The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-01-15

worked SO hard for it, dear, good boy ?
and she ran across the room to kiss tht
studious lad, who warmly returned hel
caresses.
"Then you're glad of it, Lottie? 81
am I, only I think mothers bothered {
bit about the books I shall want.
"Win they cost much2" asked his
sister.
"Well, dear, it seems much to pre-.
sons of our limited income" Mrs
Warde replied. "And he must have
a new suit of clothes. But L hope tc
manage it without running into debt, il
you can help me a little"
Lottie did not speak, and her mother
thoughtfully added, The girls viii
have to DO without the new hats
promised them; and baby 3 pelisse must
last another winter and"
But here her daughter stopped her by
pettishly saying, "Oh, mother pray
don't tell us of any more wants they
seem endless. How miserable it is to
be so poor; how sick of contriyances
and makeshifts You. must be. I know
am. And somehow the children al
ways seem TO need most when one has
least to spare"
81 did not know you were in that
predieament, dear, or I would not have
spoken so plainly" Mrs. Warde re-
piled "but don't let it worry you, -
she added, with the cheerful air that
covered a multitude of anxious
thought "we shall manage very we'll I
dare say"
Lottie went away with her money
still in her pocket, but with load at
her heart-half shame, half selfish i'll
humor-which was not lessened by
standing at the MERGERS window for
another half-hour before she went back
to Sir Johns. While her gaze was
fixed on the silk, her Jebellious spirit
was murmuring at the difficulty Of her
position. It was so hard that she
should always be hampered with the
home-cares. Other young people could
spend their salaries on themselves,
while her purse had such constant calls
upon it that there was nothing left for
herself. And mother was not thought
full for her; she never seemed to re-
member that girl of her age would
naturally wish to be smart, especially
when she visited persons in better cir
cumslances than herself
Miss Dayton wanted some trife
brought from her room that evening,
and Lottie had executed her commission
and was retreating, when the voice of
Sir John, who was reading the evening
paper, arrested her. Dear me ! how
sad these cases are; one never knows
who to trust. Listen to this. Letitia
''The confidential clerk of Simpson
Brothers abscouuded last night. His
employers had had their suspicious
aroused by some circumstance or other,
and limited an intention of looking into
his accounts. AS soon as he learned
this he made business in the country
a pretence for his flight, and it IS sup
pesed that he is on his way to America, ,"
To Lottie's strained ears every
word of this was horribly au-
dible, and the next minute she
was running down stairs, putting on heI
hat and shawl as she went.
eff lam asked for, she gasped to the
wondering housekeeper, "say that
am in-that have gone to my mothe. s.
but don't stop me-don't question me,
or I shall die"
But it was to the home of Austin
Crawley, fellow-clerk of Charities she
first took her way. She would not give
mp all hope till she had seen him, and
heard his lips confirm the dreadful tale
and as she went along she tried to com
fort herself in repeating, cit cannot
be Charlie Morrison defaulter, fu
gitive from iustice-it is impossiblel =
Mrs. Crawley herself answered Lot
ties knock, and her smiling, cheerful
face made the girl feel her own misery
grow sharper.
"No, Austin had not returned from
the city yet" she said. Would no
Lottie come in and wait for him? She
was quite alone, for Mr.. Crawley hat
been at Smithsons' all day, taking the
place (she believed) of Charlie Mori
son, whose absence seemed to have puf
the firm very much out of their way
There was nothing amiss, was there?'
she added, as she took closer survey
of tho visitors face.
But her question remained unan
swered, for Lottie was already hurryins
away. The last faint hope that the re
port was a dreadful mistake had per
ished before Mrs. Crawley's placid ut
terances. Austin, the gay and careless
whose sprendthrift habits had often dis
pleased his parents, had preserved hi
integrity; while Charlie Morrison, thr
son of many prayers, the steady, intel
lectual young man, who indulged IN n,
low tastes, no cloud attire, had for
feited his high character and disgrace,
his family-this was her conclusion.
Away through the busiest streets o
London, hurrying on with her face m n
fled in her veil, lest any one should per
ceive the anguish depicted on it, sh
walked, till she found herself before tn
well-lzuown offices Of Messrs, Smithson
They had been closed hours earlier
but the old man who was porter AM
care taker was standing at the door
talking to some curious acquaintance
Unperceived by the gaTrulous speak
er, Lottie passed long enough to hea
her lovers name coupled with words IL
distinctly caught relating to the larg
sums Of money that were missing.
"His father was here this morning
as soon as the news was made public,
the porter went on such a respeotsbl
old gentleman" But here his voice wa
lowered, and Lottie passed by, hearin
only something about his broken-heart
ed mother as she went; but it reminde
her that she was not alone in her grie.
that the loving parents, who had chez
ished their son IN his childhood. an
seen him gradually expand into tn