Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-12-18

o jewelers. shop, ana we thOugnt she
came this way"
eyes, yes" replied Fanshaw, eagerly,
catching the prevailing excitement; " she
ran up against me not a minute ago. She
went down that passage" and he pointed
to the alley where the woman had disap-
peared
With hasty "thank you" the police
men hurried In the direction indicated;
but they were soon at fault again, and
Fanshaw and his wife. having followed
for q minute or two, disengaged them
selves from the crowd and walked on.
Arrived at the station-house, Johnny was
found, his puckered face more puckered
still, crying piteously In the corner in
dire disgrace The nurse of the ward, an
old crone, whose temper time had soured,
pointed him out vindictivelv.
"Drat the child / can't do nothing
with him; that's the way he's been going
on the whole blessed morning. Nanny,
nanny, indeedl / wish his mother 'ud
fetch him out, for he's no better nor u
nuisance here"
Mrs. Fanshaw's bright eyes darted dag
gers at the old dame as she passed her,
and in minute she had gathered little
Johnny into her kind arms, and was cud
ding him up upon her lap, where the
childs sobs soon subsidized under the
combined influence of kisses and oranges
The little fellow was worn out by crying
and he nestled directly into bis new rest
ing-place and went fast asleep, clasping
one of Mrs. Fanshaw's fingers tightly in
his mottled hand. 1t went to the mothers
heart to have to leave him, but she felt
that in the present state of the family
| funds they could not venture to burden
themselves with this helpless child. She
laid him tenderly down, kissing the
flushed check and gently drawing away
her finger
"Be kind to him, poor little duck, "
she said to the old dame, "he'll
soon get used to it; but he is only
a baby and it is hard for him to
be taken from his MOTHER" and in
an unusually subdued mood Mrs.
Fanshaw descended the stairs to join her
husband below.
Mr.. Fanshaw, meanwhile, had been
sitting on bench in the office talking to
one of the officers who was off duty.
" Got such thing as a chew of tobac-
co about you, Fanshaw ?" said the Off
Ger, peering hungrily into Toms face.
"Why, yes" replied Tom. 81 thought
somebody might want some, so l filed
my box before / started" He put his
hand in his coat-pocket, and drew thence,
"a gold Louis quatorZe snuff-boX,
from the lid of which beamed lovely
enameled face, SET round with large dia-
mouds Mr.. Fanshaw's eyes opened to
that extent that there was reason to ap.
prchend that he would never be able to
close them again; his wife's glittered
like ravens; the jeweled toy lay shin
ing on the big palm.
"Well-" at last said Mr.. Fanshaw,
drawing long breath. A moment after
"Bless my soul II" he exclaimed, I've
hit it 1t must have been put in my
pocket by that ere woman we met, with
the police close at her heels. Serve her
right if she did get caught" added Tom,
Indignantly, the jaoe! putting such
things in an honest mans pocket. Bu
what beauty it is, to be sure!"
A day or two later an advertisement
appeared in the Herald, offering 500
reward for the box. Fanshaw's con
science had been set at rest in regarC
to the acceptance of such reward, anC
he settled with his wife that she should
go to the station-house and claim little
Johnny-for they could afford to kceI
him on the reward-and meet her lore
afterward at the jewelers. shep. Whel
he reached it he stared through the plate
glass window in admiration for IA minute
or two, and then walked in in the bes
possible spirits, and advanced TOWARD
the counter.
81 called about this advertisement,
said he, showing one that he had cut ou
of the paper; " the box has come int,
my possession"
"Oh, indeed" replied the young maj
whom he addressed, with an unmistaka
Bile sneer-" Oh, indeed !"
at happened very curiously," Ton
went on, glibly; Il and my wife wer
walking ="
Don't tell your story to me, if yo,
please" interrupted the shopman, rude
ly; IN mention your errand to IN,
master. Here, jenkins, two upon ten.
The shopman went down an inne
passage, and Jenkins advanced from tn
other side of the shop and kept very clos
to Tom, in manner which he could 70
but think offensive, especially as man o
far less respectable appearance was lef
standing unmatched at the opposite coun
ter. Worse than this, the meaning of thu
mysterious order two upon ten" sool
became obvious in the gluing of Mr.
jenkins eyes upon the ten fingers, five o
which were resting innocently upon the
counter. Tom began to grow very un
man returned and preceded him into
private room, and jenkins, calling anoth
er man to attend to the shop, joined
quietly in behind, Tom felt that all his
good spirits had unaccOuntably left him
and was conscious of wearing hang-doG
look, and of being treated surprisingly
like criminal.
Mrs. Fanshaw, with little Johnny il
her hands, lowered about the door of the
jewelers. shop for good quarter of ar
hour before her lord made his appear
ance. When at length he did so, she
fell back with start, and looked with
terrified eyes into his face; the gas-light
showed it to be of deadly white.
Heavens! Save us, Tom! What's the
matter? You look like ghostm
"Stutf and nonsense" he said, trying
to speak angrily, but the words came
thick and faint out of his throat. "What
you've got the brat, have your"
"Yes, Tom. Poor little man, he wa.
so pleased" and the wife crept timidly
nearer her husband.
1--WE shall never repent it, anyway, Tn
sure. couldn't have eaten my Christ
mas dinner comfortable if we hadn't
done it, but haven't you-haven't you go
the money!"
\ es, I've got the money" he growleC
between his set teeth.
Mrs. Fanshaw felt such lump rise il
her throat that she spoke no more til
they were at home and in their owl
room. There she could no longer re
strain her tears; they streamed dow
unnoticed over the new bonnet-string
that she had tied with such pride an hou
before.
"Oh, Tomw she pleaded can't bea
this. Only tell me what it means"
Means" he exclaimed. 1t means tina
they don't believe . word of my story. l
means that l shall lose my situation ant
my character, and be ruined, as sure a
you're living woman; thanks to you ant
that cursed brat! They don't prosecute
but they are going to write and inform
the company"
The next day Tom Fanshaw was sum
marily dismissed from the employment o
the N. Y. Q. Railway Company without
recommendation.