Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1868-05-01
10. 10. PARIS. MAINE FRIDAY NAY I 1898

For more than three months she had
ioiled at the dingy Office, assisted by her
faIhor'- legal adviser. Mr. Stearns. n faith
ful. kind hearted old fellow. who would
gladly have paid the debts out of In. own
pocket to have saved Alcla the trouble, n
he had only been able.
/ But at last everything wa, arranged -
The last creditor bad been pail and Adela
locked his receipt in full away in the great
desk
Siearns had gone home She was alone.
and IN no hurry to 90 She boarded row.
and her room wis Just over the room OF A
music teacher. and the broken strinced pis.
no was being tortured from morning ill
night. The sound annoyed Ad.la. and she
was glad OF theguiet OF the little back room
Office
4 l, wa. in March. and still cold enough
for fire. She moved up to the crate. and
learcd back in the wel-worn leatber.cush-
Toned chair. thinking. She was poor enough,
and mus; depend on herself hereafter but
after all. she ielt satisfied. | think we all
have that feeling when we have done TO the
very best of our ability what duty requires
of us.
She rose a, last to 60 home. and then
she observed Zip OF folded paper lying
on the floor just under her desk. She pick
ed It up with a vague fear at her heart
why she could not have told. IL was some
thing which In slipped from the desk with.
out her notice She unfoIded it, but at the
first glimpse OF the ominous heading. the
letters al swan together. and she baG 10
AT down moment and collect her thoughts
before she could read it,
For value received. promise to nav
Edward RomAine. or order one thou.ant
two hundred ioil trs, on demand with in
tcrrst "U,uP.oS M,psu
She "a, 'iill like one who la, received
sudden blo~. Another debt still to Sc; tie :;
and she had not half money enough in the
world to cancel IL Then bright hope
arose. The note ~, in her fathers we'll.
known hlni writing; there could be no
doubt ~ TO its gcnuincnes but it had been
IN hts possession. Perhip' 1t had been paid.
and he had kept the note instead o destroy.
ing II. Bot no. Tha, hope was qucn chcd
almost Immediately, for o. turnin, the pa
per she sac the word Copy" written across
the back. Il vas a popularity OF her father =
TO keep copies OF all the notes he gave. and
indeed OF every paper Of any consequence
Tseive hundred dollars. Where va.
the money TO come from? Twelve hundred?
Yes. the deb mus, be more than that
there was the interest, She looked ut the
datc-eigh yeIrs J1ek-inI a cry of ioy
broke from ber Inns The note was out
lAwed There vas no Endorsements Of pad
instalmenis on th- back TO save it. aud in
Law It coniI not b. recovered,
Ohly for momrn' dl TIN. thought
: affIr'i Alrla any satisfaction. She re netn.
bered that honor was one thing and law
another. She knew very we'll how that
? debt was incurred. Sir had heard her IA.
the speak OF it. lie bal purchased goods
OF Mr.. Romiinc for several years. and at
( one time be had taken more than he had
the money to pay FOR Romaine was an
easy sort OF n man. and so the thing had
run on until the note vas really worthless
But her father had always intended to pay
IT, Not more than \ year previous Adrla
bad heard him speak Of il. and she had sup.
, pos-,i he hal seen to it at once But she
r had been ~rone 10 her conjecture
, She took her pencil and bi, Of paper.
e and calculated the interest She was aahl,t
1 At the sum total Almos, two thousand
dollars Strange that interest will run up
So AMI how should she raise the amount?
Her watch and chain must go There
r was no he p for it nov She iid no; know
boS much the two would bring but they
, ought certainly 30 sell FOR enough to pay
the dcit They cost = great deal more 49,
The watch wl- set with diamonds. aud the
, chain bad diamond brooch With an EN-.
b crald cluster in the centre
, She took out the wa,cb, and kissed il ten.
derby. with tears in her eyes Then she put
, or her hat and sack. and went ~ to Bird
, X CI"'lrs. the great jesclry store at ,Lc
corner Mr. Bird bad been a friend Of her
, A'hrr'., and .he took him aside and showed
. bin the articles.
They are very ya!u,blc." be said. look
f. ing them over "but surely YOU do not wish
b to dispose o them ''
. ''I"'. sir tia; vas nv ohjec, in calling
. here" And she stated brich, the reason
= Why size wanted the two thousand 10
D MY dear Mss Marsh. " said Mr.. Bird
81 must admire your integrity. bu. at the
n same time under the circumstance, I should
advise you TO Jet the matter remain lu.t a,
]. u is. Edwsrd R,majne i. dead. ard hi,
. so.,. -. ..,.....,.l..t HIN 90 II ts a.