The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-08


in prosperous circumstances and it
worried me for q little while to think
that my excellent upright husband
went to his grave in sorrow and power
ty, while this dishonest man holds up
his head and grows rich but it was only
for minute, child )" and Mrs. Warde
smiled now with less effort. I" know
tc whom have committed my cause,
and I vii. not murmur at anything He
Wills"
Lottie kissed the placid speaker
affectionately, but she was not as SYM
pathetic as usual Her little sisters
hung about her, wondering whether
they should have Christmas pudding,
and one of them blurted out fact
hitherto concealed !; that mother did not
go to church on Sunday till evening
service because her shawl was SO shah
by. Lottie slid her hand into the
pocket where lay her little purse, but
drew it back again, telling herself that
she could not possibly go to visit Char
lies friends meanly dressed and when
the youngest child climbed on her knee
and frankly asked what she was going
to bring him for Christmas present,
he was set down again and SO sharply
told not to tease that Mrs. Warde's
mild eyes were raised in surprise.
"I beg pardon, mother" said her
daughter, coloring under the reproof
the look conveyed. ' am afraid am
rather stupid this evening. What were
you saying about Robert ?-he is elect
ed pupil teacher at his school. OF
| course he isl knew he would be he
has worked SO hard for it. dear, good
boy !" and she ran across the room to
kiss the studious lad, who warmly re-
turned her caresses.
1r1o ~R c.
am I, only think mothers bothered a
bit about the books shall WANT
"Will they cost much ?" asked his
sister,
"Wel1, dear, it seems much to per-
sons of our limited income" Mrs.
Warde replied. 'sAnd he must have o
new suit of clothes. But hope to
manage it without running into debt, if
you can help me little.
Lottie did not speak, and her mother
thoughtfully added, .sThe girls will
promised them; and baby's 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 contriv-
ances and makeshifts you must be. I
know am. And somehow the children
| always seem to need most when one has
least to spare"
ST did not know you were in that
predicament, dear, or I would not have
spoken SO plainly" Mrs. Warde re-
she added, with the cheerful air that
covered a multitude ofan1ous thoughts;
eve shall manage very well, I dare
say"
Lottie went away with her money
still in her pocket, but with load at
her heart-half shame, half selfish ILL.,
humor-which was not lessened by
standing at the mercer's window for
another half hour before she went back
to Sir Johns. While her gaze was
fixed en- the silk, her rebeuious spirit
was murmuring at the difficulties of her
position. 1t 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 thoughtful
of her; she never seemed to remember
that girl of her age would naturally
wish to be smart, especially when she
visited persons in better circumstances
than herself.
|
brought from her own room that even
ing, and Lottie had executed her COM
mission and was retreating, when the
voice of Sir John, who was reading the
evening paper, arrested her. Dear
me how sad these cases are j; one new
er knows who to trust Listen to this,
Letitia The confidential clerk of
Smithson Brothers absconded last
night. His employers had had their
suspicious aroused by some circum-
stance or other, and hiDted an inten-
tion of looking into his accounts. As
soon as he learned this he made busi-
flight, and it is supposed that he is on
his way to America"
To Lottie's strained ears every word
of this was horribly audible, and the
next minute she was running down
stairs, putting on her shawl as she went.
eff ] am asked for" she gasped TO
the wondering housekeeper, SAY that
am in-that I have gone to my moth
er's; but don't stop NEEDN'T ques-
tion me, or shall die.
But it was to the home of Austin
Crawley, fellow-clerk of Charles.
she first took her way. She s00asld moi
give up all hope till she had seen him,
and heard his lips confirm the dreadful
tale; and as she went along she tried
to comfort herself in repeating, eft
cannot be Charlie Morrison default
er, fugitive from justice 1t is impos-
sible r.
Mrs. Crawley herself answered Lot
ties knock, and her smiling, cheerful
face made the girl feel her own misery
grow sharper,
ssNo, Austin had not returned from
the city yet," she said. :. Would moi
Lottie come in and wait for him? She
was quite alone, for Mr.. Crawley ha6
been at Smithsons' all day, taking the
place, she believed, of Charlie Mori
son, whose absence seemed TO have put
the firm very much out of their way
There was nothing amiss, was there 2
she added, as she took closer survey
of her visitors face.
u But her question remained unan
swered, for Lottie was already hurryine
away. The last faint hope that the re
lport was . dreadful mistake had per
ished before Mrs. Crawley's placid ut
terances. Austin, the gay ana careless
whose spendthrift habits had often dis
pleased his parents. had preserved hii
integrity while Charlie Morrison, th.
son of many prayers, the steady, intel
lectuaI young man, who indulged in M
l - Il n