Anything but a Joke.

Evening Star, Issue 8610, 2 September 1891, Page 2

Anything but a Joke.

One of the best-known residents in one of the suburbs has quite recently been the victim of an intolerable amount of annoyance and persecution at the- hands of an impish, hysterical domestic About a week ago the> family were alarmed some time during the silent watches of the night by an unusual noise in the house, followed by the smashing of glass, and other unmistakeable evidences of unwelcome visitors. Paterfamilias, who is the head of a large commercial firm, and a man of mettle to boot, after a hurried consultation with the wife of his bosom, desoecded the stairs, revolver in hand,, expecting at every step to be brought face to face with his desperate visitor*. But apparently the burgkrs had decamped,, but not before they had played terriblehavoc with the trappings and decorations in some of the downstair rooms, and that, too, in a seemingly purposeless and wantoo manner. The rooms were in an indescribable state of confusion. Kxpensive pictures were torn off the walls and flung on the: floor, tables wore overturned, and costly ornaments and articles of vertu littered k> every direction. A window at the back ofc the house stood open,, and through this clearly an entranoe had been effected. The police made a careful examination of the. premises and surroundings, and interrogated everyone likely to throw any light on the mystery, but without effect. Two nights later the house was again entered,, and almost the same demoniacal dance per, formed through the rooms, to the terrocof the family. la this last ins&aee the. proceedings were- varied by the screama of one of the servants, who stated that the burglar entered her apartment an 4 threatened to murder her. The girl was able to give a minute description of the imaginary Bill Sykes, as he carried a light in his hand. Police were specially told off to watoh the hone after this, but no one pnt in an appearance, though the girl states she had seen the burglar several times on the street, and only a few. nights ago rushed in in an ezcited state and vowed he had accosted her outside and cat off her hair. Her hair oartainly had been severed olose to the back of her head, and she bore other marks of having been violently handled. But the detectives beoaja to smell a rat, as the phrase goei, and charged the girl with being herself the author of all the devilry. A medical examination showed the girl to be suffering from, a malignant form of hysteria, and it is not Ukely that any more will be heard of the matter.—Danedin correspondent of th« «Taan'.ka Tim.es.'