The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-09-09

ingIy across the neat llttle DfeaKIaSL Ia
BILE at her "lord md master" "Just
this once! I won't ask you for another
cent"
until the next time, eh?" laughed
Mr.. Dunlap.
"Now, Fred, you're too bad to tease
me when do want that lovely Spring
bonnet 80 much. 1t is really the sweet
est in Madam Modes shop, and dirt
cheap ut the price" pouted the little
woman with an injured air.
"There, there, she shall have it, so
she shall Here, my pet" said Mr..
Dunlap, taking out crisp twenty-dol-
lar bill and handing it across the table,
for he was young married man. and it
was hard to deny his pretty wife any
wish which he could afford to crafty.
ooh, thank you, ever so much, Fred!
You re Just the best husband in the wide
world" she cried enthusiastically.
"Glad you think so, my dear. Here,
kiss me. goodbye; it's late, and must
be off,"
Now" Mrs. Dunlap thought, rising
from the table as her husband left the
house, "Ill just run up stairs and look
over my wardrobe to see which dress
will correspond the best with my new
bonnet" and she passed an hour irving
the imaginary effect of one dress after
another with the coveted bonnet, finally
selecting one which pleased her the
best. Then she exchanged her hand
some morning wrapper for walking
suit, and prepared to go down to make
the desired purchase.
Nov I'll make sure that the money
is all right" she said, taking her purse
from the morning dress and opening it.
She turned over two or three small
bills, and not seeing the twenty-dollar
one, emptied her purse of its contents,
smoothing out each bill separately, only
to find that the one of her search was
not there.
"That's strange; but guess must
have dropped it in the dining room;"
so sic ran down stairs and made
thorough search there, but in vain.
"Well, that is queer" she exclaimed;
"11l ask Norah if she has seen any
thing of it."
Norah, stout, rosy, Irish girl, loolu
ed up from her dish washing as her
mistress entered the kitchen.
"Norah, did you see anything of a
bill lying on the breakfast table when
you cleared it?'
"a bill, mum?"
eyes: new twenty-dollar bill.
"No. mum, L see nothin' of the
kind"
care you quite sure?" asked Mrs.
Dunlap.
Faith, am, num-"
"Now, look here, Norah," said the
lady, "you'vc been with me ever since
you landed in America, three months
ago, and have always been good, hon
est, Industrious girl, so far as l know,
not, Norah?"
Heaven bless ye!' answered Norah fer
vent1y.
"And is this the way you repay my
kindness, Norah?"
"How, mum!" asked the girl, staring
at her mistress blankly.
Don't add to your sin by trying to
deceive me-" replied Mrs. Dunlap,
sternly. '"rhese are the plain facts,
Norah. This morning Mr.. Dunlap gave
me twenty. dollar bill, while we were
at breakfast. 1 went up stairs and
thought no more about it until l had
dressed myself for shopping, when I
looked in my purse to see that the money
was all right; but it was not there, and
came directly down stairs, thinking l
might have dropped it in the dining
room. It is not there, and as no one
has been in that room this morning but
you, besides Mr.. Dunlap and myself,
what am to think? 1 am sure would
not have thought it of you, Norah, but
lam forced to believe it; you must have
taken the money. Now, don't cry, but
confess your fault, and I will forgive
you," continued the lady, laying her
hand kindly on the arm of the girl, who,
with her apron thrown over her head,
was rocking herself back and forth, sob.
bing bitterly.
'As this is your first offense, if you
will return the bill and promise to be
honest in the future, I will say nothing
to any one about it, but allow you to re-
main here as usual, for I know you
have no other home and no friends in
this country, and as have always found
you an industrious, obliging girl, do
not like to part with you. Will you
not confess. Norah?"
The girl raised her tear-stained face
to that of her mistress. Confess it,
mum-confess what would sooner die
than do! Rob We, my kind mistress?
Oh, how could We, how could ye think
poor Norah would do the like of that?
Fur the love OF Heaven, num-" she
cried, falling upon her knees and catch
ing Mrs. Dunlap's skirts, "for the love