The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-03-25

gin, if be can sell or pawn what he stole,
for enough to get them, Somehow, i'll
could, wouldn't have him hunted down
Tonight vow wculdn't.
Still, l don't blame those young folks;
Id have been ns furious in the chase as
any Of EN-, years ago. but l learnt a les.
son once that | never forget and ! hope
| never may. was a young man and
poor one then, and had hard struggle
10 make my little shop kept my family
II was only by pinching and saving, and
keeping sharp lookout for every bar
gain, that | managed il all,
Eve lived 10 0 shabby street and had
only very few customers, A loaf Of
bread, a quarter Of n pound OF butter,
and two o0nces Of black tea, was quite
au-order. and most Of those who came
wanted trust.
'As for laying in Gne fruit or vegetR,
bles. | never thought or such folly
Diamonds would have been as saleoblc
in that part OF the city, where washer.
women and the poo'est laboriOg men
were the aristocracy,
Now aud then, when foreign ship
came TO port with a load OF ruined Pine.
apples OF decOyed oranges, l bought
10, ofthesc, aud charging small profit,
sold than easily enough. Although /
owu my wii;s used 10 say tue miserable
babies, who rolled sbon, the cutters;
died of foster after every stock of dam.
aged fruit | sold ia Tho o1 shop, and |
am aIraid that she was right. Well
as told you, struggled on rs lest |
might, aud pfter while, things began
10 improve, oal | began TO have yis'
ious Ola clean store ia q good street,
when 10y down TO rest al Dights =
SO one dag when | had basn TO
msrkc', | broeght homo half Dozen
hams aud hUOg them up before the door
more for shox than .aoglhing else, for
hams were grand holiday dinner in
those regions. aud mott an everyday al
fair, | can tell you They went off
slowly, ns thought hey would. Now
and then, some one would come ia for
pound, ami once | sold. holf Of the
sma'lsst on' to a yoman who wanted il
fer Sunday dinner. She was % pay
me on Monday morning, bu! sue never
did for on Sunday night her husblnd
killed her with rum bottle, and they
took her body pas, my shop, with its
poor head be5,en out Of shape aud
bloody.
And so lha hama hung. lhsEO slll
thr9ugp lAs aaliGss aaa lssroagh -rdsI
fail, aud quite on into the winter
1t was Just when the December nights
began to grow long and dork and cold
that ! noticed a new policeman 90 our
best-ayouog, handsome looking fellow
with very btigh. eyes, but with such
thin cheeks AMI hands. although he
seemed powerfully quilt and msie for .
rather stout man, that | could not help
watching him aDd wondering whether
he had been i'll or not. Tho first time
/ noticed hin was abcu! sunset, aud lie
passed and replssed my window a dozen
times. lookiOg all tie while at those
hams which danglei from the frame Of
the awning. hope ho means TO buy
one,' said 10 NV wife, as we sat 10
getber over the ,cG table; 'ard | should
uot wonder 10 did. for he seems to
have taken quite ienCy 10 them
'Butthe evening passed, and though
lsaw him now and then on tho other
side of tho way looking across with his
bright eyes straight at the hams, he did
notcome in or speak to me on ihe sub
jcct And SO | made up my mind he
would send for it in the morning. and
somehow made so sare Of i. that when
ever saw a decenGlooking woman 90
By with basket on her arm, said;-
That's the policemau's villa coming aft
er the ham, l was mistaken, however
and after the street lamps wcro lighted
that night, began 10 see the man pass
log Up and down, up AMI down, WIN
bis eyes still Fixed, os they had been the
night previous upon the hams. Once
he caught ne pecping at him. and then
ho turned so red and looked at me with
such glitter in his eyes, that | grew
angry and said to myself, 'Its we'll that
keeping uassloablo goods ia this coun.'
try isn't q crime, for if it was, would
sure TO be arrested So COVE him
back his look, turned my head and walk
ed back into tho shop, did not see
him again that night, but long after cg.
erything had boen taken in / heord q
tramp, rramp, rtsmp, upon the pavement
and knew it was the policeman, aud that
he was looking q. tho hooks where tho
hams had hung, as well as though | had
seen him,
'on the third evening he was tboro
again; that, you may say, was no won
dor fnr IA yyas his duly In ba unon the