Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-11-04

ing aside his pipe aud taking his daugh
ter's hand lovingly within his own, h
said
"Tom Smith, I know you to be
true and honest fellow. Tl.elu is nj
man upon the face of this earth l woul.
more desire to call my son-in-law bu
before l give my consent to your mar
riage. must tell you Of something tina
may perhaps cause you to draw back.
Tom was about to speak, when Abel
in trembling accents, resumed:
"If you'd both been content to wai
o few years, what l am about to tel
might never have been known to eithel
Of you. l was still young man when
l first entered Baker and Bakers ware
house; you, Polly, we're three years old
but your brother Sam was eleven OF
more. He used sometimes to bring me
my meals at the drug warehouse, and
once or twice Mr.. Baker-the old mar
I'm speaking OF now-took notice oi
him. As l was bit Of 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 II
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, 80 he shonld be DIT
when Mr.. Baker wanted him. Oh, how
we loved that boy how proudly we
watched him grow up, and what hopes
we formed OF him Sam seemed q
steady, industrious lad enough, and for
a time he certainly gave great satisfao-
tion in the counting house. He was then
seventeen, and as handsome fellow as
you might wish to see, though I'm his
father rs says it. He was 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 a
sudden change in his habits and appear
ance which alarmed me and his mother
very much. He got to keeping late
hours, made some bad acquaintances,
and begun to dress extravagantly. 1t
was no use our cautioning him, for 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 tho 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
in 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 cur 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 I felt l could no
longer remain in Mr.. Bakers employ;
and thus it was l went to Loostring b
Tools. So that Sam might have a
chance of getting back his character,
Mr.. Baker gave him letter of introduc-
tion 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
at the offer, but up to the moment of his
departure declared himself innocent of
stealing Mr.. Bakers money. Poor fel-
low it was the last we saw of him. Be-
fore the vessel reached India she met
fearful hurricane, and every soul on
board perished
Overcome by these painful recollec.
tions, Abel buried his face in his hands
and wept. Complete silence reigned in
the room for a few moments, and then
Polly, controlling with an effort the
strong emotions that swept through her
heart, 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"
The old man withdrew his hand from
her embrace, and, when she had kissed
the tears from his cheeks, resumed
"There could be no doubt of your
brothers guilt, and l was too sensible
of the kindness of his employers to al
low them to suffer. l resolved, come
what might, that would do my best to
repay them. For this I daily denied
myself for this / narrowed your op-
portunities of education and this, next
to your happiness, my child, is the OBJ
ject of my life"
"Dear father, and until now you
have always led me to believe that the
amountp paid half yearly was to discharge
a debt Of your own
My darling, was it to your interest
to know the truth9 When your brother
left England you were but child. Up
to tonight it has been my constant en-
aeavor to hide the real facts of the case
from you. had hoped to have paid off
the whole amount before you got mar
ried. Toms proposal to. night, how
ever, has frightened the secret out of !
me, for could not allow him to marry
you without knowing the t,uth."
"And now do know il, Mr.. Webb"
exclaimed Tom, who had Leen trying to
speak for some time, but had been un-
able to do 80, owing to a strange sensa-
ton as of marbles rolling up his throat,
and determination of his eyes to water
-"now l do know it, l am more than
ever desirous of making Polly my wife,
[ thought of having the banns put up
next week, and then we can be married
before another month is over our heads"
"But, Polly, is not that rather soona"
His daughter was at that moment en-
gagged in attending to the fire, the
brightness of which had, during the re-
,ital of Abel's revelation, become some
what dimmed. just after he spoke a
,heery fame again shot forth and dis
,losed happy smile upon Polly's face
md blush upon her cheek, forming
quite sufficient answer to the question.
"Well, my children, do as you will"
Tom Smith sprung from his chair and
vas wringing Abel's hands in token of
gratitude, when the sound of footsteps
.scendinR the stairs caught Abel's ear.
"Here, Polly I! quick with the candle,"
le cried "there is some one wants us,
u has mistaken the floor"
The room had hitherto been illumi-
lated solely by the fitful CLEAN of fire,
md just as Polly had got the candle
light the door was opened, and in
'trode Mr.. Baker-Baker junior-whom
Abel had LETT but an hour and half