The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-03-02

w ny uO you unC NlIitt IA Y. lVelNS,Si
father?p questioned p1'
sBecause, nig1g Slmost5a
stranger tords
ssFatherf 81
her truth an honesty crice the
young man.
Because you are in love with her,
my SON. Edmund look herel Have
you spoken to hey YETI"
"Not yet, SIR
"Nill you do me'pfavor?'
Edmund smiled q little "That
depends upon what it is, father"
"Will you wait one week before
you ask her to be your wife? VIII
yOu wait one week, without asking
any questions?"
"If you desire it, sir"
"At the end of that time, will
tell you what l think upon the mat
ter"
And Mr.. Stedhurst went on with
the repairing of the Sunday harness.
The next day he brought down an
armful of old coats, pants and vests
from the garrct.
"Judith," he said, "these things
are getting moth eaten They be-
longed to an old uncle of mine, who
died ten years ago-an odd, miserly,
old fellow who hoardedcvcrythins up,
and died in a cellar at last, l want
them cut up into carpet rags
"Yes, sir" answered Judith Black,
in the soft, low voice which was hab-
itual to hcr.-And when her days
routine of duty was done she went to
work diligently with Mrs. Stedhurst's
big shining shears,
She was all alone in the kitchen
the next afternoon just as tho clock
was Striking three, Edmund was in
the barn sorting, ogt. winter apples.
Mr,stcdhhrst was hGa9iitg aShy IN
the tool room at a new Get Of shelves
for the milk dairy, and Mrs. Stcd-
hurst had gone to a ncighbor's with
her knitting-work. Aud as Judith
Black worked she sang,softly to her
self an old Scotch ballad, 'Bonnie
Dundee"
Picking up an old waistcoat ofgin-
ger colorcd cloth, she clipped off the
buttons and mechanically turned the
pockets inside out to cut them away.
There was a peicc of folded brownish
paper in one of them. Judith took
it out without thinking much of it,
and unfoldcd it.
To hor surprise she perceived that
it was fifty dollar treasury note.
In herfr astonishment she utter
ed Il little cry, all alone though she
was. And then she remembered
what Mr. Stcdhurst had said about
the misery old uncle whoh hoard
ed up his little gains and died in a
cellar at last.'-This, doubtless, was
one of the old mans hiding places
and he had died and made no sign.
And this precious Bit OF paper!
was it not hers by right of discovery?
Her eyes cleaned and her fingers
trcmbIed convulsivcly as they tight
cnod their grasp upon i'll She need
cd it so much! She was so poor-so
pinchod for money, And these Stod-
hursts, to whom it would naturally
revert, were rich, did not need it!
They would never know, Nobody
would know.
For a minute the temptation bat
tied tiorccly with her better nature.
For minute onlyl And then Judith
rose up and went straight to the door
of the tool-room-wcnt with dropping
oyclids and a scarlet stain on each
cheek.
"Comc in, said Mr., Stcdhurst, as
Judith knocked ut the door, and she
entered.
"Mr. Stedhurst, said she in avoicc
that would faltcr little in spite of
her resolution to control it, "horo is
some money, ~ ffty-dollOr bill |
have found it in the pocket of one OF
those old waistccats,'
"Ahy said Mr., Stcdhurst, putting
down his plane, and taking the
crumplcd bit Of paper. "And why
didn't you keep it? Didit not occur
to you that would never know any
thing about it2"
@Ycs," said judith, Sit did occur tc