Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-11-17

"Who could have knocked it off 2
she said, in answer to her mothers last
question; ''and where could it have got
blown to? certainly saw nothing of
a bank mote"
Mrs. Powers searched in vain, and at
noon she told her husband of the loss ;
and then they both searched, and Mr..
Powers questioned his daughter-not
with thought that she had deceived, but
in hopes that some forgotten incident
might occur to her. But Sarah dared
not confess now. She lacked the cour-
age; and she lacked the courage be-
cause she was yet to realize how very
small evils can grow to enormous conse-
quenees.
Mr.. Powers returned to his store in
a thoughtful mood. He knew that his
wife must have left the bank-note under
the lamp upon the shelf, and that it
had been there on the previous evening.
She was not a woman liable to mistake
in memory of such matter The only
other person who had been in the sit
ting-room from that time besides his
daughter was Robert Veazie. Perhaps
Robert might have seen the note. On
arriving at the store he called his clerk
into the counting room.
s.Robert, did you see anything of a
twenty-dollar bill on the mantel in my
sitting room, last evening ?"
''No, sir
"You saw nothing that looked like
one ?"
The young man hesitated, and color
ed. Then, with forced smile,-
perhaps Sarah may have seen it. y
"No, [ have asked her, and she
knows nothing about it. She saw moth
ing of the kind"
I-I-certainly saw nothing, SIR"
Mr.. Powers was not at all satisfied
with lis answer but he would not press
the matter then. He dismissed his
clerk, and sat down and reflected. And
his reflections were not pleasant.
That very evening Mr.. Powers called
upon Mr.. Selvidge, the tailor, to collect
bill for cloth The tailor was, fortu.
nately, in funds, and he paid the bill
With the money which he handed out
was a twenty-dollar bill, of the Black.
stone National Bank, new and crisp
1t was exactly such bill as Mr.. Powers
had given to his wife.
He asked Selvidge where he got it.
"Robert Veazie paid it to me this
forenoon"
"For what?"
'.For a new coat"
Mr.. Powers went home, and showed
the bill to his wife, She declared, in /;
moment, that it was the bill she hac
lost. Where had he found it?
The merchant asked her could she b,
silent and discreet for a time. Ant
when she had assured him that sh,
could, he told her how the bill had com
into his possession.
They were both greatly shocked
They had not believed such thing pos
sible If Robert Veazie- could be
thief, whom could they trust?
On the following day Mr.. Power
called Robert into the counting -roor
again, and bade him close the door be
hind him. There was that in his EN-
ployer's look and tone that made th
youth tremble.
Mr.. Powers showed him the bank
note, and asked him where he got it,
"Is that the bill l gave to Mr.. Sc.
vidge?"
.It isl
Robert did not answer readily. H
stopped to think. And when he did ar
swer his employers searching, suspit
ious gaze oppressed him.
'.Nr Powers, / saw that bank-noi
in the drawer with another just like i
| happened to have twenty dollars I
my own in small bills in my pocket, an
I made the exchange, taking the cris]
new bill, and putting in its place m
worn ones. Before the money was d
posted | think you took the other one.
.Robert," said the merchant, sternl,
81 did take bank-note exactly lii
this-the only one saw with our mo-
ey that day,-and l gave it to my wifi
She placed it beneath the large gla
lamp upon the mantel-shelf In our 81
ting-room.- She did this just before 81
ting down to tea, and forgot all abo1
it until the following morning, and the
, it was gone. On that evening only ye
and Sarah were in the sitting -roor
Sarah saw nothing of it. Now what a
, [ to think %
''Are you sure that Sarah knows not
!. ing?'' asked Robert, eagerly and e
I citedly.
r "She declares positively that 81
| knows nothing at all about it l tru
' you would not have me believe that 4
! daughter could
..No! no no p broke in Robel
r quickly. Then he gasped and tremble
E '.What more have you to say, Re
a ert ?'
o aNothinp SIR