American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-18

| was right. I'd given the information
very well. all the rest was his business.
| So | came home miserable, despairing
1t was just daylight by this time and IA.
| opened the shutters. the debris of oul
. feast was revealed; The lees of the lobster
salad, the picked bones of the chickens
the melted residuum of the jellies; whilst
about everything hung the faint smell %
sour wine. | sat down amid all this
wretched mess, and leaned my head on my
arms in dull, miserable lethargy. Then
| sprang up, aud as did so 1 caught sight
of myself in the looking-glass. Good
heavens. was this wretched, hanS-dO9
fellow myself? Did few hours misery
change a man like this? Why, | was a
very felon IL appearance and so should
be thought to be. Who would believe
this story of robbery? Why, the pc
lice didn't believe in it, else they'd have
| taken a different tone. No; | should be
looked upon as thief by all the world.
Thea my wife came downstairs, and
| with a few touches, restored a little order
and sanity. both to outward matters and
| and an egg and some bread and butter,
and after had eaten and drunk, l didn't
feel quite so bad.
| Jack she said. ''you must go to Lon
don at once, and see the directors. Have
the first word and tell them all about it
all the particulars. 1t was only little bit
of carelessness, after all, and perhaps
| they'll look over it,
"Yes; that's all very we'll" | said.
- But how am | to get there? I've got no
money. This wretchcd party has cleared
lis right out"
BORROW some of Cousins
He asked me to lend him a sovereign
last night, and l couldn't
Now, you'll say: - Here's man with
out resource. Why didn't he pawn his
watch? - To tell you the truth, that's
what had done the week before, and the
money was all gone. g Then, under these
| circumstances you'll add, s. it was I'M
moral to give party" But. you'll bear
| in mind. the invitations had been out for
a fortnight, and then we were in funds.
"Well, jack" saId my wife. /" you must
get the man--the p. B.-to give you some
more money on the watch. Sell it him
right out. 1t must be worth at least ten
pounds, for it cost thirty, and you've only
had five upon it. Sell the ticket"
Yes; but where agas the ticket? Why,
in the little cash-pocket of my brown
great-coat. Still, l had heard, that if
you'd lost ticket. you could make the
man give You another; and Brooks. the
pawn-brOker, was a respectable fellow,
who, perhaps, would help me out OF my
difficulty. l went to him anyhow on my
way to the station. L felt like a ticket Of
put a good face upon it.
''Brooks,'' l said, ''t that watch-you
know the ticket-iJ's stolen"
Brooks gave most pOrtentiOus wink.
He was slow-speeched man, with red
| face. and a tremendous corporation.
'Nay." he says" my lad; thou'rt
wrong there"
s.What do you mean?'' 1 said, coloring
up furiously. Every one suspected me.
it seemed.
ssWhoi, it might ha' been stolen once,
but it aren't now; ave got it here. This
is how it We're. A cadging sort o. chap
comes in, and he says: Master, whatll
you give me for this ere ticket?' Now,
you know the hact don't allow us to give
nought in that Kind of way, but says to
tho chap. s.Let's have a look at it,, and
I saw it was yours, and salt To tie man
My lad, you aren't come honest by
this.'''
land you gave him into custody, he's
in prison? Old Brooks, what capital
fellow you are!''
Nay" he said; 81 knowed better nor
that Do you think I'd hexpose a GUS
tom"r? l know you gents don't care
| about these little matters getting abroad ;
and so | slaps my fist on the counter, and
| says; Hook It y just like that. And
away he went like lamplighter.''
Isank down on the counter Overpower-
ed with emotion.
''And what's more,' went on Brooks,
.'he never took up the money I'd lent
him tor the coat
'What coat - cried. -..--
"a very nice brown coat Eeput up with
me- About fit you, should think. See,
here it isl
1t was my identical brown great-coat,
wrapped up in bundle. and tied round
with my own handkerchief. l made a
dart at it, opened it, plunged my hand
into the breast-pocket-there was the roll
of money, there were the Twenty-Five
thousand pounds.
How did go to the bank that morning,
on legs or wings? And how did l get
home, as soon as l had put the money
safe away? Mary knew by my face that
it was all right; and didn't we have 4
dance of joy all around the house!
My burglar had only been "A sort of
sneak after all, who got in at an open
window, and bolted with the spoils of the
hall; but if he had taken the pains to
look into the pockets of the coat, he'd
have been though perhaps a mis-
cradle and insecure-man, and l should
have been utterly and deservedly ruined.
Chambers Journal.