem bles with every wind. The old tene ment Is becoming almost uninhabitable and I think John Qulncy Adams will' have to move out of It soon; but he himself is quite well, sir. quite well." With that the venerable sixth Presl dent of the United States moved on with the aid of his staff. It was not long afterword that he had his second and fatal stroke of paralysis lu the Capitol at Washington. "This Is the last of earth," he said, "I am couteut." The Arkansas river was named from amotion of Indians; also called Quap- RUSSIA'S PENAL SYSTEM. One of It Principles 18 Productive of the lireutcst Good. Willie tlie administration of the Rus sian penal system Is very generally to lie condemned, says Dr. Benjamin How ard, an English surgeon, who has made a study of tlie subject and who is au authority on penology, there is one of IM principles that deserves to be cop ! led, and that Is the principle of pro ductive labor. In so far as the admin istration of affairs rests with individu als, abuses very often creep in, aud thus it is possible that one prison may be under humane principles 'while an other may be an Institution of horrors. But the principle of productive labor bears good results. After a convict's term of two years' imprisonment is over there is nothing to prevent him, within three to five years, becoming within certain geographical limits a free man. A political exile or a murderer in Sag halieu lives with his family in a well built and often pretty, four-roomed cot tage, with its court yard vestibule aud garden. Tlie Island is populated mostly by murderers or by iersons guilty of simi larly serious crimes. They work peace fully and quietly on their farms and walk about the streets to all appear ances free men. Russian convicts, in stead of being a heavy charge on the resources of the country, are a source of revenue. Convict lalwr has added to the Russian empire an Island the length of England, not on ncre of which was previously under cultivation, ond It Is orily the population of Siberia by these people that has made possible tlie line of tlie Trans-Siberian Railway the envy of the whole world. Wide Tire vs. Narrow Tires, I do nat remember ever having seen any Illustration which clearly shows why a wide tire wagon draws so much easier In general farm work than the ordinary nnrrow tire wagon,' so I want to send you the sketches luclosed. Figs. No. 1 represent the wheel of my old farm wagon with two-inch tire. You see how It cuts into the ground when carrying a load over the ordinary fields upon the farm. Figs. No. 2 represent the solid wheel upon a wagon which I purchased recently. This wheel has a slx-lnclf tire and, as you see, rolls over the surface of the ground while the narrow tire in Figs. No. 1 Is always climbing a hill or consuming an equal amount of draft lu cutting a rut that works a great Injury in many ways, perhaps needless to mention here, un less It be that one which Is often lost sight of, namely, that after every lit tle particular shower these ruts serve as drains to carry the soluble part of fertilizers (the only part that is of any value) off the fields, ond into the d'ad furrows aud from there into the road or some equally useless place. C. M. Wheeler, Lounsbury, N. Y., In Farm, Field and Fireside. "It is a startling; fact that, almost without exception, the adulterated teas are dangerous to health, aome ! of them are actually poisonous." N. Y. Herald. Yes; some not all. But that isn't the point. You drink tea because you like it not because it is good for you. The wholesome tea is also the best-tasting: Schil ling's eslat grocers' in packages. A Schilling & Company an Franciico 407 I INDISPENSABLE TO ANY PICK SMCIKKR. AWAY WITH MAKK1IIIIFT8." Dealers' Best Seller. sample. 10c. tVLIKSE MFC. CO. By Mall. Agonta W anted. Portland, Or., U. S. A. , una inij,,.., olfc WHEAT. Make monev bv euo. ceislul speculation In Chicago. We huv and ,Z v; " K" wneat mere on margins, r ortunes have been made on a small Sf,Pnl11 y trading in futures w"r? to lot full .particulars. Best of reference given. Sev. TradS'Indrr'''"0!? ,heIl hl-fo tWd "t TaB?..TJ-BE '!? ril-S cnred:nopay until IX cured; send lor book. Pus. kamsiELD FoiTumu tat Market St., tan FwnefiX; CI 1. - 1 l a pretty, K..l.i-trhnr.. 