Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-10

| tnlnR about naru times, OIL having 10 stay
al the tavern, and the expenses over
Sunday, Of being SO, very tire"-and |
with the merino in my hand all the
WHILE .aal1sng) leniaTI 20 eguDli 1850
Suddenly he stepped close to me,
pointing to the poor brooch I wore. i
could give him that, he saidAthat is,
lend 1T to him in trust, till he came
again Did j thinlu much ofiait, he
asked. r, ,. .t7 .sbso2 te1'i
i laughed as l pndid it. Il did not
think much of it, but it was all the, Jew
ielryI possessed in the world. lshowed
him my name on the back, Mabel. ;"
But it was wornmearly illegible now.
Nearly quite" said he, turning it
about in his hand, 1T is very poor
And this was true; the poor thin gold,
if it was gold, was all dinted and mashed
fiat, the original pin gone, and q needle
tied in by the eye with thread served to
fasten it. One large stone was set in the
center as large as a pea, surrounded by
nine smaller ones, but one of these was
lost out. long ago, and i had often tried
to linda piece ofiwhite glass; TO fit the
small cavity, but had failed. The stones
were all glass, AS L believed. Some Of
the girls in the village would ask me why
I wore the old-fashioned thing; and then
/ would show them the dim mabel on
the back, and tell them 4 had been
named after the name there. Some one
had given my mother the pin for me
when = was born; and she mother" said
should bear the same name. The ped
dler kept-it in his hand, and ! noticed
his fingers trembled. -
|, 9TH. bring Ii back in three months
time" said he; twonst be ono good to
me, but I'll take it on trust. Or, if you
can pay me sooner,I shall be about the
I'neighborhood all next week, and shall
sleep each night at the inn"
BE you very sure did not hesitate
dong; the temptation was toogreat;i SO,
thursting the old pin lcarelessly into his
breast-pocket, he tied up his bundles,
and'Fith low bows left the house, OfEl
could scarcely believe in my good
luck. spread out my newfrock on,the
bed, and held it before me to try the
effect. And then 1 began to repent.
Ny father, I knew, would not give me
one cross look; hut still did hate TO
tell him Of the twelve skillihgs l owed
the peddler. q Il wouldfbe SO saving for
the next three months, that he WORLD
lose nothing by my bargain, for I'd
scrape it together myself, iy9 TalTYg
When / picked up the linen band to
put it round my neck, II did not know
how to fasten it at first without that fa-
miliar old pin; then j recollected how
often the girls had told me that bow of
ribbon would look so much prettier. So,
looking up aismall piece of black velvet,
formed bow, and felt more than sat
isfed. q" ~ 'lil insa 't'"a
My father did not get home to tea or
to supper 1 put the children to bed
after their, slices Of bread and treacle
and good washing. ,"
T3 At ten O'Clock note cames saying
some business had detained my father;
that had better close the house and re-
tire. This was nothing very unusual, as
his business matters often kept him late.
Twas quite staid little woman in man.
agement, and2 did as i was bid. My
father would come in with his latch-key. |
On Sunday morning at breakfast the
children showed him their watches and |
doll. said nothing about the dress, for |
it struck me he was looking anxious.
Where's your breastpin, Mabel2 he |
asked, as the children ran out before the |
door after breakfast W wv 81 wv |
The breastpin was frightened At |
once. He had never asked after it or |
noticed it before. He must have heard |
of what I'd done and was angry ~
al. Father, I have not got i'll Hex
claimed at once, ready to cry.
Al 4
child2 You surely wore i yesterday
d" Yes, sir, / replied, "and it Is all
safe, / was just going to tell you about
it when you frightened me. ..,.,,
D"W Well, ] don't wish to Tighten You,
my dear; had mo thought of. such a
thing. Calm YOURSELF Mabel while /
tell you of d letter I received yesterday,
and then you, Icana get the pin Of your
leisure You can get it?"
. nj can getit, father, Or, rather You
cam 10 But / hope. you viii not blame me.
What have you heard about it Pa q i3al |
=. ho"WeII my dear, listen, We hayefiey |
er attanhedIany value to that old lpln
only that q good Kind woman gave ft to
your mother to Keep for yon, and so we
did il, because of that. She was a strang-
err to us, poor lady, and was in distress,
and your mother was, kind to her. rBpt
She left the place soon after you was
born, and we never heard more. of her.
Yesterday, however, T got letter from
a long distance, asking about that very
pin, and describing it. even the name on
the back. 1t is very valuable, Mabel.
Ny heart was beating ten strokes
where 1t should have beat but one.
THE pin we have set no storebyls of
great value, Mabel. The center diamond
alone is worth what to us poor people
would be a fortune. And its Oh yours,
my dear You can convert the diamonds
into money and be at ease for lifei.
What With the overpoweFing surprise
and what With fear Of my fathers anger,
L tainted. WhsnoIeame to myself on
the sofa In the paFioF, the children were
there, and it was too late to 20 to church.
| felt bewildered, and trembled yet. but
listenet attentiyely to my father ds he
read the important letter from London.
Then I s!'rane up wildly kill SHiI
"Oh, father, father, 60 down to the
Black Horsew Exclaimed ''The ped
der is there, and be. has my pin. IN
Nv fathers FIRST Thought was that the
GOOD fortune bad turned my brain, |
Explained all to hia. He was very kind,
never scolding me;-but, as TO finding the
pln and the peddlef, he knew more of
the world than his foolish child, and was
not so hopeful.
However, he thought itiieCt 10 60, and
for me to 20 with him. 50 in a few 'Ii0-
msnts we we're walking down TO the
Black Horse The landlord was sitting
alone in his front porch, smoking quiet
ly. He looked surprised when we walked
M the steps, but very politely invited
rs into the parlor. explaining that his