The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-01-18

suppose every woman has her price--t,,ey
say every man has"
"No; Itwouldn't be right" | said, hes
itatingly.
| heard chuckle.
"First step toward it she begins to talk
Of what is right"
thought Of my poor girl out to work by
the week, and so anxious to get an educa-
tion, and I'm sure it isn't to be wondered
at If did begin to think of setting price.
But said not word.
"Iook here I'll put FIVE hundred dol
lars in good sound gold under the door, and
you can count it as | push it through piece
by piece, if you'll only let me out of this
cursed hole. I'm smothering."
"Try some ehloroform,' | whispered
through the keyhole
Course the chloroform Will you let
me out?"
had light by this time, and had slip
ped into calico wrapper and my slippers.
'lf ] got the money, how could let
him out of the closet p / wondered. "I
shouldn't dare to meet him; he'd rob me
again, and perhaps murder me-" But l
said, "Ill take the gold, resolving that
would try to get out of it somehow, just for
the sake of poor Rebecca, who SO much
wanted to go to school
"Your heart is in the right place" he
said and the next moment big round gold
piece came through the wide crack under
the door.
couldn't withhold an exclamation of
delight.
"Its all right enough now, isn't it 2" he
sneered. There's nothing like gliding O.
Yer our sins little. Bah all the world s
alike Here goes another, and another,
and another. Count fast, my pious dam
sci. dare say there's no confessional in
your church,
"Is there in yours ?"
"Well, if there was, gold gets into that
sometimes, they say. Hold fast there /;
you've got the last clincher, now set me
free"
"Wait a minuta
''But | won't wait | swear | won'tr'
"Can you help yourself?"
"Well, no, not much but I'm smother
ing in here. Can't you take pity on a poor
fellow ?"
"Sit down fiat on the floor" | said.
heard him plump down as obedient as
school-boy.
"What next?"
turned to the kitchen door to see if
the lock was all right Then turned the
key with sharp click, which sounded to
me like the report of pistol
"There y | cried, and sprang into the
kitchen, locking the door behind me.
He came out of his prison swearing like
trooper.
"Sharp old Satan she's locked herself
up somewhere" trying the kitchen door as
he spoke. "Good night, Madam Dell
good night! You've got the best of this.
You have robbed me. Good night Get
down and say your prayers"
And did, What is more, cried like a
baby over my money, thinking what it
would bring to u.s.
never saw the strange burglar again,
and in few weeks Rebecca was comforta-
bly, settled at school. No one ever knew
where the money came from. An uncle
died about that time, and some of my
neighbors shrewdly suspected that he had
left us something; but I had nothing to
say on the subject.
About six months after my adventure
brother Joe came to me, one day, and said
that he had been stopped in the street by
strange man that morning, and that he
had begged him to say to Madame Quimby
that the frill of her nighteap was just lit
tie too wide SO saying, he passed on.
"What did he mean?" Joe asked.
"Nothing, only he was crazy" l an
swered but my face was red as blaze.