American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-05-11
CANTON, MISS, SATURDAY, MAY II, 1872.


| application"
| by nv word, " said Dr. Stoker, a day
or two afterwards, "Keach, you are a
prophet"
''Keach also among the prophets said
his sister.
Father means profts I have put all
his money in the Greeks and they arc
moving up. You have not penny to
play with
'iYou guess what was about to say"
said the ID. "Oid Pilkerton came to
me. and wanted to borrow money"
Like his impudence," said Reach.
''What next, sir?"
Sally Stoker turned pale. She was
about. at Polly's instance, to preface the
same request. 90 father." she said, you
could have done it. He is most honest
man.
But a falling one, SIR" said Reach.
"And, remember, never catch at a falling
knife, or falling friend. IT'S a Scotch
proverb, and indicative of that shrcwd
and cautious people"
Poor old man !" said Sally, "Don't
you remember, father, when he was
much richer than we are, how he be-
friended you, and stood by you in the
controversy about the sons of Noah -
Bother the sons of Noah, SALLY" said
Reach. care we not befriending him
by taking music lessons ~
They are worth every penny we pay,
Mr.. Keach," said Sally Indignantly; and
she hurried from the room, to have a
good cry. Sally was the only one who
felt for her friend.
In the mean time the poor old saddler
and his daughter fell from hope to hope
deferred, and from that into a profound
almost the last moment, he was ready to
trust to any broken reed of hope, rather
than have his bill and his name dis
honOred. He would have applied to his
friend, old Mansell, and have urged him
to renew his bill; but he could at present
only scrape together a few pounds, his
debts seemed to be accommodating, and
Stoker's almost severe rejection, accom-
panied with some of that religious advice
which is so singularly unpalatable when
offered without any relief of his petition,
quite unnerved him. He could not apply
elsewhere; and he sat down to wait, as
the Roman in his dungeon sat down to
meet the assassin who was sent to dispatch
him.
I'VE must be sold up, Polly. If old
Mansell chooses to put the law in force,
what am to do ?"
Polly was almost as hopeless as her
father. The only cheerful person about
her was young Ben, who quoted generous
~
declared, that, by poetical justice, the
good man, nine times out of ten, came
up all right in the play.
"Ah! but the play isn't the world,
Ben: I've heard say it's great deal
worse"
mo, it isn't, Polly. You shall go to it
when we are married"
"Don't talk so, Ben," returned Polly
How can you ? It's hardhearted, it is,
Ben; and father so troubled and cut up.
l wish it was all over"
What, the marriage, Polly ?" said
Ben dryly.
"No; the dreadful bill, you cruel
wretch you. There's one comfort" she
said, flashing at him an indignant and
look: you'll have to marry
a beggar."
Law ~ said Ben, lis that all She'll
never he beggar when she's my wife,
and God gives me strength and health.
Polly, don't cry. If that was all, it would
Polly, they should be yours"
g wish you had, Ben," cried Polly,
with gulp and sob.
Il don't. I'D rather you'd take me
for nothing. All for love, Polly; for
true love. 1t is the best thing in the
world, and never wears OUT
And then, with true delicacy, born of
his poetic temperament, Ben SO cOmforted
Polly that while he was there, at least,
the young girl felt brave and comforted.
In the mean time Mr.. Reach tried to
press his suit; which was not of the kind
of cloth that Ben's was, and offended
Polly MORALLY. He, as Polly might have
well known, might have helped her; but
he made her love, in his obscure hints, a
condition, and Polly flung away from him
in disgust. And yet what power has
PolIy's two lessons to Miss
Sally Stoker produced some fifteen shIl-
lings week /; and this was the gold and
silver band which held Polly to her en-
and also to enduring keach's
presence.
That gentleman, himself, mortified by
POlly's refusal, glOated over the coming
as he had found out by ocular demonstra-
ton that Polly had preferred plebian
young bOotmaker to an aristocratic bank
er. The notion that they who made
sound boots could be preferred to those
who took care of other peoples money |
in banks-which sometimes cracked and
let the money run Out-waS, he observed |
TO himself, absolutely revolutionary.
"Fll be revenged," said Reach to him
self "I'll put spoke into his wheel"
When one is awaiting great trial
thii W tuC hoHcSt Sduuici eLiS was III |
Iced one-the sooner it is over the |
better. AS the time approaches, |
l sort of desperate courage |
IS given one; and poor old Pilkerton,
who would be broken man on the NOR
row, was absolutely brave and ready |
)ne, on the evening before the fatal day.
He balanced his books, made every thing |
rs clear as daylight, performed the place |
IF boy, and swept up the shop and pol
shed the snaf1les and curbs himself, as if. |
with the presentation of the BILL one of |
The commissioners in bankruptcy and a
ile of policemen would walk into his little !
shop, and declare him ruined.
"Now, father, it's all ready" said Pol
y ruefully, with sad smile. Ready, |
# they come at six in the morning."
Umph they are bound to present it
before twelve"
"Don't talk of it, father Let us have
some tea" 1t was a little past six o'clock. |
Old PilkertOn was as Obedient as a child. |
Polly led him in, and poured out his tea,
md stood up to say grace. Now all was
% pass from him, the old man looked |
round the comfortable room with a sigh |
md a grOan, and thought how dear it was
% him. His home had never looked so
well before-so hOmely, yet so neat and |
warm.
1--WE thank Thee for this, our daily
bread" said Polly, with tears in her |
voice.
eve have wept, and we have not been
we have prayed, and we have |
not been answered." said old PilkertcI
'avagely.
Don't father" said his daughter i'm
)lOringly. ''Gracious, what's that 2"
Rap rap. How both started. 1t was
4, IL 90