Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-01-07

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stranger in. the gray coat had reached
4 for the pictures, and was unceremonious
/ ~ striking off the splendid gilt frames
4 with his stout cane.
sMerey!y Stopt What are YOU do
| ing 2" Mrs. Bamber ran nimbly 10 his
! side; and arrested his hand ..1.s,
/ ssI don't want these frames, said the
] stranger, contemptu0usly. s'Y on SET
/ your own price, and viii give you five
Thousand dollars. Y = '-t.}s. =. =, ~
Mrs. Banber sank down on a stool in
speechless, ,astonishment. How unreal
everything had become - the snowy
street, the shop, the man in the gray
coat !! Surely Nancy would soon tap on
! her bedroom door, and. tell her 1t was
time to get up. Then, by a sudden and
| not unnatural transition of awakening,
she becane suspicious and vigilant. Her
| visitor wasted no superauotls words bis
broad, ruddy face betrayed not a trace
| Of emotion as he produced crisp bit of
I paper. dipped q pen iHto Mrs. Bamber's
ink, and. be gan. TO. write Z.
! .."If you are not -cheatfng me, let me
see the money, interposed Mrs. Bamber
sharply ~ ... s-.-.--
he wiped the pen, restored it to a
silver sheath ia his pocket, and took up
the draft. ..s r.,..s -
every goOd, y was his sole comment,
and he went out. --..- ...-
Mrs Bamber laughed bysterically.
Would he ever return? Perhaps he was
a maniac. 1t seemed an hour before he
returned, aud counted out a pile of
broad shining gold pieces that made a
pleasant cliDking music as they fell in
a giittering heap Five thousand dol
lars
Sill phlegrnatie, and apparently un.
moved, the purchaser folded the pictures
beneath his ample coat, aud returned to
the St0neport Hotel, where be was the
solitary guest. Once in bis chamber.
bis reserve melted; he beamed in broad
snliics, aud rubbed his hands with sub
dund chuckle of triumph.
dirt cheap, he said to himself, and
fell TO studying the dim canvas with the
aspect OF e0un0isseur. He then wrote
the following letter !:
so the Rig}tt Honorable the Earl of
My LsRD, Il have the satisfaction of
informing you that | have found the
three pictures, after two yearg' search in
the States. They were in the possession
OF an ignorant woman, keeping shop in
an obscure town on the New England
coast, who sold them TO me for $1,000
Thepictures are undoubtedly the missing
originals of Raffaelle SanZio, and will
complete your lordship's collection. /
tracked the Italian, Luigi Carnole, to
the haunts Of his race in the eityo New
York, and was obliged to proceed with
greater caution, from the fact that he
appears to have been actuated by re-
venge in the theft of the pictures Your
tordship viii be better able to determine
than | am whether this revenge was
loyal attachment to the palace of his
master, the duke, and consequent rage
at the dispersion OF, its works of art to
foreign lands, or q more strictly person
al motive. He made no effort here TO
sell the pictures as originals to dealers or
private individuals, and after quarrel
with some Of his, countryfnen. he dis
appeared IN company with another Ital-
ian. Pursuit led the across the plains to
the Pacific, where L found the second
Italian, q wandering musician, only 10
lfarn hat lle had parted with Luigi Car
New Haven. IN -ffii:'s tbe istteff place he
had lived in poverty and bad health, and
j was able 10 follow bis steps to my
present locality. where he died. / re-
turn to England by the next maiI
have the honor to subscribe myself,
Your lordship's most humble and
obedient servant,
.l--- F'ALGERSoH SMITH.
Mrs. Plat sat in her best parior, her
eyes swollen with weeping, and the cur
talns drawn to exclude the curious
glances of -StGReport. She held fast the I
hands of her son and Charlotte Eaton,
aud trembied at the stroke of the clock
The young people gazed sadly at each
other across the black figure of the
mother, who was attired as if for a
funeral, Would Hiram briggs relent,
and give them more time Was it not
probable that he would appear and claim
all The young man could only chafe
at his own helplessness in the emergency,
and inability to protect his own.
The sound of flying feet made them
all listen.
Mrs. Bamber, breathless, and without
a bonnet, rushed into the parlor, and
cast leather purse down in Mrs. Piatts
lap.
cob, you aeedn't count it. I've done
80 dozen times already. Here's five /
thousand dollars, and the house is
saved >. s....-... /
Between laughter and tears she ex-
planned her unexpected wealth, and re-
stored ii to the wife of her benefactor /
IF years ago. Then a shadow crossed
ler face, just dimming its brightness for
l moment. Much could have been done /
e. advance the interests of Bamber's /
Drops, and place the remedy properly /
before an enlightened public, with the |
lid of this money. She plucked Char
ey's sleeve in the midst of the thanks |
which overpowered all coherent speech, |
snd said, tremulously-
''You will not forget the Drops when I
you receive your diploma, viii you
Charley ?"
..Neither the drops nor my debt, re-
urped Charley, in an unsteady voice.
Then. Mrs Bsrnber, through a mist of
ears, saw Charlotte Eaton rise, tall and /
proud, and take the purse from Mrs.
olatt, for Hiran briggs stood on the
.... 7,ss.s. ~.
Thus a very. humbIe little woman
Aaced her gift on the altar of the New
ear r-l -s ~ -. SO. 4