Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-02-19

ing place had been in the Woodson family
for some generations, and that the generals
father left il to him encountered. The
mortgage was never lifted by the latter.
The general lived pretty well, thinking his
position required it.
Then in an evil time all Bramblehead
ran wild with land fevor--a speculation
that promised to make the poor rich, aud
the rich happy. All the old stockings in
all the dark corners were empted Of their
shilings tj buy land in Roostock Why,
people, old people, took money out Of their
Bibles that they had laid away TO bury
them, to invest, expecting it to return them
a hundred-lold before it would be Needed
Burial day always seems so distant to us,
especially if there is chance to make any
money tomorrow.
Amy's father was bit by the going
madness. He gathered the little he could
together. He drew bis salary regularly,
and let his household bills run. lie sold
wrongfhlly few bank shares that he held
in trust for Amy, which an uncle had willed
to her, and invested the money in the gold
en- land, secretly in the name Of a brother
in Ohio.
"The voyage turned out mighty poor.
The land was well timbered, out hundred
miles away from river or tide-watcr. The
bubble burst. So the rich became poor,
and the poor became happy, thinking how
their betters had come down. They we're
sure Of a burial, for nobody was ever too
poor for that.
The old gentleman aged. He grew
iretful and absent-minded. The grocer aud
the butcher called again aud again for their
dues--at the front door, too The milk
boy was even more malicious. lie ohalked
on the garden-gate, Warnin, pay up, Of
hoss,' aud chuckled to himself around the
corner, as be peeped and saw Betty Floyd,
the old domestic, spend many minutes
spelling out, and many more in securing OF
the words, and shaking her cloth at the
empty street Thrift had abandoned the
household"
Amy knew but little Of the truth. lie
said he had only the amount Of two or three
quarters salary in the lamented land slide.
She saw the failing step, and that he did not
like to have her note it. He was glad,
though Of her help at the bank, which was
needed now oftener than ever. The toll
began to tell on little Amy She didn't
lose her beauty, though. | don't believe
she will ever lose that. My boy, am
tedious"
Very. Go on"
"Dout blow your smoke in my eyes
then, or you'll swear I'm crying"
Well, well; forward
Where was ? This went on awhile
the old man keeping the ship on the old
tack close.hauled, flag at the peak, and
pumps a-going. But there came a day
when the world could do little for Abrau
Woodsou, and he could do less for the
world. One morning, when Amy was help
ing him on with his coat to 90 to the bank
he staggered aud fell upon the sofa. Th,
doctor came aud said " Paralysis" II,
revived somewhat, but the general was {
wreck Of the saddest kind. He couldn'
speak an ineligible word. Amy becam,
his hands, eyes aud mind. Roy Elwel
was appointed acting cashier, for the direc
tors would not supersede him at once. Ii,
fingered for months with his facultie
at skies and sevens. One day he said some
that sounded like May tenth" and sool
after he dropped anchor for the last time.
q" The bank officers, when examining hi
cash aud accounts, discovered defcienc,
of between one and two thousand dollars
And they who had held the old general a
incorruptible said A." There is none tru
under the sun" His bondsmen were call
ed upon, aud the few, which finally mean
the many, thought they knew the cashie
had used the funds in his keeping
Amy, living secluded with her oil,
domestic, Betty Floyd, was ignorant of th
affair at the bank She knitted worsted work
and fitted ball.dresses for her schoolmate
OF old days. Young Skinnem offered he
what he called his heart. BY jovc, twent,
young fellows would have come forwar,
for her hand but there was something il
her way that wouldn't let man with
decent heart offer it. SkDnem though
his magnanimity twenty per cent aboy
par He had Inherited from his father th
mortgage on the Woodson homestead, whie
he threatened to ioreclose. Troubles cam
in troops.
Looking over her fathers papers on
day, Amy discovered a note addressed l.
, her twas in the neat hand of the general
II told her that he wrote this fer her in cas-
anything should happen to him-thet tn
world, after he was gone, might judge hiu
amiss That he had it is true, wronge'
her his sweet, beloved daughter-.that h
had been false to his trusteeship-- thei
means were all gone with the broken bub
ble-that his heart and thought were lon
sick with the secret Of it-that, May th
10Th Of such year, he bad found his cas-
unaccountably short, and no man yet kne'
it. If he lived long enough he should max
it up yes, make 1t up, every cent bu
Amy must wait for hers perhaps he cou
, never make that up, and if he did mol
would his darling daughter fprgive him
"Amy bowed beneath this blow Nol
/ appeared the reason Of the unpaid bills an
the ill-supplied household. Aud the though
came to the stricken girl, how once she ha
proposed to sell share of her bank stoc
and buy gold watch aud chain, and o
/ New Years morning she found them unde
her breakfast cup, present from her faith
r er get all this from sister Nell, Of whor
she made confident. Yes, Hal, Am
f bowed as the lily bows when blown upor
t She was lily without aud rock within. Sh
E sent for Roy Elwell. She pressed Roy Ut
. til she drew from the reluctant + llo'
the affair as viewed by the directors.
was plain case to them. A land enter
prise-au opportunity for making money
and tho cashier yielding to temptation
! borrowed the funds of the bank, thinkin
r to enrich himself, aud return the money
. They were all the more ready to look o
D the dark side for him, as many Of their do
lars had gone the way Of his. The ieve
D had been among them, too
This point Of view was not iayorabl
to Amy. Through Elwell, who had bee
/ made cashier Of the bank after the deaf
J Of the general, she obtained permissio
. from the officers to make personal exam
ination Of the books, to be aided by Roy
, Her knowledge of the bank routine wa
now serviceable
About this time | returned from an 10
dia voyage. | served as boy in the banl
awhile, you remember, and Roy, with he
: consent, invited me to lend them hand -
E | was glad for her sake, not to say my own
We'll, we met and laid our plans. agree