The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-10-02

belI mOJlOnleSS anu DeWuuereu, con-
scious only of draught of air from an
open door and some confused noises.
Then she sprang to the door and hur-
ried into the room.
"Dick Dick !" she cried. "Dick
Dick help wake upl Pm robbed -
But there was no answer; the door
into the street was wide open, and by
the moonlight that poured through it
she saw, as she peered under the counter
that Dicks bed was empty. The boy
was gonel
Gone Gonel Oh, that was worse to
poor Granny Briggs than even the loss
of her money for she had trusted him,
and he had deceived her. She had loved
him, and he had abused her love. The
neighbors were right; she was fool to
trust strange street boy, and had been
served rightly when he had robbed her.
When the dawn broke the wise neigh
bors came into poor Granny's shop
to find her crying, and rocking to and
fro and they told her they had told her
so, and she only shook her head The
shop took care of itself that day. Life
had lost its interest for her. Her oc-
cupation was gone" but not with her
savings. Money was but money after
all: He had come to be the only thing
she loved, and Dick had robbed her.
1t was ten o'clock. Granny sat moan
ing by the empty hearth. Good-natured
Mrs. Jones, from upstairs, was " seeing
to things" and trying to cheer her,
when suddenly there came rap on the
door, and policeman looked in.
Mrs. Briggs ?" said he.
Here she is" said Mrs. Jones.
Yes I'm that wretched critter,' said
Mrs. Briggs.
Some one wants to see you at head
quarters" said the policeman. "There's
boy there and some money"
"Dick !" cried Mrs. Briggs. ooh, L
can't bear to look at him ~
But Mrs. Jones had already tied on
her bonnet, and wrapped her in shawl
and taken her ON her arm.
"The wretch ~ she said. "I'm so
glad he's caught. You'll get your money
back"
And she led Mrs. Briggs along-poor
Mrs. Briggs, who cried all the way, and
cared nothing for the money. And soon
they were at their destination then and
not before, the policeman turned to the
two women:
"He's pretty bad," he said. "They'll
take him to the hospital in an hour. 1
suppose you're prepared for that. " He's
nearly beaten to death, you know.n
did you beat him, you cruel
wretch Y'' said Mrs. Briggs. 81 would
not have had that done for twice the
money. Let him go with it, if it's any
comfort to him."
6 beat him !" said the man. "Well,
women have the stupidest heads. Why,
If hadn't got up when 1 did he'd have
been dead. He held the bag of money
tight, and the thief was pummeling him
with loaded stick and the pluck he
had for a little shaver-I tell you | never
saw the like;'
CSC You shan't take Granny's money
from her, says he, and fought like lit
tie tiger. If it's your money, old lady,
he's given his life for it, for all know" {"
Then poor old Mrs. Briggs clapped
her hands and cried:
ooh, Dick Dick 1 knew you were
good. must have been crazy to doubt
you," and then she wrung her hands
and cried: cob, Dick, for just paltry
bit of money!" and so she knelt beside
the pale, still face upon the pillow, and
kissed it, and called it tender names.
And Dick, never guessing her sus-
picion of him, whispered
81 was so afraid he'd get off with it
if he killed me, Granny, and you in such
hopes last night"
He did not know what she meant by
begging him to forgive her. 1t would
have killed him if he had, for he was
very near death.
Dick did not die. He got well at last
and came back to the little shop; and
though Granny Briggs had her savings,
she never went to the Old Ladies' Home;
for long before she died Dick was one of
the most prosperous merchants in the
city, and his handsome home was hers,
and she was very happy in it.