Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-05-09

meadow path, homeward from farmer Bur
wells. Lingeringly-for her hand was clasped
in that of Frank Duncan, and he was talk.
ing to her earnestly, as they passed under
the shadows of the water. willows, or paused
Tor moment on the rustic bridge, that
spanned the meadow creek.
"I'll do it, Jennie Here swear---n
"Oh, Frank, don't swear ~
Then promise-yes, hcre promise not
to rest, day nor night, until have five hun
dred dollars to show to your father"
"But how will you get it, Frank 2"
VI don't know yet; but I'll find out
way--only Jennie, dear, fear it will be
long time"
They walked on in sad silence.
II wish | were rich!" burst from Duncan,
passionatcly. II never cared for it before,
but do now, for your sake--and mine, Jen-
uie. If had only one thousand dollars ~
"a thousand dollars, Frank 2"
To her idea, he might as we'll have wish.
ed for the wealth of Monte Christie.
'lt is not large sum, Jennie. Yet five
hundred dollars would purchase that pretty
little place near the old church that You
admire so much, and with another Ave hun.
dred to stock it and begin with. Oh,
Jennie, only think how happy little money
could make us |"
"It's no use thinking" said the girl, sadly.
And, Frank, you are SO given to thinking
and dreaming, that"--sbc looked up with a
tender, half smle-"Im afraid you'll never
set to work hard enough to make even the
FIVE hundred"
"'I'll try, Jennie. Never have fear Of
that"
They had now reached the bottom of
farmer Hallets garden, and here they paused
awhile exchanging few last sentences
Then. with sad, lingering adiuu, they
parted.
1t was eleven o'clock. Jennie heard the
old kitchen clock strike as she passed slow
ly up the garden walk. She paused at the
gate, and looked back toward tho meadow
with strange yearning and desolation at
her heart. He was gone, and the world
seemed very dreary to her. She feared it
would never be bright again. So the young
always think in their fret disappointment.
Turning az length to open the gate, her
foot struck something soft and yielding.
She looked down, and saw some dark object
on the ground, nearly hidden beneath the
low lilac boughs. Taking it up, che saw it
was coat-her fathers, she fancied-and
with nomentary wonder as how it should
have come there, she went softly into the
house, bearing the garment with her. As
she stole upstairs to her own little room,
che fancied she heard slight noise below,
IN the kitchen adjoining her parents bed
room. She heard it again as she was re-
firing, and then a step or the little back
stoop; and as she looked out of her window,
iancied that she saw figure disappear
through the garden gate. She wondered
who 1t could be. Was it come one looking
for that coat And turning to where she
had mechanically dropped it on a chair, she
examined it by the candle light. 1t was
not her fathers. 1t was a patched and
faded, long -skirted camlet coat-thc coat
she had seen worn by the pedlar that eve.
ming
"he will come back for it, perhaps"
thought the girl and she hung it carefully
on nail in the upper entry closet.
But the pcdlar never came back for the
lost garment. And it was understood why,
when on Thursday, Farmer Halet, opening
the bureau to take out his hundred dollars
for deposit in the Logansvile bank, found
the TIN box and the wallet safe, but the
money all gone.
- Search was made for the pedlar, but in
vain. No one had seen person at all an
swering his description, unless it was
pious Methodist preacher who had passed
hurriedly through Logansville on journey
to the west, as missionary to the Indians
andto suspect him would be shame
Yet, some time after, neighbor Burwell,
reading in a city paper description of
noted buglar who had broken out of prison,
and for some weeks past baffled the detec-
tives, remarked that he and the pedlar
must he either the same or twin brothers,
SO exactly did the description tally with
the appearance of the pedlar.
So the old coat hung unseen and forgot
ten, ia the back entry closet until fall, when
Mrs. Hallet in her quarterly ''cleanings,"
espied it.
Jennie" said she, II wish that you
would take that old scarecrow away from
here. l can't abide the sight of it,"
"What shall do with it, motherl z"
"Whatever you like. It's yours suppose,
as you found it, and nobodyrl ever claim
sits too good to throw away said Jen.
ME. suppose take the long skirts and
make petticoat for old Peggy Burns; 1t is
lined with wooden, and viii make her a
warm garment for wiuter.n
So Jennie took the coat to her room, and
sat down in the October sunshine to rip
and re'fashion the garment
She thought of Frank-she was always
tuinhinB OF MIN nOW-aEu WOnuefeu
whether he would even make the five hun
dred dollars how it rang in her head, al
waysi
RIP rip! something opposed the pro.
gress of the scissors in the thick wadding of
the old coat. Tearing it open she drew
out what looked like soiled greenish rag.
1t was paper, however, and as she unfolded It
she saw, to her surprise, that it was a bank
bill-a fifty dollar bill Another and
another followed. Through all the body
of the old garment were carefully padded
these precious bits of paper; and Jennie
Hallet, sitting in her little room alone,
counted them all out upon her lap-,tfteea
hundred dollars!
She kept her secret-at least from her
family. But some days after, she rode into
Logansville on horseback, alone, 90 she was
accustomed to do; and at the express Office
deposited a little package, addressed TO
"Francis Duncan, Esq" And by return
mail came an anonymous letter for farmer
Hallet, enclosing an hundred dollars, "to
replace the money unlawfully taken from
him." which incident set all the neighbors
discoursing upon the power of conscience.
And before Christmas, Frank Duncan him