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

tuOA VI Whatever you may FANCY. Tome,
take your choice, girl
Jenny came slowly forward and rested
her hand on her fathers shoulder, as she
glanced listlessy over the wares which the
pedler spread before her.
"Humph IL S not the earrings nor the
tuck that she's worrying about" observed
the mother, glanclng up sharply from the
inspection OF gay chiutz. She is taken
on about the lad, Frank Duncan, who, as
nelghbor BGrwell told US, is to leave day
says.
And | hope he'll find it, said the far
mer, gravely. He's good enough lad,
and L d say nothing against him if he d
give less time to books and more to work,
so to make money enough tor a wife to
live on. When young Duncan comes back
with $500 dollars in hand, Jennie, | shall
think better of him; but no daughter OF
mine shall marry penniless man.
As the farmer spoke, he was slowly and
carefully untying we'll worn leather wal
let, which he had taken from the upper
drawer of the Cd fashioned bureau with
brass handles which stood in corner of
the large kitchen. From goodiy sized
bundle OF notes he selected one ten dollars,
which he handed to the pedler.
I've no change" he replied to some re-
mark to his wife. They re tens and TWEEN
ties-one hundred aud twenty five dollars
In all, he addeo in tone OF satisfaction,
'Jekyis done good job wi the cattle this
| year, and Ii The crop turns out as well, you
shall have something better than the chinz
Hetty, Tor Christmas time, and you, too,
Jeny, lass. -
The peder's small, keen, black eye glanc
ed furtlvely at the notes as the farmer
smoothed them out upon his knee and re-
placed them In his wallet.
Here's one hundred clear, for the
bank, he observed as he tied the wallet
| securely with its red tape string. III
take it down to Logansville, Thu sday.-
Meantime, ,Hetty put 1t away in the little
box there.
Mrs. Halet deposited the wallet careful~
ly In tin box, aud replaced the box In the
bureau drawer, which she locked hanging
the key on nail which was driven in the
back of the bureau itself.
Jenny having selected her earrings aud
piece of lace for tuck, sat down to sew
the latter on the neck Of her best blue de-
laine dress There was to be bee, at
neighbor Burwell's that evening, and
dance and though in no dancing mood she
would go, tor she knew that Frank Dun
can was to be there, and this would be their
last meeting before he departed to "seek
his fortune" in the city.
Poor girl it was her first sorrow; and
We all know how hard is such to the young
with their helplessness, their inexperencc
and ignorance of life. As she sat on the
side OF her little bed, sewing the lace on the
blue dress, she locked and telt very sad
NJ UGH as she loved her parents, she could
not help thlnkiag them cruel and unfeellug
in this Instance, when they must know how
dearly she loved Frank, and that she never
could never be happy without him. He
was SO clever, so handsome, SO good-and
yet he objected to them because he was
poor AS if she, or Frank either minded
poverty Oh, if he only had that five
hundred dollars that her father had spoken
of. But FIVE hundred dollars how in this
world could Frank ever get this enormous
SUN?
Her mother voice, calling her to supper
aroused her. With oountry hospitality the
good dame had added some extra dishes TO
the usual evening meal, aud she looked
little disappointed at the pedler's non-ap-
probation of the good Things set before bin.
He seemed absent aud reckless; and de-
ciined and profered nights lodging, and
said he must 60 right on TO Logansville
that night, IL order to meet friend he cx-
pected there. So, after joining In with a
tervenJ 'amen" to the hosts atter-grace,
and thanking them in pious strain tor
their hospitality, he shouldered his pack
and resumed his journey. From the WIN
dow Jenny looked lls,lessly out, cav his
tai! form disappear at bend Of the road
about mile distant, and dreamlly heard
her father remark:
Il don't fancy that stranger. Somehow
be don't lock TO me like genuine pedler
not sharp enough at bargaining rot H.
tere:ted enough in. his business. And then
| noticed he never looks you right in the
eye-aiways bad sign.
"We!l, observed his little thrifty vile,
Il can't say as | liked him the less for bis
easy bargains He don't make mEch profit
by EN-, though | guess, judging from that
old camlet coat Of his, with lis patched e.
bows and cid fashioned long tails tapping
about his heels. | can remember my
grandfather had just such another. But
Jennie, girl, If you re going to the bee,
It's high time to beslir yourself. Why It's
nigh SIX 0 clock alreldy."
IL.
1t was still, moonlight, summer night,
as Jennie Hallet walked lingeringly along
the meadow path, homeward from farmer
Burweli's. LlDgeringy-i her hand was
ciasped in that OF Frank Duncan, and he
WI S talking to her earnestly, as they passed
under the shadow Of the water>wilows, or
paused for moment on the rustic bridge
That spanned the meadow creek.
"l'l do it jennie Here | swear-'
"Oh, Frank. don { swear -
''Then | promiSe--yes,. here L promise
not to rest, day or night, until nave $500
to show to your father.
''Bu: how will you get it, Frank?'
Il don know, yet but IL hud out
way-only, Jenny, dear, fear 1t will be
long time.
They walked on in silence.
81 wish | were rich," burst forth Duns
can, passionately Il never cared for it
before, but do now, for your sake-and
mine Jennie. If had only one thousand
dollars"
TO her idea, he might as well have wish>
ed for the wealth Of Monte CrlstO.
1T is not large SURF, Jennie. Yet i've
hundred dollars would purchase that pref
Il hat