The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-11-03

puslii"Ss matters often kept him late,
was quite staid little woman in manage
ment and did as | was bid. Ny fathel
would come in with his latch-key. Or
sunday morning at breakfast he children
showed him their watches and doll.
sald nothing about the dress, for il struck
me he was looking anxious.
Where's your breast-pin, Mabel he
asked, as the children ran out before the
/ door after breakfast.
The breast-pin! ] was frightened AZ
once. He had never asked after IL or
noticed 1t before. lie must have heard OF
what i had done and was angry,
Father, l have not got ill., I
exclaimed at once, rcady.to cry.
=" Not got it What do YOU mean,
child! You surely wore it yesterday ?"
es, sir, | replied, and it is all
safe, was just going to tell you about II
when You frightened me"
well ! don't wish to brighten you, my
dear j had no thought Of such thing.
Calm yourself Mabel, while tell you of
letter i received yesterday, and then you
can get the pin at YOU. leisure. You can
get it?'
II can get it, father. Or, rather you can.
But hope you will not blame me. What
have you heard about it?'
"Well, my dear. listen. We have never
attached any value TO that old pin, only
that good, kind woman gave it 10 your
mother to keep for you, and so We did keep
it because Of that. She was stranger to
US, poor lady, and was in distress, and your
mother was kind to her. Bnt she lett the
place soon after you was born, and we
never heard more of her. Yesterday,
however, got a letter from long distance,
asking about that very pin, and describing
il, even 10 the name on the back. II j,
very valuable. Mabel.
Ny heart was beating ten strokes where
it should have beat but one
"Thc pin we have set 70 store by is of
great value, Mable. The centre diamond
alone is worth what to Us would be for
tune. And il is all yours, my dear; you
can convert the diamonds into money and
be at ease for life.
What with the o"erpowering surprise
and what with fear Of my father, anger,
| tainted. When | came to myself on the
sofa in the parlor the children were there
and it wa to late to go to church. felt
bewildered, and trem bled, yet, but listened
attentively to my father as he read the inn
portant letter from London. Then ]
sprang up wildly
90, father, father, 90 down to the
Black Horse ~ | exclaimed. The ped
dler is there and he has my pin"
My fathers first thought was that the
good fortune had turned my brain. ] ex-
planned all to him. lie was very kind.
never scolding me but, a. TO finding the
pin and the peddler, he knew more Of the
world than his foolish child, and was not
SO hopeful.
However, he thought it best to GO, and
for me to 60 with him. So in a few mo-
ments we were walking down TO the Black
Horse. The landlord was sitting alone in
his front porch, smoking quietly. He
looked surprised when we walked up the
steps, but very politely invited Us into the
parlor, explaining that hi, women folks
had gone 10 church.
rs there peddler staying with you,
Mr.. Ford ~ began my father.
"A peddler mo, exclaimed the land
lord, as if the question vexed him. have
not seen peddler for three weeks. and the
one that was here then did not pay his bill"
must have turned very pale at this,
and felt faint again. Mr.. Ford wanted
me to take cordial. Ny father turned
II of, saying that | was tired. Then he
said that had made little bargain with
Il peddler the day before, and that we
wished to settle with him.
SCOT cheated, warrant said the bluff
old landloId "but no such man came to
this house yesterday. J do recollcct now
that Joe my hoster, said he was fellow
with big black box or bundle come up
the bank from the creek Just after the
stage passed; but / didn't pay any atten-
ton TO him.
Ny father gave up all hope at once, but
/ could not believe my fortune was gone.
He tried to comfort me, saying ] was just
as well of n before, and had new dress
into the bargain. How ! hated the
tnought Of my beautiful merinol
Well, il is of no use 10 prolong my
story, or tell you of all the efforts made to
catch the adroit thief He was no ped
der, but clerk in that very law Office
from which the letter was sent telling US
of the diamonds. He managed to delay
the letter to my father for a post or two
fastened away himself, and obtained my
pin.
We never found him; we never heard of
him. He must have got of somewhere
over the sea with his prize. Mypoor, toll
ing father, always gentle, did not reproach
me oul 10 tnls uay tue regret lies Heb'lIS
on my mind for what might have / not
done for him and the dear children with all
that money?
And the lady who had given me the pin
did not know until she was dying the val
ne it was Of and that caused stir. All,
me it was one of those chances in life that
perhaps we all miss on occasions "the
tide in the affairs of men that taken at the
food leads on to fortune And about
my crimson dress? For n long while,
shabby though | wa, could not
look at it or let it lie made up. But time
smooths troubles. And | must say that
it made a charming gown and one who
was an artist saw me and made me his
wife. So perhaps, it all happened for the
best.