1 Tlie envy of the l,, "N N", Hut shopping ,.,ls !,-, ,,., , It is an empty ,sl. '""orit, Washington Slur. She You seem t f Blr. Ile-IIow eonl,, , 1U your prest'iiee' Judy , ' ""uroise in Friend I suppose write now goes': 'vrylhingi AmlH.r-Y,,,,,,,, most of It comes back Hiii-lcm l.if- "I know now." remarked the " nan whowassaedrrvael,of ! " ise, "why they call It Hits. 'cotirilnz.'". TiJ. Kilitor Your storv Is flat VesV Kditor-l wish to' Author- ouiptiiuent you. Most stories 'e get are rolled up. Puck. 'Uncle Simon, what is pIwBw "'"' - l,h ''"' is a man who ,'et s so rich that he won't accept a J m a railroiid."-('hicao ltecord Hubbies Mr wife and I accident. Thrown together ;l,v rlmJ lllul i as it were. Wheel w an (nmsl Did you break the bicycles?-Buffalo Times. "1 fared pretty well on Christum" said the man with the blue emit, "In. deed?" "Yes; you know l'w a'strm car conductor."-I'hilailelpliia North American. Mrs. Newly wed (In tearsj-Yon useil to say that you would be glad jto die for me. Mr. Newly wed-Well, I would now. Mrs. Xewlywed-Well, yon uiaj now. Judge, "I'll waiter that woman submarine diver doesn't slay under the water mora than ten minutes at a time." "Why!" "Nobody down there to talk to."-Ctt oago Record. "Pugilism isn't what It used to be.' "No; the advances made in hniileiuenls of modern warfare have thrown it Into tlie shade somewhat." riiiladelulila North American. Hungry Higgins All ills here hand out lacks is finger-howls. Weary Wat kins Yes, I t'lnk I could git away wid erbout u t'ree-llnger bowl myself. la dinunpolis Journal. Reporter Three men fell on live trol ley wires to-day. City Kditur-Knn'ea in the current events column. (Chorus of groans from the force.) Cincinnati Commercial Tribune. She Mr. Fullback never boosts of 111 football exploits, does he? 1 le Xo, 1 mulct-stand that lie has nearly killed half a dozen men, but he never says I word about It. Puck. "Called any to-day?" "Only once, and then I was left out In the cold." "You don't mean It: where';" "Down at Bagsley's. He held four aces."-CIn-clnuatl Commercial Tribune. Alethea (blusliingly) Now, don't, Mr. Dusnap! I know little Ferdinand U watching at the key-hole. Dusnup Well, hit's gratify his curiosity, and then he may go away. Pink. "I am sorry to hear that Allwuhl, th clothing merchant, has tailed in husi uess." "How did it happi'ii?" "Over confidence. lie brought on n carload of ear-muffs."-Chlcngo Tribune. Judge (to a couple sentenced forflsM ing) Have you anything to say? Mate Defendant I would like to have mj wife commence her term In prison after I am released. Herman exchange. She-Do you believe In 1S ments? He-Well, I think uu eugage ment should he long enough to test a man's constancy and to give the gin time to learn to cook.-Hrookiyn L1IC' He-I'm waiting for the Interesting ..... -in n.,if tiip novelists tali U1I1UU UL UV .,,.. . about. She-Well, you won't Bud her lu Vienna. All the women here under lit) are not over -Ji Illustrated Bits. "You know that old gag of telling the beggar that you are 'working this side v I tried it the other day. "Did It work?" "No; he licked me for getting on his beat!"-Chlcago Record. m,niiT ,r,i,ii lin nneer. doncher- know, if the Theosophlsts were rigit, and If we came to life again In som other form. She-Yes. Cliolly; some folks might expect better luck nen tlmo PiifIr Mrs. Mulllgan-Do yez feel bettertW morning, Mrs. O'Toole? Mrs.0iww x rl i i don't. MB. I UO. HUU IUCU OP'" ...mill ...' rri... i.,.i for it's harrua to know whether to say I'm glad. Harper's Bazar. "They must have bad a cyclone at New-riches" last week, makes you think so?" "MrwJJ said they had their monogram o into every piece of glass in the house -Detroit Free Press. "What kind of goods, ma mT the salesman. "I think." repM " young woman who bad nhoal onrt Tvns nllOUt tO OWef . riiiinr milt "vou may show me so riding suit, "you may """"- Tru your early fall styles.- -v.u...-une. rrencn Nell-Miss Bjones u f. phrases In the most peculiar om" Bell-Does she? Nell-8' J Why, at breakfast yesterday i her how she liked her eggs. wild they were very chick.- phla Record. HA "7!