Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-12-18

not nave mlnQeQ CdkluS bdVlu aS SoH-IA-lo"'
For why? Fifty pounds was nice comfort
able sum for young couple 20 begin house
keeping with, while as for Reuben, the objec-
tionable brother, he had many time vowed
that it was only want Of money that prevent
ed him from trying his fortune in America:
Poor Maria vainly strove to take comfort
from these tantalizing remarks. Her father
was willing to let David marry her if And
that obstinate eff" spoilt everything.
Nearly week elapsed between John Dy-
mond's death and the funeral, during which
time no communication took place between
the halfbrothers, for each obstinately persist
ed in believing the other guilty. At first
Reuben fatty refused to attend the funeral,
simply because he knew his brother would be
there; but on my pointing out to him that he
would never cease to reproach himself after.
wards for having neglected such plain act of
duty, he unwillingly agreed to 60. felt un-
able to address him with any cordiality, be-
cause 1 strongly suspected that he and his
wife were in possession of the hundred pound
note. 1t is true that Reuben had never hIth-
erto been charged with felony, but he was
free.living, lax.principled man, who would be
quite incapable of withstunding sudden and
powerful temptation.
"Very we'll, Mr.. Woodward" we're his con-
cluding words, "I'll come to the funeral,
though don't much fancy standing near a
thief, and that thief my own halfbrother."
We had had period of beautiful cloudless
weather since the great thunderstorm, but on
the morning of the day appointed for the fu-
neral, change appeared likely to take place.
The old folks of the village, John Dymond's
friends and contemporaries, were we'll pleased
at this. "Happy is the corpse that the rain
rains on" says the old adage and they hoped
that shower might fall before the coffin was
deposited in its final abiding.place.
Although it was busy season of the year,
and a week.day-for John Dymond had ex-
pressed wish that his funeral might not take
place on a Sunday-there was very full as
semblage of persons in the churchyard. The
worthy old labourer had been much respected,
and many persons Of superior grade attended
his funeral to do honor to his memory. A
large portion, however, of the spectators had
been drawn together by lower and coaser mo.
tives. 1t was rumored that some scene OF
violence would take place between the half:
brothers as soon as their fathers coffin had
been committed to the grave; while others
darkly limited that some preternatural appear
ance, some palpable evidence of the enchant-
ment which hovered over the Dymond family,
would become visible at the conclusion of the
burial service. There was great deal OF
staring and whispering among the crowd when
the two halfbrothers, who seemed instructive
ly to keep as far apart from each other as
possible, made their appearance.
BY the time that part of the service which
is read in the church was concluded, the sky
had become completely overcast with man.
tie of watery-looking clouds, and rain was
evidently imminent to the great satisfac-
tion of the old folks who stood around me.
l was in the act of delivering the beautiful ex-
hortation which tells that "man that is born
of woman hath but q short time to live, and
is full of misery" when the first drops of rain
began to fall. A smile Of simple pleasure ap-
peared OH the elders faces at this favorable
omen, while less imaginative or less super
stitious, instinctivcly expanded my umbrella.
AS did so, piece of paper, of dingy yel-
low bue, futtered slowly from it, and fell on
the newly.dug earth at my feet. 1t was the
Hundred Pound Note!
David and Reuben both saw the paper fall,
and each rushed forward at the same moment.
They met on opposite sides of the grave, while
at the same instant a murmur OF astonlshment
arose from the assembled crowd.
For fully a minute the brothers looked
each other steadily in the face; softening
shade of regret then passed over each Of their
countenances
Reuben was the first to speak. "Davy,"
he said, hoarsely, II called you thief with
out reason"
81 was as bad," answered David, hanging
down his head.
"Lets shake hands," muttered Reuben,
drawing his coat-sleeve over his eyes. awe
couldn't choose better place than over faith
er's grave"
David held out his hand willingly. God
forgive me" he said, "for all the hard thoughts
had of you, Reuben"
"My friends" exclaimed, looking round
at the spectators, who stood regarding this
touching scene with the most intense interest,
"My friends, it is we'll worth while that this
solemn service should be interrupted, since the
interruption has been the means Of reconciling
two brothers who have been at variance.
Let us now proceed" I proceeded accord
ingly with the exhortation, Reuben and David
clasping each other by the hand till the SER
vice was concluded.
A very brief explanation will suffice to
show the probable manner in which the hun:
dred pound note got into such an unnatural
hiding place. On entering John Dymond's
cottage that eventful afternoon, l had placed
my umbrella, which was slightly wetted by
the commencing rain, upright against the table
and no doubt when turned sharply ly round on
witnessing that binding flash oflightning my
coat.tail whisked the note into the folds of
the silk. There it lay, snugy enough, plas-
tered as it were between the ribs, while with
equal naturalness it fell out OH the first eX-
pansion of the umbrella after period of dry
weather. But may as well confess at once
that this prosaic explanation was entirely re-.
iccted by the more marvel-loving portion of
my flock. They maintained that the hun
dred pound note was Of preternatural origin,
thoug h on perceiving the good effects which
it had wrought, they no longer attributed its
manufacture to Il malignant fiend but to a be-
nevolent fairy. They were not staggered W
the the fact that the Bank of England cheer-
fully converted the dingy old scrapf paper
into hundred bright yellow s9pefelgns,-ior
fairies are capable of decsitlng anybody:
Still, they would not have been surprised if
those same sovereign disappeared some fine
day, leaving onkG few bits of dirt behind
them. 1t is oIy right to mention that in &C.
cordancc With John Dymond's last words We
advertised the discovery of the note, but no
clo;mant appeared who was able to prove his
Ownership.