American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-06-29

she threatened to go OFT and leave him
to himself. He told her to go if she
wanted to, but she should never come
back if she did.
"He didn't expect she'd go, but she
went, and nobody knows that they ever
saw each other again. Mahala Blunt,
that kept house for him, told the story,
! all she knew of it, and she said it was
pitiful to see him after she'd gone
He'd steal out to the gate and look up
and down the road half a dozen times
in an evening, and she knew he was look
ing for Priscy."
"PriscyP" said John.
A." Yes; her name was Priscilla, you
know. But Priscy never came, and by
and by he seemed to give it up, and af
ter that the only object he had in the
world appeared to be to save and hoard
money. And it didn't do him any good
either, for he wouldn't even allow him
self enough to eat, nor Mahala neither.
At last she said she couldn't stand it any
longer, and she left him, and by-and-by
he sold out and went nobody knows
where"
"And the daughter?"
| "Oh, most likely she's dead. There's
been a good many stories afloat abou,
her, but come to sift them they didn't
amount to much"
Then John thanked the old lady for
her information, and having in his turn
told her what he knew of Mr.. Dill. took
his leave.
When John reported to Mr.. Hatch,
his lawyer, the very meager information
he had gathered at Pomfret, that gen.
tleman said, {" 1t isn't of the slightest
consequence, sir; all the relations in the
world couldn't upset the will, which is
perfectly legal"
John smiled. al suppose the best
way to ascertain whether the daughter
is living would be to advertise, wouldn't
itp" he asked.
"Doubtless it would; but what do
you want to ascertain for? You'll only
make trouble for yourself"
"It seems to me the right thing to
do" said John; "and as 1 don't under
stand much about such matters, will
get You to attend to it for me, and send
me word if you hear any thing"
"Of course will attend to it if such
are your orders; but mind, sir, it is not
by my advice, and decline to be held
responsible for the consequences.
al hold no one responsible but my
SELF" said John.
The news of Johns fortune reached
home before he did, and he at once be-
came very important parsonage in the
village Not only did his old friends
flock around him with congratulations,
but those who had formerly overlooked
the poor mechanic entirely, suddenly
discovered that he was a man of great
merit. Armstrong expressed joy at his
good luck; at the same time he said,
"I don't see how am to get along
without you.''
"Perhaps you won't have to- said
John. &c mean to keep right on with
my work at present.
As for Mrs. Ratchet, she declared it
it was like fairy story. She would
have new silk dress before another
Sunday. "Who would have dreamed
when you brought that old man home
that it would end like thisP''
"It hasn't ended" said John.
"There, that's just like you," said
Debby; "you're never excited whatever
happens. Now, 1 feel just like dancing
and clapping my hands,
And Debby executed a pirouette, which
was the means of bringing her foot down
upon Ponto's tail. He ran under the
table with a yelp, and she dragged him
out and patted him, saying, "Never
mind, Ponto; you shall have beautiful
new collar with silver label, so you
shall"
Debby," said John, " if any thing
should happen that this money should
turn out not to be ours after all, would
it be such a terrible disappointment to
you?''
"Oh, John, what do you meanP' said
Debby.
Grandfather Dill had daughter -
said John. "Don't you remember his
last wordsP''
Yes-let me see. He said, poor
Priscy! Perhaps she wasn't 50 much to
blame, after ALL"
"Well, Priscy was his daughter. If
she is alive, her fathers money is right
fully hers"
elm spite of the will?''
elm spite of the WILL" said John.
"But she may be dead. 1 hope she
is. o Lordy! didn't mean to say
that" And Debby clapped her hand
over her mouth as if to keep back the
wicked words. ''But to think of being
as poor as ever again after all our plans
and hopes! Why didn't you tell me
there was a doubt about it in the first
placep''
because you went on so you didn't
give me time,' said John. s. Besides,
it isn't really settled that we give up the
money even if Priscy is alive.''
"How is any body going to know
what you meant" said Debby, impa-
tiently. "Didn't you just say it was
rightfully hers in spite of the willP''
"Yes; and 1 think it is rightfully,
though not legally. NowI am going to
leave it for you to decide; but first make
the case your own. Suppose your ia
Their had left fortune, and had willed
it away from you to comparative strang-
ersP''
"That's what you call leaving it to