The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-05-30
hlTTT THORNE'S DUTY.

" We might mortgage the place" said
Miss Httty, signing.
" And retire, to the almshOuEe, eh 2"
retained her sister.
6 But what alternative is open to us
Shall We allow Tom to come to gTief?" "
Tom richly deserves all the grief that
will fall to his share, poor fellow. Such
a schemer Expected to make a fortune
for Us all, forsooth, that we might haunt
in our velvets, drive our span, and fare
sumptu0uslY every day One dollar for
us and two for himself. reckon. What
should such boy know about sPecula-
ton? q? It's the old story over and over.
SpeeulatiDg with other peoples money is
little indiscreet, TO say the least. /
should have chosen saekcloth and ashes
rather than velvets won by such means"
g Certainly. But now that Tom is
Involved, nothing but money will extri~
cate him. There's my watch, the heir
loom from Grandma Pentecost; there
are fifty diamonds bedded in the case, if
there's one" urG
i" Rose diamonds, every spark of
them 20 % 7zas4
Not to mention the pearls and en-
eralds.'
& Doublets and split pearls, l dare
e You are 50 discouragiDg, Libby
We must have the money. l don't sup
pose that the watch would bring a tenth
OF the sum, but 1t would help. Dear
dear! there's Hannah de Rothschild with
two millions OF income, while you and
can't raise FIVE thousand dollars though
it should break our hearts. Not even to
save an old and honorable name from
contempt, and a foolish young fellow
from ruin. Alas alas -
on know, Hitty, it might have been
different" suggested LIBBY, her eyes
wandering toward the old fashioned
square mansion crowning the hill within
sight, with its fringe ct elns aud spicy
orchards beyond. You might have
had enough and TO spare, Hitty enough
to keep Tom out of temptation"
And it was a temptation to poor Tom
iIlsui<n, g seeing so much money lying
idle, and such chance for doubling it
over and over, as he fondly believed" f"
" Pshaw A Ghorne had no business
to be tempted. Was our grandfather
tempted st the time of the embargo,
when he could have had false papers
made out, as everyb body was doing. and
| saved his fortune, and left us all inde
pendent? IF we mortgage the plsce, it
won't bring five thousand dollars and
/ who could we call upon to take the
mortgage, and what should we do after
ward : live in tent gypsy style? Oh,
Hitty, if only you had Mt been so head
strong about Sasrle, all this would have
been spared US "
"Don't speak of it, Libby; it hurts
me still. How could know what would
be best?" and Miss Hitty, psciDg the
long room with head bent, paused at the
easement, and saw the sunset reddening
upon Searle Hill, and touching the
window panes irto jewelEy. The twenty
years of happiness which might hsve
fallen to her share up yonder proved
twenty years of silent endurance merely
She had watched the seasons az they
passed over the Hill with an interest
| which she had hoped would die, but
which had only strengthened with the
,years-the lovely dallyiDg of the spring.
| time. the summer overflow of bloom
the splendOr that autumn wears, the
white magnifcence borrowed from win
ter. IL, twenty years ago, Hitty had
loved Anson Searle well enough to die
for him, if need be, she had loved little
Tom well enough to renOunce happiness
1 and children and love for his sake, and
to live on through the barren, hopeles:
DAYS without g murmur Tom had come
| to Ler arms fOrlOrn and he'll pless TIVE
year old baby, without father OF mother
when Hitty was eighteen, and her love
had grown with her growth and strength
ened with her strength. Toms mother
/ had -eloped with her. music-masteT, and
bad broken his fathers heart; and wheI
the old gentleman died, he had left re-
spectacle fortune, the interest for th'
benefit of his two living daughters, tht
principal falling to their children anC
only in case Libby and Hitty died with
out leaving direct heirs could any thiDI
more than the st trifie revert to poo.
little Tom Hitty had been engaged t.
Ansan Searle year when old Mr. Thorni
Shuffi ID off the mortal coil and this un
Just will came to light, and SeaTle him
self was at that time only young lawye
wrestling with circumstances, with d
great amount OF funds at his command
And nothing for little Tom but thi
paltry hundred dollars 7" groaned Hitty
when the will had been read and the es
tate administered.
SCI course I shall never marry" ssit
Libby. who was plain and old looking TO
her years,and whose one lover had jIlte'
her many years ago, when the bloom o
youth at least he'd been hers. Their
wasn't the smallest danger that Libb,
would threaten Toms interests by mar
fying.
" No, you may never marry, Libby,
sighed her sister g but IL love AnsOn
and oh love little Tom, too, my littl
motherless Tom / canLot rob him c
! his patrimony, and cannot live Withou
: Anson. How can I wrong Tom to pleas
: ure myself? WHAT will he have to g
8 out into this cold hard world with If
a if"
= 81 Hush, you silly girl he will bay
his head and hands like other men an