The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-11-15

ming to think" this alteration in re-
sponse to protest from Polly)-" t'e
time we got married. don't like to
see her wearing her young life out in
our hot workrooms. Ny salary, as you
know, is Mt present ESQ year, and I
live on the premises. Now think if /
was to tell Loostring the facts OF the
case, and that L wanted to live away,
he'd give me G130. Now, amt that
enough to get married on, and have you
any objection to Polly and being mar
ried ut once2 p
Here Tom Smith paused, not because
he had exhausted his subject, but for
the reason that he was ont of breath.
Then Polly took up the parable.
Siding her stool to her fathers side
and resting her head upon his knee, she
said, tremblingly:
Don't think, daddy dear, that my
being married will make any difference
to you and me, for you are to come and
live with us eh, Tom 2"
MIR. Smith, thus appealed to, vowed
that his father in laws residence with
them was considered quite settled mat
ter, as in truth it was
A tear stood in old Abel's eye, and
his voice quivered with emotion as, lay
ing aside his pipe and taking his daugh-
ter's hand lovingly within his own, he
said
"Tom Smith, 1 know you to be q
true and honest fellow. There is no
man upon the face of this earth would
more desire to call my son-in-law but
before l give my consent to your mar
riagc, must tell you Of something that
may perhaps cause you to draw back. !"
Tom was about to speak, when Abel,
In trembling accents, resumed
Ii you'd both been content to wait
few years, what am about to tell
might never have been known to either
of You. was still young man when
L HIST entered Baker and Bakers ware
h"use; you, Polly, were three years old,
but your brother Sam was eleven or
more. He used sometimes to bring me
my meals at the drug warehouse, and
o2ce or twice Mr.. Baker-the old man
lln speaking of now-took notice OF
him. As 1 was bit of q favorite, he
used to say to me {: "Now, Abel, when
that boys old enough I'll take him into
the counting house, if you like If I
would like treasured those words,
and your mother and myself did all we
could In the way of sending him to
school and such like, so he should be dit
when MIR. Baker wanted him. Oh, how
We loved that boy how proudly we
watched him grow up, and what hopes
VIC formed of himl Sam seemed
stoady, industrious lad enough, and for
time he certainly gave great satisfac-
tion in the counting house. He was then
seventeen, and as handsome fellow as
You might wish to see, though I'm his
father as says it. He was a general ia
vorite in the Office, and at last got trust
ed to collect some of the debts due to
the firm. About this time there came q
sudden change in his habits and appear
alice which alarmed me and his mother
very much. He got to keeping late
hours, made some bad acquaintances,
and begun to dress extravagantly. It
was no use our cautioning him, Tor he
seemed determined to go on his own
course. But all the sorrow and disap-
pointment we felt was as nothing to the
blow that almost stunned us when on, q
chance examination of the books, it was
found Sam had embezzled his employ
ers' money to hundred and fifty
pounds. From the moment of that ter
rible discovery your mother dropped and
dropped until she died.
"What he had done with the money
he would never tell; but the head
cashier (Mr. Robert Wilmot, he who
went soon after to Australia) declared
that more than once he had heard the
boy talk about horse racing; and it was
III this way we always considered the
money had gone. AS for Sam himself,
he stuck to it hard and fast that he was
not guilty of any dishonesty. He swore
that the money he'd collected had al
ways been paid over to the cashier; but
the evidence the other way was too
strong, and onr boy was branded as a
thief. Mr.. Wilmot, who was angry at
Sans insinuations, wanted him sent
to prison; but Mr.. Baker was merciful
man, and did not bring upon us further
disgrace. After this felt / could no
longer remain in Mr.. Bakers employ:
and thus it was went to Loostring &
Tools. So that Sam might have q
chance of getting back his character,
Mr.. Baker gave him letter of introduc-
tlon to merchant at Bombay, some
where in India, who might be able to
find him employment such as wouldn't
have temptations. Sam eagerly jumped
mt the offer, but up to the moment of his
departure declared himself innocent of
stealing MIR. Bakers money. Poor fell
low it was the last we saw of him. Be-
fore the vessel reached India she met q
fearful hurricane, and every soul on
board persisted.
Overcome by these painful recollec.
tlons, Abel buried his face in his hands
and wept. Complete silence reigned in
the room for q few moments, and then
Polly, controlling with an effort the
strong emotions that swept through her
henrt, crept to her fathers side and
placed her hand in his.
"Dear father, the story of your sor-
row makes you dearer to me than
ever"