Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-04-05
NV birrLE BLACK POCKET BOOK,
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

father died while was still an infant, and
\ at an early age my mother placed me in
the counting house of rich London
merchant, as preparation for the mer-
camille life which she had planned for me.
A dry, tedious life it was at first, to
merry boy fresh from the country, but l
grew used to the dull routine in time, and,
from my steadiness and respectful con-
duct, soon became great favorite with
those about me. My great pleasure was
to wander through the handsome streets
at eventide, building castles in the air,
where everything was bright and glowing,
and the flowers were one and all fragrant
and thornless. One brilliant autumn night
/ was taking a solitary ramble along one
of the most splendid streets in London.
1t was very late, and nearly all the win
dows were closed up and darkened, while
the few carriages which rolled at long in
tervals over the stones, wakened the lurk-
ing echoes, and seemed to make the re-
turning silence deeper as the sound of
their wheels died away in the distance.
Over smooth pavement the full moon
shed flood of molten silver, the sky was
studded thlckly with golden stars, and
near the horizon, a fame of diamond light
beautiful Venus-arose like a queen
among her subjects.
stood looking at her from the shadows
of stately marble, dreaming, Heaven
knows what, for in those days my heart
was full of hope, ambition, and romance,
and so absorbed was in the vision my
own brain conjured up, that it was with a
start suddenly remembered ought to
have been in bed for some four or five
hours at least. AS this conviction forced
itself upon me, [ turned to retrace my
steps, but as did So my eyes encoun-
tered face 50 evil and sinister in its ex-
preston, that involuntarily drew bavk
into the shadow with some disagreeable
misgivings, and watched its possessor as
he advanced into the clear light of the
moon. He was short, stout person, clad
in shabby garments, and as he came on
he looked about him warily, and turning,
j beckoned to some one behind him. and
called in thick, husky voice, "Come on,
Bill; all's quiet" yc r
At this invation another man emerged
from the other side of the building and
approached him with stcalthy footsteps,
drawing 50 near to me that l could have
touched them with my outstretched hand.
"Are the keys safe ?" said the first man.
"Yes," replied the other. .~
"And the jemmies?" u
"All right"
"Come on then," said the first, "lt's
only step now, and we'll be there in a
twinkling. We can make good job of it,
there's nobody at home but the young Ia
dy and the servants, most of 'em wimmen,
and if they squall we can settle 'em easy
They moved away as they spoke but |
had heard enough to give me clew to
their character and intentions; what
j could do? to follow them unseen would
probably be useless, but it was all that
could do, and Providence might provide
through me the means of succor for tht
innocent beings threatened by such peril
My resolution was made at once, and keep
ing as much as possible in the shadow,
followed the ,rufians down the quiet street
Turning two corners, they presently ap
preached row Of handsome buildings
with which was familiar, and with !;
hasty glance behind them, disappeared
81 down the area of one near the center. A
] Watched them could scarcely restrain
the scream which arose to my lips, 70
this very building was the residence of m.
semployer--Mr. Markham. The trutl
flashed upon me at once. Mr.. MARKHAM
and his wife had. knew, left for shor
Journey the day before, and she whose lif
might, perhaps, be in danger, was hi
only daughter-7a beautiful girl whom
had long admired and worshipped at
distance; I would have pcriled my lii
to have saved her, but what could do
Icould hear the stealthy working Of tn
two men at the area door, and one cry