The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-02-23

| 'OOnt starL away IRON me, anC
think you're with a thief, if l tell you
did not, for that Is the fact. Re.
member whstI was, though / DOM
want to excuse myself by reminding
you-a poor shoeless and stocking.
less lad, dressed in rags, with a sick
mother at home dependent on the
hspence he earned for everything
/ had just found treasure, as l
thought, that would buy my mother
q doctor and some good food, and
me some clothes and schooling. i
didn't want &c spend the money
wrong. All / wanted was what l
thought l ought to, i'll was ever to
get on in the world and help mother.
/ remembered with a sort OF JOY that
did not know where the young lady
lived, or what was her name, ,ni l
was willing to think l could never
lud her. She had given me a six
pence, and looked very pretty and
coed, and l didn't wish her to lose
her bracelet, but then if I had not
found it, some one else would, and
why shouldn't / have the benefit :?
1t didn't seem at all like stealing
to take what had found, when /
didn't know the owner. So | made
my way to shop knew, where /
thought they would tell me the value
of the bracelet. and perhaps buy it of
me, and entering very boldly, asked
to see the proprietor.
"He looked at me and he looked
at the bracelet, and after some rub
bing, and tapping at it he told me it
wasn't worth above lyon shilling"
81 didn't believe him, and said,
"Never mind, then, I won't sell it.
Give it me back t- ...
''But the old fellow didn't want to
part with it, and after while offered
me two, three, four, five shillings, and
at last elk, but he vowed he wouldn't
give penny more. felt sure he
was cheating me, SO l asked for it
back again once more. re- a. ..
"Then he turned angry, and call
ed me a young thief, who had sto-
len the brscelet, and said that il /
didn't let him have it quickly for
six shillings he would call in the
the police. But he didn't frighten
me that way, though ! felt guilty
something about me that I had never
felt before, and was half ready to
CRY at being called thief. / had to
endure a storm OF abuse from the
old rogue, and to stand firm under
his fire about the police, though l dare
say, after all, he'd have been more
frightened to see than l should;
and when the bracelet was once
more in my possession, 1 ran home
like some wild animal escaped from
the snare How calm and quiet all
seem in our poor little attic when /
reached it. The morning sun was
shining through the smoky panes 10
the roof, upon tie foot of mothers
bed where she lay, her face a little
flushed with surprise at seeing me
home again so soon. .s ..
"sWell, Bob p she said, inquiring-
", and waited for me to explain. .
IL pulled out the glittering brace
Let, 1 told her my story, and then ex-
claimed against the roguery Of old
Isaac. who would not offer me six
shillings for SO valuable prize
..sMy mother sat up in bed and
looked at me with earnest and sor.
rowful eyes. She had many wrinkles
in her thin, withered face, and she
had dim eyes, and gray hairs, very
few of them, bless her ! and very thin
upon her forehead, and she didn't
look at all like the beautiful young
lady in the street, any more than the
old muslin cap she wore when she
was well. the yellow handkerchief
and patched cotton gown, looked at
all like the splendid white lace veil,
and silk mantle, and founced wooden
dress of the other; but though her
eyes were not full of happy love, but
of sorrow, and her mouth had
tremble in it, more like tears than
smiles, / looked as earnestly as had
done at the lady, and I listened, when
she spoke, with all my ears. W
d "'But Bob, she said, gently and
sadly, the bracelet isn'tyours to SELL
"'But mother, ! replied, i didn't
steal it. There it lay on the ground,
and the lacy was gone, and l couldn't
find her now if was to seek all Lon
don over, and we want-you want
so many things. Pm sure the lady
would not mind Us having It, if she
knew ias..a as s... ....I.
"'Perhaps so, Bob ; but she doesn't
know, and it isn't yours ~. 8.
"'What must 1 do, then, mother 2
Cd "'Give it back to her.
"sBut / don't know where she
lives tiia ..r.s.
"sYou must find OUT
81 was going to ask, how can |,
when she stopped me short by saying:
".You tell me gentleman left the
lady at the crossing; probably he
was going to his business. You
must 60 back, snd look out this after
noon at every passer-hV, till you see
him-he may come that way home
and then you may ask him where the
young lady lives, that you may re
turr har hracelpt' .f -a.i'.s.-.f .'.
"How clear and easy the way Of
duty seemed to be when my mother
showed it. 1 wondered / did not see
it before. But you see, Ben, hadn't
wished to see it. / was very much
disappointed that / might not keep
the bracelet for myself, but Of course
I couldn't disobey mother / loved
her 30 we'll that l couldn't think OF
doing that, for she had been dear
good mother TO me.
"To make a long story short, did
see the gentleman again, that night.
He looked very much surprised when
1 asked if he could tell me where the
young lady lived who had q white
| lace veil, 50 1 told him why l asked
and he called me a good honest lad
| - 49, Ar laIu,o huohopA, h.