The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-11-02

alNEL LuEAE 54AEEo Va e-~-aN- ----N-
and a good washing.
At ten O'Clock note came, saying
some business had detained my iotAeri
that had better close the house aHd
retire. This WAS nothing very unusu.
81, as his business matters often Kept
him late. l was quite q stald littls
woman in management, and did as 1
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 u
struck me he was lOking anxious.
"Where's your breastpin, Mabel
he asked, as the children ran out be-
fore the door after breakfast.
The breastpin 1 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.
"Father, have not got 1t ~ ] ex-
claimed at once, ready to cry.
'sNOt got it! What do you mean,
child? You surely wore it yester-
day ~ -,
dYes, sir,r 1 replied. land it's all
safe. I was just going to tell you
about it when you frightened me-"
'sWell, I don't wish to frighten you,
my dear; had no thought Of such
thing. Calm yourself, Mabel, while /
tell yOuOf q letter received yesterday
and then you can get the pin at your
leisure. You edn get it?"
f'I 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 a good, kind woman
gave it to your mother to keep for
YOU, and so we did keep 1t because Of
that. She was q stranger to US, poor
lady and was in distress, and your
mother was kind to her. But she left
the place soon after you were born,
and We never heard more or her.
Yesterday, however, l got a letter
from a long distance, asking about
that very pin, and describing it, even
to the name on the back. 1t is very
valuable, Mabel"
NV heart was beating ten strokes
where it should have beat but one.
"The pin we have set no store by is
of great value, Mabel. The centre
diamond alone is worth what 10 US
Door people would be fortune. And
it is all yours, my dear; you can con-
vert the diamonds into money and be
at ease for life"
What with the OverpOwering sur
prise and what with fear Ofmy father
anger, 1 tainted. When I came to
myseifOn the sofa in the pariOr, the
children were there, and 1t was toe
late to 90 to church. felt bewildered,
and trembled yet, but listened atten-
lively to my father as he read the I'M
portant letter from London. Then
I sprang up wildly.
iOh, father, father, go down to the
Black Horse ~ / exclaimed. "fhe
peddler Is there, and he has my pin. y
Nv fathers first thought was that
the good forune had turned my brain
I explained all to him. He was very
kind, never scOlding me; but as tC
finding the pin and 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 go with him. 80 IN 8
few moments we were walking down
to the Black Horse. The landlord was
sitting in his front porch, smoking
quietly. He looked surprised WheT
we walked up the steps, but verI
politely invited US into the parlOr
explaining that his women folks ha'
gone to church.
as there a peddler staying with yo'
Mr.. Ford !'' began my father.
"a peddler exclaimed tn
landlord, as ifthe question vexed him
81 have not seen a peddler for thre'
/ weeks, and the one that was here die
not pay his bill"
| I must have turned very pale &C this
and felt faint again Mr.. Ford want
ed me to take 3 cordial. My fathe
turned il of, saying was tired. Thel
he said that had made little bargai
with peddler the day before, an
that we wished to settle with him.
sGOt cheated, 1 warrant" said tn
Il bluff old landlord :" shut no such ma
came TO this house yesterday. l d
lrecOllect now that Joe, my Ostler, sal
he saw a fellow with a big black bO
or bundle come up the bank from n
creek just after the stage passed; bI
/ didn't pay any attention to him."
My father gave up all hope at once
but I could not believe my fOrtun
was gone. He tried to comfort M
saying 1 was Just as we'll of as be!orI
, and had a new dress into the bargain
How 1 hated the thought of my beal
tiful merinO!
Well, it Is of no use to prOlOng M
story, or tell you of all the efforts mac
, to catch the adrOit thief. He WIS L
peddler, but clerk in that very la
office from which the letter was SCI
telling us of the diamonds. He mai
aged to delay the letter to my faith
for q post or two; hastened ava
himself, and obtained my pin.
We never found ; We never heard
him. He must have got of SOM
/, where over the sea with his prize
, NY poor, tOiling father, always gel
tie, did not repgOach me but ever
this day the regreat lies heavily on No
, mind; for what might l not ha'
, done for him and the dear childre
with all that money?
And the lady who had given me q
? pin did not know until she was dyin
, the value it was Of; and that cause
? the stir. An me it was one Of tho
> chances in life that perhaps we 6
miss on occasion; the "tide in the g
> fairs Of men that, taken at the foo
, leads TO fortune" And about n
. crimson dress? For a long Will
: shabby though was, could not lO'
Y at it or let it be made up. But tin
. soothes troubles. And / must 81
!. that it made a charming gown al
2 one who was an artist saw me In
!. and made me his wife. So perhaps
all happened for the best
r But Pm sure I hope that wick
peddIer-WhO made believe TO spei
n like a foreigner the better 70 take
. in-eame to be hanged The Argo'