The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-01-08

ing. She looked down aad saw some dark
object on the ground, nearly hidden be-
meath the low lilac boughs Taking il up.
she saw that it was a coat,--her fathers
she fancied-and. with momentary WON
der as to how it had come there, she went
softly into the house, taking the garment
with her. As she stole up stairs to her
own little room she fancied she heard
slight sound below In the Kitchen adjoining
her parents bedroom. She heard it again
as she was retiring, and then a step on the
little Lack stoop and, as she looked out
OF her window, fanced she saw a figure
disappearing through the garden gate
She wondered who it could be. Was it
some one looking for the coat? and, turn
ing where she had mechanically dropped it
on chair, she examined it by candle light.
1t was not her fathers. 1t was a patched
and faded. long skirted camlet coat-the
coat which she had seen worn by the ped
Ter that evening.
He will come back for it perhaps, the
giIl thought and she hung it carefully on
nail In the upper entry closet.
But the pedier never came back for the
lost garment. And it was understood why,
when On Thursday, Farmer Hallet opening
the bureau to take out his hundred dollars
for deposit In the Logansville bank, found
the tin box aud the wallet safe, but the
money all gone
Search was made for the pedler, but in
vain. No one had seen a person at all ans
swerlng his description, unless it was pi
Gus Methodist preacher who had passed
hurrledly through Logansville on a Journey
to the west as missionary to the Indians;
aud to suspect him would be shame.
Yet, some time after, neighbcr Burwell,
reading description of a noted burglar,
vino had broken out Of prison and for some
weeks past batfied the detectives, remark>
ed, that he and the pedler must be either
the same or twin brothers, SO exactly did
the description tally with the appearance
Of the pedler.
SO the cid coat hung, unseen and for
gotten, III the back entry closet until fall,
when Mrs. Hallet in her quarterly ''clcan-
ings, spied it.
Jennie she said, Il wish you would
take that old scarecrow away from here,
L can t abide the sight of it,"
What shall do with it mother ?"
wv hatever you like. It's yours | sup
pose, as you found it; no one will ever
claim it.
Its too good to throw away" said Jen-
ME. Suppose take The long skirts and
make petucoat for Peggy Burns? It is
lined with wooden and viii make warm
garment for winter.
30 JENNIE took the coat to her room, and
sat down ia the October sunshine to rip up
and Re fashion The garment.
She thought OF trank--she was always
thinking OF him now--and wondered if be
would ever make that $500, oh, that $500!
how 1t ran 10 her head always
Kip! nip! Something opposed the pro-
Sress OF the scissors IN the thick Waddlos
OF the old coat. fearing it oGen she drew
out what looked like Sold greenlsh rag.
il was paper, however, and as she unfold
ed 1t she saw TO her surprise that it vas a
bank bill-a $50 bill Another and aDoth-
er fol owed. Through all the hoGy OF the
old garment were carefully padded these
precious bis CT paper and Jennie Hallet,
oltung In her loom alone counted them all
out upon Der lap-$I, 800!
She Kept her secret-at least from her
family.
But some days alter she rode into Lo-
gansyllle on hoi setback, alone, as she was
cus,omed to do and at the express Office
deposited hItle package, addressed TO
Francis Duncan, Esq" And by retuin
mail cane an anymous letter 70 Farmer
HalIet, inclosing 500, 10 replace tie
money unIawiuny taken from him" which
incident set all The eisboors dlscoulsing
on the power OF conscience. And before
CLris,nlas Frank Dadcan himself mace his
appearance and boldly asked Farmer Hal
let for the hand Of his daughter Jennie,
mentioning M answer 10 The fa,,ier' in-
quires, tnat he had more lhan 81, $40 III
hand" And the next thirg was that Mr..
Duncan purchased tue pre,,y place BY the
old church, and thtlrer, in The spring, took
his young bride, Eheie they were IS hep
Ply as newly married people generally are.
Jennie said that sac aud Frank only DOR
roTcd the money, and that it should be
restored whenever the owner should appear.