Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-06-03

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pected every moment to hear some I'm.
seen audience applauding the perform
ance. ''Do they put you in the safe
with the jewelry, or lay you on the
shelves with gown and coats %
Ono, sir, [ live up stairs with Mr.
Levi. Father will come though, in q
few days, with the money, and redeem
me-"
All this as seriously as if it were the
eommonest thing in the world for dis.
tmessed fathers to pawn their children,
to keep the duplicates in their waistcoat
pockets.
"Have you ever been in pawn before,
Miss Nellie Lee.
"Oh, yes, sir. Father painted the
Seven Sisters of Ephesus' with what
he got on me last fall
This was really more than T could
stand. I lay back on the half bottomed
sofa and roared with laughter. The
deposit stood before me, with grave
and patient demeanor, neither surprised
at my merriment nor apparently think
ing that there was anything at all sin
gular in her position.
"You say that you play chess, Il said
at last, checking my merriment by a
great effort, out Of respect for the fair
and beautiful eyes that I saw before
me. "Would you like to play a
game ?"
"Oh, yes!'' answered the deposit
"I should like it very much. You can
not think"
We sat down to play chess. I don't
know how long we were at it, but this I
do know, that if the entrance of Mr.
Levi had not disturbed it, we would
have continued probably to the present
day. There was first move. Then a
long conversation. Then a pause,
be intently studying the board, and
mine were intently studying the blue
eyes. Then another move. Then more
conversation, until the rival forces on
the Rajah's ivory battle field got into
such a state of confusion that believe
Morphy would have become a lunatic
at the first glance he cast upon them.
AS for me, thought of nothing but
the simple, beautiful young creature
who sat opposite me, and, in spite Of
myself, visions of such being moving
about my lonely chambers, making the
gloom gay, and causing the bachelors
barren life to bourgeon and bloom like
the dry rod of the high priest.
In the midst of all this, in came Mr..
Levi with my five dollars and a dupli-
cate for the chess board. He seemed
rather astonished at the quiet intimacy
which had SO sudden y been established
between myself and his deposit.
"Mr. Levi" said [ to him, 81 had no
idea that you lent money on this species
of personal property. [ have rich
uncle, who won't die without leaving
me my share of his property, that [
would be very glad to raise something
on. How much will you give me on
him. He's in an excellent state of
preservation, and has served in the last
war;"
"Oh!" he replied, laughing, without
paying any attention to my proposed
avuncular exchange "Nellie Lee is
capital girl, and it's sometimes as we'll
that she should be away from her
father. He" and here he made an
expressive pantomime, suggestive of
eyes were filed with tears.
"Don't be angry with me, Nellie"
continued the pawnbroker kindly.
"You know that he has very bad habits
or you would not be here. My wife is
very fond of her, Mr.. Papillotte, and
for that matter her father adores her,
and he will never finish any of his pic
lures without the spur of some terrible
necessity, we contrive to put Nellie in
what we shall call pawn, and then he
is sure to work to get the money to re-
deem her. Nellie, child, don't cry"
Invent up to the poor child, and took
her hand gently In my own.
'Nellie Lee,'' I said, "you love your
father very much
She nodded her head, and shook off
a tear or two that fell upon her hand.
cit is but right you should do so.
But you are in a strange position here.
Your father is not fit to- be your guardi-
an, and you will not always meet with
pawnbrokers as kind as Mr.. Levi. Now,
what you ought to do is to intrust
yourself to the care of some man who
is young and strong, and who, with
your fair face and good influences to
stimulate him, will work for you day
and night, and love you as dearly as
your father did,
She shook her head gently, and still
the tears fell.
"You think such a one cannot be
found? You are wrong. If you could
bring yourself to accept his protection;
if you could persuade yourself that
love suddenly born could be as vigorous
and lasting as one that takes years to
mature. you never would repent of it; 1
swear i'll
"And where is there such a one %
demanded Levi, with mingled incred-
ulity and curiosity twinkling in his
black eyes.
"Here!'' I answered, ':I want such
an object as this to become industrious.
I have abilities, if turn them to &C
count-of that I am convinced; and,
after all, if the worst should come,
nothing under heaven can keep me
from inheriting a portion of my nncle's
estate. IF Nellie Lee will take me for
her husband, call God to witness that
I will cherish and love her till DEATH"
The little head shook no longer, and