Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-06-27

took II great notion to her.
What nice pleasant lady Mrs. Wood
is" she said, as we were folding things
up that night; "and so pretty for her age.
| think she is splendid"
"Glad to hear it,"
81 Dear me I" she said with her head
under the counter.
"Sister-in.lsw, you know" said l /;
zone of the tamilyi it won't do to praise
her too much"
"Oh, l wasn't thinking Of what you
We're saying" said she. "rm 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 1t is gone"
Well, we both looked everywhere. We
unrollod packages and peeped into boxes,
and poked down cracks in the floor. Lilly
kept worrying about getting locksmith
to tit another before she could get in, and
said that Rosa was always tired.
Rosa was her sister. The two were
orphans and kept house together in one
little room of a respectable tenement.
I've always had tea ready before Rosa
got in" said Lilly, but tonight sho will
have to wait"
1t is odd how wo remember little things
sometimes. Perhaps the girls pretty,
puzzled face aud graceful motions as she
ran about looking for tho key, impressed
this one on my mind. At all events we
did not find the key tied with pink rib
bon, and Lilly went homo without it. |
told Margaret Ann about it when | saw
her next, and she inquired very politely
OF Lilly as to the end of the affair, when
she next saw her. The key was never
found, but Lilly said she had two made
so that such thing could never happen
again. She could keep one, and Rosa
the other.
And, rs presume II was lost here
you must have the value of it from u.s."
said Margaret Ann. It's not much.
but it's just" And that | thought very
kind Of the Widow Wood, considering.
Well, time passed on, and one day was
about like the other. Winter went and
Summer came. People began to go to
the country and trade was dull. And
Sam told me that he and Lilly were go
ing to be married soon--God willing.
had just left Sam when Margaret
AIMS colored girl stepped across the
street and told me her mistress wanted to
sec me.
OF course | went over; and when l got
into the back parlor l found Margaret
Ann wrapped up in u shawl, her eyes
red with crying.
Anything happened ?" says l.
Eyes" says sho, "l'm afraid 30. Oh,
I'm SO sorry ~
"Dcar me Do mention the fact,
says |.
Wcll," says she, 81 can hardly bear
to do SO; but-who had chance at tho
safe besides you and me ?"
Nobody but Lilly Rathbone," says l.
ou HIo SURF bhJS Snc.
Why, OF course" saysI.
"Ah, well !" says she, "porhaps there
is another way out Of it. Maybe you've
had occasion to use that money Of mine.
| near tho thousand dollar bank note
that put there in red pocket book last
week"
"No," said l. "Of course I'd spoken
of it. 1t was your private money"
ITS gone, Richard" said she. You
saw me look in the safe to-day ?"
Yes" said /.
"Well," says she, " il was gono then.
| couldn't bring myself to speak Of it.
You soc girl like that has SO many
temptations going to marry and all.
Richard, promise mo you won't have her
arrested, or anything, il it's her."
"It is not ~ | cried. "Besides it was
your money. You would be prosecutor
TO any THEFT"
" Dear me, yes" said she, "and I'll let
her go; but | must get II back, and she
must leave the store"
" How can you think so i'll of the girl?"
said |. "Why don't you suspect me.
am ever so much more Of a doubtful char
acter than she is."
You are my brother-inlaw," said
! Margaret Ann. "Now listen to reason.
Come TO the store with me and we'll
search. II we don't find it snail charge
Lilly with the theft tomorrow, and il she
don confess, get search warrant for
her rooms-I'l be very kind, but l can't
lose sum like that"
She cried again. / really did feel that
she was in great trouble. We went TO
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 identity, and besides the poor
girl was in a suspicious position, and |
said If she should prove guilty, my faith
in human nature was gone.
1" Mine too" said Margaret Ann. 81
had come 10 like her SO. And then poor
Sam"
went home to tea with my sister-in-
law, but we had not much appetite. She
promised not to come TO the store until
the closing hour, and TO be very merciful
and to give the girl every chance.
And so we parted. l arose to say good
night, and came around the table to shake
hands with Margaret Ann, when, being a
clumsy old bachelor, not used to women's
fixings, my coat caught in little wicker
work sewing basket, on long. spider legs,
and overset it. Out tumbled cotton, but
tons and tape, and / stopped down to
pick them up, when among them saw a