The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-12-10
OHIO; FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1859.

ulu noI Tdlse my neaQ. Presently
t voice-ab, how unlike Lewis butterv
D Jewish accents startled me from my
reverie.
!, I can play at chess it said very
(; softly.
: I looked up suddenly. A littly fai-
Try creature, about sixteen years old
with long fair hair, and large, beautiful
blue eyes, stood just within the door
staring at me, like some timid bird al
him who wanders in lonely woods, half
fearing to approach, yet longing to come
: nearer.
And who on earth are your | ask
ed abruptly; aud as I spoke I saw at a
glance that the blood Of the children
of Israel did not run in her clear, blue
veins.
! I am Nellie Lee, sir, replied the
apparition, and I'm in pawn,
in whatp l exclaimed, under the
impression that must have been de.
ceived in the absurd statement | had
Just heard.
I'm pawn, sir she repeated, as sim
'Iply as If she was saying that she was in
bed.
And who put you into pawn, in the
name of all the Msdicis, may I sskl' 1
said, scarcely able to keep my counte-
nance.
Father pswned me for monv to buy
paints; and I'm SO lonesome-oh!
you can't thiukP
What is your respectable parent,
may I inquired
Hes an artist, sir, and he has Just
got an order, sir, and he wanted money
for the canvas and the paints to finish
the picture. He paints beautiful pic
lures; indeed he doesP
She seemed so very anxious about
my not donbting ker fathers ability
that smiled short af assent, as if I
were perfectly convinced of his rare ta-
lent, and was intimately acquainted
with the merit of every one of his pro-
ductions.
where do they keep you l asked,
half jestingly, for the whole affair seem
ed SO like vaudeville, that expected
every moment to hear some unseen au-
dience applauding the performance.
DO they put you in the safe with the
jewelry, OF lay you on the shelves with
gowns and coatsP
No, sir, l live up stairs with Mr..
Lee. Father will come, though, in
few days, with the money and redeem
me-
All this as seriously as if it was the.
commonest thing in the world for dis
tressed fathers to pawn their children,
and keep the duplicates in their waist
coat pockets.
Have you ever been in pawn before,
Miss Nellie LeeP
'Oh, yes, sir. Father painted the
Seven Sleepers of Ephesue' with what
he got on me, last fall
This was really more than l could
stand. lay back on the old hair-bot-
toned sofa and roared with laughter
The deposit stood before me with a
grave and patient demeanor, neither
surprised at my merriment nor appa-
rently thingking that there was any
thing at all singular in her position.
You say that you play chess I said,
at last checking my merriment by a.
great effort, out of respect for the fair
face and beautiful eyes that I saw be-
fore me. Would you ike to play al
gamer
'Oh, yesP answered the deposit 4
should like it very much. You can't
think
We sat down 10 play chess. l don't
know how long we were at it; but this
I know, that if the entrance of Mr.. Lee
vi had not disturbed us it would have
continued probably to the present day.
There was first move. Then long
conversation. Then a pause, during
which the blue eyes seemed to be in |
tently studying the board and mine
aOsre intently studying the blue eyes
Then another move. Then more con-
versstion, until at last the rival forces
on the Rsjah's ivory battlefield got in
such a state of confusion that l belive
Herr Harwitz whould have become a
lunatic the first glance be cast upon
them.
As for me, l thought of nothing but
the simple, beautiful young creature
who sat opposite to me, and, in spite
of myself, visions of such being NOV
ing about my lonely chambers, making
the gloom gay, and causing the bache-
lor's barren life to burgeon and bloom
like the dry rod Of the high priest.
In the midst of all this in came Mr..
Levi with my five dollars and the dup
licate for the chess-bOard. He seemed
rather astonisbed at the quiet intimacy
which had been so suddenly establish
ed between myself and his deposit
Mr., Levi, said l to him, 4 had no
idea that you lent money on this species
Of personal security. / have rich
old uncle, who won't die and leave me
my share of his property, that l would |
be very glad to raise something on.
How much will you give me on him
He's in an excellent state Of pTecerva-
ton, and has served in the last war!
'Ohp he replied, laughing, without
paying any attention to proposed avun-
cular exchange, Nellie Lee is capital
girl, and it's sometimes as well that she
should be away from her fsther. He
= and here be made an expressive pan
tomime suggestive of rum l looked
at Nellie. Her large eyes were filling
with tears
Don't be angry with me, Nellie,
continued the pawnbroker, kindly.
you know that be has very bad bab-
its, or you would not be here. My wife
is very fond of her Mr.. Papillotte, aud
for that matter her father adOres her,
and as be never will finish any OF his
pictures without the spur of some ter
rible necessity, we contrive to get him
to put Nellie in what he calls pawn,
and then he is sure to work to get the
money to redeem her. Nellie, child,
don't cry
1 went up to the poor child, and took
her hand gently. in my own.
Nellie Lee said, you love your
father very much.'
She nodded her head, and shook of
tear or two that fell upon my hand.
1t is but right that you should do So