American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-05-11

ings"
"Oh, my !, Oh! father, dear father
look mere" She opened the letter, found
| two stiff cards, which caused the old sad
dler to utter his remark, and then, I'm
winding the string which bound them
pretty tightly, opened six new, crisp.
charminglookin pieces of copperplate
engraving worth at least fifty pound each,
for they were bank notes.
When old PilllertOn fully comprehend
ed that they were real, he laid down his
bit of bread and butter. smoothed his
hands upon his apron, and fell down on
his knees, crying, Good forgive me for
my wicked haste. Then he gave way to
Il torrent of tears, in which Polly joined
him, laughing and choking in the mean
while, with one han6 round his neck, or
sometimes patting his back, while she
said, Cry away, father; it will do you
good
Christmas came and went; the bill was
paid. Old Pilkerton wanted to rush at
once to old Mansell, waving his notes
over his head but Polly told him to bear
himself like man-tO change some of
the notes, and to await the clerk
A very gentlemanly young man called
and presented the bill, just about twelve !;
wherein Pilkerton took him into his glass
cupboard; and Polly" My clerk. sir
produced the money from the desk,
and it disappeared at once in a black
leathern pocketbook, chained around the
young gentleman's waist. Then the old
man got his bill, and, when the clerk was
gone, tore it into fragments, and vowed
he would never take contract or draw
bill again. His shop was not shut up.
A customer, more thoughtful that the
rest, paid his bill, and put our old saddler
in possession of some ready money and,
to keach's disappointment, Polly got
another engagement, and determined
to give up her friend Sally Stoker
after finding out that it was not,
as old Pilkerton long protested that it
must be, that generous man the ID. ID. who
had furnished the money.
That's mystery, father" said Polly;
land we will rake the money together,
bit by bit, to pay our generous benefactor
when We find him."
Its mysterious; it's providential. So
was that old bad debt, turning out so won
derfully month after That gave us a
hundred towards it, Polly"
Ben said we should be helped" said
Polly. To which the father gravely re-
piled, 'Benamin Mansell was right-for
opposition he had shown to that young
man had not decreased, nor the admira-
ration he felt for Reach Stoker.
1t was more than week after Christ
mas that Polly, meditating still upon the
grateful mystery which had saved her
fathers credit, and perhaps his life, hur-
ried away home from giving lesson at
her new pupils. The weather suddenly
changed, and Polly, who had brought no
umbrella, found herself obliged to stand
up for Il regular London downpour. She
had scarcely adjusted her clothes, looking
most ruefully on some spots on her neat
and handsome silk dress, meanwhile
grasping her musicroll in her hand like a
policeman's baton, when MIR Reach Stoker
came upon the scene Polly could not re-
fuse his offer of a shelter. Reach was de-
lighted
He talked of everything; then led up
to the races. There had been some steeple-
chasing in the South; and he had under
stood that an acquaintance of tneirs-he
would not say frIend-had dropped some
thing on the race.
Dropped something. What is that?"
Lost some money"
Who was it,"
"Why, nobody less than Mr.. Mansell,
the bootmaker"
Poor old gentleman" said Polly.
"Twasn't the old; it was the young"
"What! he take to racing-her Ben
And he lose money at racing-large,
heavy sums, when her father was suffer
ing!" Polly's head was, as she afterwards
said, in a whirl
care you sure of this dreadful accusa-
ton, Mr. Keach?" said Polly, sharply; for
to her gambler was a creature to be ever
avoided.
"Wc'rc close home; now 1 will leave
you; SO sorry" said Reach, as they APP
preached the door, rejoicing that he
had planted wound that would
rankle: "sure, Miss Pilkerton. Oh, yes!
we men of business are sure. I was told
of the name (Mr. Reach belied himself):
and on the 18th of notwithstanding
day-young Mansell, who had been saving
up money, drew the whole out-siX po-
Mes"
"What are ponies, sir?"
"Ponies? OH l forgot; six fifty-pound |
notes-for paid it him. Good morning,
evening, / should say"
The arrow sped; and wondrOus effect |
it had upon Polly. In she rushed to the |
shop; in again to the little parlor, and fell
upon her knees, crying, go father! |
father! I've found out who our benefac-
tor is
"Hush, child, there's that bothering
young Ben in the shop, a waitin' upon |
some pretence or another"
Out rushed Polly, dragging in Ben, as
.onished and alarmed. "What is it,"
ne asked.
Ben" said Polly beseechingly, ''prom-
sc me you will never tell me false
mood"
Il never did," said Ben, land never
will"
"Then you sent the three hundred
pounds
"And saved my honor" cried old Pill
lerton, taking hold of both his hands
''And won my heart" said Polly, fall
ng on his neck and kissing him.
"Well," said the struggling hero rather
and blushing ut his secret doings
having been found out, 81 thought I'd |
won that before, and l wasn't going to be
)ehClden to money; for isn't heart of
gold worth more than bag of gold,
Polly9"
You shall have both, Ben One you've
got, you darling; and when we've paid
you the money, you shall have the other.
And Ben" said the earnest girl, her
heart bounding with joy, ''Tll work my
fingers to the bone before
''Fd rather have them as they are, Pol
~" said Ben, Selling her pretty hands,
md covering them with kisses; and pro-
vided you aud the governor are willing,
III take them to- morrow"
Would you be surprised to hear-the |
form of question is original-1. That
Polly married Mr.. Ben Mansell, and that |
Did Manscll came down on the occasion. |
2. That Lord Sangpur came to congrat
llate Mr.. Pilkerton on the new saddles of |
her Majesty's celebrated regiment, the |
Redlegs, and hearing then and there of |
MS misfortune, vowed to make it up to
him somehow, and really did so.
3. That Messrs. Moses, Macbeth & Co,
finding many tough customers in their