Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-01-24

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.et Thai became her snPeroiy, %
.rean,-colorexi gloves and lie. The
Fanny posxssor, l could no. say Win
nv truth. She had never felt 30
ia all her iife- she
,ouIsl not quite believe thsteveryonc
vho looked at her would not know
AL what she had done, and when
ea.,ime came she sal behind the
raw with the most woe-begone
possible Not smile
.ouId she give her father moi ?
o,easaut word had she to besio@ up
On her brother.
Conscience had slumbered Tor
awhile, but IT swoke with redouoisu
mower. and all night the poor gin
tossed upon her bed. unable 10 Close
her eyes. and longing to undo me
Iced that she had done. Perhaps
had she simply bought The bonnet
Madame Gilfroy would have taken
!, Iack bu, she had change from her
and had spent 1t elsewhere. Moth
ing was to be done nothing. When
her next allowance came dae she
could. OF course. give that TO the
basket, II she chose, bat II was Two
0eeks before that would happen,
and after all, she had done the deed.
The stain was on her soul. She had
robbed the poor--for the money IN
the Beggar's Basket was always Civ
en- to the poor In some way or other.
Saturday afternoon came al ias'.
The basket must 60 10 the circle. As
she handed IL to Mrs. Rolla that en-
ergetic lady exclaimed:
"Oh. why can't people be more
generous? I've just heard OF s''ch a
destitute family"
Her heart sank. Had good Mr..
wortley's gift been In her pocket
how pleased she would have been to
have known how IL would help, and
TO be placed, as che would have been
on the committee which would have
purchased necessaries for that desti-
tute family.
"I'm sorry there il not more In the
pocket, Mrs. RolIa" said she.
Pm sure sure yoU'yE been very
generous" said Mrs. RoIla, "but ]
declare there's no use begging now,
people are 80 mean" And there
the subject ended.
Poor Nellie sat in the corner sad
and silent all the afternoon. Blame
her as you may you must have pitt
ed her; but the end had not come.
She was TO DO punished even more
severely.
The sewing circles ended with tea
and music, and conversation after
wards. GeLtiemen came for the
ladies, aud spent some time with
them. Tonight, as Nellie having
refused TO sing, crepL away toa quiet
corner, "a gentlemen for Miss
Richie" was announced, and 10 hen
great astonishment, Mr.. Wortley was
usbered into the parlor.
Surprised 10 see me so soon again,
my dear" he said; "but the fact isr
your Beggsr's Basket brought me
back. made such ridiculous mis-
take. | wanted OF course, TO do some.
thing worth While for such All old
friend "a this sewing circle, aud ] put
in tweniy.dollar bill, but ] unfor-
tunateIy, had in my pocket a coun,
terfeit bill, marked with cross in
red ink, | did not get out my glasses,
and so put that into the basket In
stead of genuine one. / feared you
might be put 10 modification by my
stupidity, so hurried back. Besides,
| want the counterfeit to return IL to
the dishonest person who palIned II
OFF ON me. ! hate being cheated"
lie held the bill toward Nellie
with bow. Mrs. RolIs fastened to
the basket.
|" To think we took II for two dol
lars!" she said. "What u good
hearted soul you are, Mr.. Wortley!''
Then she plunged her hand into
the pocket, drew forth the money
and looked at 1t.
why, declare, IL is just what
thought It'll" said she.
Nellie turned pale as death.
Mr.. WortIey said singular" and
whether the poor girl would haye
come TO confession then and there Ii
unknown, for at that moment the
servant ushered In lady--no other
than the milliner, Madame Gilfroy.
II beg pardon for intruding, Ia.
dies" she said in her hlgh-pitched
voice, "bnt | have a little business
with Miss Richie here, aud hei
home Is a long distance of, and bus.
mess keeps me close. DO you know
Miss Richie, some one has cheated
you awfully? The twenty dollar bill
you gave me Is counterfeit, and
came very near being arrested in
OF offering It, for there
Il q bad In red Ink Ia one corner
that neither OF us saw
Mr.. Wortley gave a start, and held
out his hand for the bill. Mrs
Rolla held up her hands. The la.
dies exchanged glances. and poor
Nellie Richie felt herself growing
deaf and blind, aud hoping that /,
was death that was creeping over
her, fell fainting TO the floor.
Poor old Mr.. Wortley, Mortified Al
the modification to which he had
brought the girl, whom, though b.
could not help blaming. he still love,