The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-07-27
THE GROCER'S STORY.
TCoNCLUDED.1

said: ''but / caught the shine OF
star on the coat he has on, and who
ever it was took ham from your pegs
and hid in the ash box beyond the
corner. Yell find it there, if ye look;
and sure yell not refuse sup of
whisky for the information!
II gave the old creature what she
wanted, hurried her. out Of the shop
and put up the shutters, growing an
grier every moment. 81
Eff it is the policeman I'll make
him pay dearly for it, as | skunk
along the sidewalk to the corner,
keeping in the shadow all the way,
and when Istood beside the box and
saw by the light of the lamp close by,
that the ham was there, wrapped in
something which looked like a hand
9kerchief, / bit my lips and clenched
my hands with rage. Had it been a
common thief /. should not SO much
have minded; but policeman it was
more than could stand. So l.
crouched myselfin a doorway and wait
/ ed. The watch were relieved, at II
O'Clock; / knew that, and knew also
that this would be the time when my
policeman would come to take the
ham from out of its hiding, place.
And sure enough, when the time came
/ heard him challenge the man who
was to take his place, and came march
ing down toward the corner. / let
him get the ham well under his arm
before I.stirred, but then | bounced
upon him like tiger.
:" I've got you!' | cried. " A pretty
policeman you are, indeed, but you
shall suffer for it; you shall suffer for
it / can tell YOU
g He struggled with me for a mo-
ment like wild thing, and then all
of sudden dropped the ham and fell
down in helpless sort ola heap upon
q I'm ruined mani" he groaned,
"a ruined mani There s-no hope
for me now. Oh. my God my wife,
| my poor little wifel" and he burst out
crying, like woman.
The sight softened me, but [ was
angry still; 10
before you became thief, | said.
eff the guardian of a man 5 property
is not to be trusted, what is to become
of him? And you look like gentle
man-you do not seem like scoun-
drel; how have you stopped to do
such disgraceful thing as this?'
He was standing beside me now,
and the lamp light fell on his face.
1t was white as any corpse's S, and his
eyes glittered terribly.
Policemen families do not often
starve," I said with sneer.
/ my God! can't you believe me
won't you believed" painted the man.
[ have only been appointed three
days; I have not received cent Of
salary yet. / have been Ill a long
while, and had neither money MOI
credit. Last night we went to bed
supperless, to-day there has not been
a crust in the house, and those hams
tempted me so. You can never
know how awfully they tempted me
and I meant to pay you afterwards?
He covered his face with his
hands, and could see great tears
dripping through his fingers, and be-
fore i knew it my own cheeks were
moist, and so we stood silent, with the
ham lying between us on the ground
Sc At last he turned toward me anC
said, Do what you like with me
The last hope is gone.
But / put my hand on his arm
and said, God forbid that / shoulC
be the one to take that last hope from
q you, that /, Of all men, should be the
one to ruin you. If your story is trut
and believe it isl pity you more
than I blame YOU
He looked at me in sort OF be
wildered' way, as though he scarcel.
understood me, and | took him by tn,
arm and led him back to the shop
There / filled a basket with breat
and butter and coffee, and put tn
ham on top of it. Take it home t.
your wife, I said, you'll i pay me whel
you get your salary, and if you are II
need before that, come to me: m ;
poor man myself, and can feel for 9th
er poor men -.
face in all my life, so wandering, 81
thankful, and so awe stricken. Al
he said was God bless you, and ther
was whole sermon in those words
and I slept better for them.
"0n Christmas night he paid m
every cent, and from that day until
left the neighborhood, dealt with m
regularly. But times grew so mucl
better that took store in goo'
street at the other end of the town
and one way and another saw no NOR
of my good policeman for three goo
Zone night, just such cold nigh
/ n H. Oh ~
on the hams, was awakened long al
ter midnight by a cry of ire starte
up to see the flames through the tloocl
and to know that the store down stair
was all ablaze. The stairs were o
fire also, and when as [ opened tn
entry door the hot air and smok
l11 =. Il : r.r,, q q n,..aG r,nn