The Van Buren press., 1873-12-16

I
Wood is, she said, rs We were folding
things up that night; 90 and SO pretty for
her age. | thiak she is splendid.
Glad TO hear it.
Dear mc!' sh, said, with her head
under the counter.
Sister in law, you know, " said l (;
one Of the family; it won't do to to
! praise her too much
"Oh, | wasn't thinking Of what you
were saying, said she " am surprised
about my key. am sure | hung it here
A little brass door key, with nick IN
the handle and piece of pink ribbon
tied to it ! can't think where it's gone
Well, we beth looked everywhere We
unrolled packages and peeped into the
! boxes. and poked down cracks in the
! floor. Lilly won't worrying about getting
locksmith to fit another before she
could get in, aud said that Rosa was al
ways tired
Rosa was her sister The two were
orphans, and kept house together in oae
little room in a respectable tenement
house.
1--we always had tea before Rosa got
ia" said Lilly; but to night she will
have 20 wai. "
It's odd how we remember things
sometimes. Perhaps the girls pretty,
puzzled face and graceful motions, as she
ran about looking for the key impressed
this one on my mind. At all events We
did not fad the notehed key with a pink
ribbon, and Lilly went home without it,
told Margaret Ann about it when saw
her next, and she inquired very politely
of Lilly as 10 the end of the affair, when
she next saw her The key was never
found, but Lilly said she had had two
made, so that such thing could never
happen again. She could keep one and
| Rosa the other
"And, IS presume it was lost here,
you must have the value Of it from us,
| said Margaret Ana. It's not much but
its just. And that thought very Kind
of the widow, considering
Well, time passed ON, and one day was
about like the other. Winter went and
summer came. People began 10 90 TO
the country, and trade was dull. And
Sam told me that he and Lilly were going
to be married soon, God willing.
| had just left Sam when Margaret
AIMS colored gill stepped across the
street and told Inc her mistress wanted
to see me.
OF course | went oyer and when | got
into the back parIor found Margaret
Ann wrapped up in a shawl, her eyes red
with crying.
Anything happened p says |.
Yes, SAID she, 4" IN afraid SO Oh,
I'm so sorry.
Dear me- De mention the fact,
says |.
We'll, says she, Il can hardly bear
to do so; but-who has chance at the
safe besides YOU and me y
Nobody but Lilly Rathbone, said |.
Your are sure, says she.
"Why, of course, says |.
"Ah well = says She perhaps there
is another way out of it. May be you
have had occasion 10 use that money Of
mine | mean the enc thousand dollar
bank note that put in there in a red
pocket book last week,
=" No, " said | "Of course I'd spoken
Fit. 1t was your private money. "
"lt's gone, Richard, - says she "You
saw me look inte the safe TO day 2"
Yes, said
"Well, says she, lit was gone then.
| couldn't bring myself to speak Of it.
You see girl like that has so many
temptations; going to marry and all.
Richard, promise me you won't have her
arrested, or anything, if it is her p
at is not! - cried. Besides, it was
your money. You would be the prosecu,
tor to any thief. "
Dear me, es," says she, "and I'll
let her go but must get it back, and
she must leave the store
How can you think SO i'll ofthe girl 2
said |. "Why don't you suspect me. /
am ever so much more Of doubtful
character than she is ?"
"You arc my brothcrn law, said
Margaret Ann. Now listen to reason
Come TO the store with me- and we II
search If we don't find it shall charge
Lilly with the theft tomorrow, and, If
she doesn't confess get search warrant
for her room, | will be very kind, but |
can lose sum IKE lHat
She cried again. did really feel that
she was in great trouble. We went ITO
the store again and searched the safe, but
the money was all gone Margaret Ann
had the number in her pocket-book. 1t
was easy to identify, and besides the poor
girl was in a suspicious position, and |
said If she should prove guilty, my faith
in human nature was gone,
Mine. too, said Margaret Ann IL
had come to like her so And then poor
Sam
went home TO tea with my sistpr-in-
law, but wo had not much appetite. She
promised not to coma TO the store until
the closing hour, and to be very mcrciinl,
and to give the girl every chunco
And so we parted arose to say
good night, ana came around the table
to shake hands with Margaret Ann, when,
being u clumsy old bachelor, not used to
women's iixiugs, my coat caught in lit
tlo wicker.work sewing basket, on spider
legs, and ovcrset il. Out umbled cotton,
buttons, and tape, and stopped t" pick
them up, when among them | SAW key,
a brass door key, with nick in IL and Il
long piece OF pink ribbon tied to the
handle. 1t was little thing, and it made
my blood run cold.
II that was the key Lilly lost, what
was it doing there? | dids't dare to
look n, my sister in-l.w. And | walked