The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-12-04

very little more than pay our hoHse-rent.
We sold of our books and furniture /
piece by piece, and assure you we were 1
as poor as people could well be, TO live.
At last, IN 1858, we had nothing left
besides the school-room furniture, two
chairs, one bed, and that secretary
there, which mamma would not part
with because 1T was papa's and had
been grandpa's.
At last, when we we're half starved,
I persuaded her to sell the secretary,
too, and / was cleaning out the old
papers from the drawers, and brushing
the dust and cobwebs out preparatory
to sending it to the auction room, when
this little spring here" (she had gone
to the desk to show me) "few back,
thus opening this drawer and disclosing
the old watch snug1y nestled away
upon the cotton I pounced upon 1t
as a treasure sent from heaven, and
next day took it to Memphis and pawnsd
It TO old Stampfy. The money gave us
a little start, the school improved, some
money came in from other sources, and
we got along very well afterwards, until
Paul here came after me and insisted
that was not intended for teacher.
An egregious insult %
But how did your grandfather come
by the watch, do you suppose?" asked.
"Was there nothing with It to show 2"
" Nothing Till you told me the
facts just now, I always imagined it was
a present. But be sure there is nothing
criminal in grandpa's connection with
it."
"It is possible" said Mr.. De Long,
I" that Mr.. Garland may have intended
to explain. He died very suddenly, of
an apoplexy."
" Maybe he did explain, and con-
cealed his statement, Just as he did the
watch" I said.
"No, answered Mrs. De Long, ''after
| I found the watch I searched closely for
other secret drawers. There are none. 7"
60 Let me examine the secretary" I
suggested and I carefully and syste-
maticaIly inspected the Anticipated piece
of furniture.
Almost Immediately called attention
to the fact that the secret drawer, in
which the watch had been concealed,
had false bottom, and this being easily
removed, we found within draft for
e150 on London clearinghouse drawn
in favor of Rufus Garland and-the his
tory'of the stolen watch in Rev. DR.. Gar
lands handwriting:
NASHVILLE, Dec. 10, 1S46.-This
has been a very sad day to me. This
forenoon came to me my old friend and
comrade, Benjamin Flurnoy, of Column
bia, in great distress of mind, and asked
me to lock the doors and hear him make
a disgracefuI confession. Then he LAID
before my astOnished eyes the long
missing watch of Lafayette, the loss Of
which caused such excitement. I stole
it. he said stole it, Rufus > anC
hid his face from me, and wept scaldine
tears. Presently, when 1 had comfOrteC
him, and he grew more calm, he said
'The doctor tells me have not long Il
live my heart is diseased. I desire
you to make restitution for me. Herr
is all the money needed-take the &C
cursed wedge of Achen from my sigh
it has tortured my whole life-restort
it to the heirs-Without exposing me.
have had misery enough. And agail
he bowed his white head-that head g,
honored-and wept. How did thi
happen, Benjamin 2 I asked. Sait
he !: 'That night, you remember, W
were all upon guard. You and the res
: were asleep, but Spatch Davis, L
Crosse and I were on guard for spell
of two hours. We had all been drink
ing heavily-poOr Spatch and Hyacinth
fell asleep on their post, and the dew
was in me. wanted something tina
= belonged to the marquis. I stole int
his room, past old PoUchon, who wa
/ snoring. So tired and worn out the oil
: marquis looked I opened the trunk
seeking a ribbon, handkerchief, or tn
like. The first tlSng saw was tn
= watch, and without thinking, put 1T L
my pocket, raised the window gently
! and crept like thief SIS I was from th
; room. AS I crossed the threshold
2 heard the old marquis call out In hi
sleep 'Arretez vous, monsieur Nc
5 blesse oblige = Stung to the quick
turned back to restore the watch, bu
? Just then Pouchon reused, and l escaE
2 ed. have never known a happy mir
e ute since My poor friend 1 coUl
: look in his haggard fOce, and believ
2 him. I told him, however, that l cOul
/ not consent to deal with this matter /
! a clandestine way. There need be n
D publicity about it, brit IL communicai
t ing with the marquis heirs I must Civ
!, his name and the circumstances. b
! groaned and begged me to defer th
g disclosure until after his death.
= will not be long, he said, pathe
r ically. To this l assented, and so b
Q left, after had earnestly enjoined hiI
to seek comfort and peace of mind b
: prostrating himself at the foot of ths
) throne where mercy, peace, comfort al
= never refused to the contrite and hun
n bic petitioner. I have drawn this state
s men5 up only as a guide for my heirs i
e case of my death happening before this
D, of Flurnoy's." -
!. doctor Garland died just one wee
O before Major FIurnoy," said Mr.. D
Long, "and that explains all the CONT
s sion about this matter"
S Mrs. belong said nothing, but vel
sympatheticaliy.
"This dead draft must be transmitte
q to Major FIurnoy's heirs" added D
g Long.
d How to Keep Sweet Potatoes.