Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-02-12

Mr.. Levi started. My joke was com
pletely lost on him. It was very mild
joke, certainly, but, then, could better
have been expected from a man who
was begging for five dollars?'
'I'm sorry you can't play" | hasten
ed TO continue, covering my jocul ar fail
ure with some ether remark. 4 should
like to have a game with you. That
board, assure you, is worth thirty dol
lars if it is worth penny. Think of
the associations.
Heaven forgive me, but the Ralah
was creation of the moment. had
been made present of the chess board
by sailor who had voyaged to Calcut
ia; but one must be a, little deceitfil]
now and then in this wicked world.
"Well, I'll let you have the money
said Mr.. Levi, "though we are rather
short to day. A great deal of business
doing just now, Mr.. Pspillote, and lay
ing the Rajah's property on the table,
he disappeared into the Office to make
out the ticket.
ga great deal of business doing y
That meant, when translated, a great
deal of misery wandering about the
streets, a great many homes gloomy for
want of petty sums of money, a great
many mechanics without Sunday clothes
a great many p DOR students moaning
over their valuable books sacrificed to
keep life enough to read those that were
left, a great many drunkards craving
for their accustomed poisons, and get
ting it at the cost of necessities, great
many mothers shiv ering in blanketless
beds, that the little ones might not
starve. This was the terrible kind of
business that he was doing.
was rejecting on all this when
heard the palor door open, and a light
step fall softly on the carpet. Thinking
it was Levi returning with the money,
/ did not raise my head Presently a
voice ---ah, how unlike Lewis buttery
accents, startled me from my reverie.
81 can play at chess it said very
softly.
[ looked up suddenly. A little fairy
creature, about sixteen years old, with
long, fair hair, and large, beautiful blue
eyes, stood just within the door staring
at me, like some timid bird at him who
wanders in lonely woods, half fearing
to approach, yet longing to come near
err.
''And who on earth are!" l asked
abruptly; and as l spoke 1 saw at a
glance that the blood Of the children of
Israel did not run in her clear, blue
veins.
I'm Nellie Lee, sir, replied the ap
partition, "and I'm in pawn, sir
'In what?" I exclaimed, under the
impression that I must have been de-
ceived in the absurd statement I had
just heard.
'1n pawn sir" she repeated as sim
ply as if she was saying that she was in
bed.
''And who put you into pawn, in the
name Of all the Medicis, may I ask ?"
l said, scarcely able to keep my counte
nance.
'.Father pawned me for money to
buy paints. said the extraordinary de
post: 'sand l am 30 lonesome !
you cant think!'
"What is your respectable parent.
may Inquire.
'He's an artist, sir, and he has Just
got an order, sir, and he wanted money
for the canvas and the paints tc finish
the picture. He paints beautiful pic
lures; indeed he does!'
She seemed so very anxious about
my not doubling her fathers ability
that I smiled a sort of assent, as if |
was perfectly satisfied of his rare talent
and was intimately acquainted with the
merit of every one of his productions
"Where do Thea keep you?" l asked,
half jestingly, for the whole affair
seemed SO like vaudeville that ex-
pected every moment to hear some
unseen audience applauding the per-
Torrance. "Do they put you in the
safe with the jewelry, or lay you on
the shelves with gowns and coats?'
sNo, sir live up stairs with Mr..
Levi. Father will come though, in
few days, with the money, and redeem
me-"
All this as seriously as if it was the
commonest thing in the world for dis
tressed fathers to pawn their children,
and 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 could
stand. ! lay back on the old half-bot
toned sofa and roared with laughter
The deposit stood before me with a
grave and patient demeanor. neither