Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-20

we talked it all over, and reckoned I'D
what we'd do with every shilling; and
SO handed it over to the old woman.
knowing that she would lay it out to
the best advantage.
| About three days afterWard was
| Christmas day, and very jolly time
we had OF it, [ can tell you. We in
yited my mate and his wife to dinner,
and very much surprised they were to
see everything so comfortable. The
| chlleren got new boots, the missus had
a new cap, and several articles of
| clothing had been ''got out''-that is,
you know, fetched away from kind
relation, who lends money at good in
terest-on good security, Well, we
had very comfortable day indeed, a
jolly good dinner, with as nice bit of
| meat as ever was roasted. The chill
dren had nuts and apples in the after
noon. Me and my mate had a stroll
and a pipe, and got back comfortable
to tea. After tea we had some grog.
When my mate and his wife took lit
| Tie too much, and then they Quarreled.
| He said my wife was better manager
| than she was, and that was the reason
we could ask them to dinner, and she
| said / didn't drink as much as he did.
and that that was the reason. How
ever, take it altogether, we had very
pleasant time of it; and in the course
of day or two things fell into their
usual course, and if | did think about
the five-pound note at all, it was with
thankfulness, and-with the hope that
L might soon find another.
Well, nearly fortnight had gone by
when one evening as / was sitting
reading the newspaper after a hard
days work, | heard a knock at the
door, then mans voice, and I soon
made out that he was inquiring as to
whether | was at home. Immediately
afterward in walked a policeman, who
inquired if my name was John Smith.
On my saying it was, he handed me a
paper, which he said was a summons
to appear before the Magistrate next
morning on a charge of unlaWfully de-
tanning five-pOund note, the property
OF Joseph Holdhard, etc. Well, here S
apretty mess, thought whats to be
done? There was the missus a-crying,
and the children with their eyes wide
open, wondering what had happened.
We'll, It's no use making long story
OF 1t. Next morning [ went before
the Magistrate. Evidence was given
by the paWnbrOker, who had his book
to show that he changed the note for
my missus; by the prosecutor, Mr.
Holdhard, sharp-speaking, business
like man, who proved clearly that the
note was his; and by the police, who
had received notice of the loss. For
tunately for me, my master came for
ward and gave me good character, or
else might have got six months, as
the Magistrates said they had power
to give me. [ haze been told
since that they have no power to i'm
prison any one for keeping what they
find unless they see the thing dropped
However that may be, Mr.. Holdhard
said he didn't want the man (meaning
me( imprisoned; he came forward, he
said, on public grounds, in order to
teach people that it was their duty to
find out the losers of property if nossi-
bic, and that if / would Civ my word
to repay the money he would ask for
the summons to be dismissed. This
you may be sure [ readily agreed to,
very glad to get off SO easy; but after
wards, when | came to think it over,
[ did not see where the money was to
come from. Mr.. Holdhard had given
me his card, and told me to call at his
house in a day or two. [ did so, and
was shown into a room with desk
and lot of books. Presently, in he
comes, and looking straight at me, he
says:
90 Well, John Smith, have you
brought Tie hve-pounds?"
mo, sir
.Then why did you come ?''
"To tell you that [ couldn't pay it
all at once, but that if you'd take
something every week I'd pay you ev-
cry penny"
every well; how much %
Say two shillings, sir
Very well. Goodnight
And so, as regular as every week
came round, [ took that two shillings
to Mr.. Joseph Holdhard. He never
said anything beyond Good-evening,
Smith, when [ went in, and after he
had put down the amount in the little
book it was Goodnight, Smith. -
How cruel and hard / thought him no
one knows; still, I knew the money
was his, and that he had right to it.
So | went on steadily, never once miss
ing week till the five pound was all
paid. Whatever happened, l always