The Osceola times., 1878-06-01
HlTTY TH0RNE'S DUTY.

We might mortgage the place" said
Miss Htty, sighing.
Aud retire TO the slmshouse, ELI ?"
returned her sister.
But what alternative Is open TO us7
| Shall we allow Tom to come to griei2"
tom richly deserves all the griet that
will fall 10 his share, poor fellow. Such
a schemer Expected 10 make fortune
for us all, forssoth, that we might aaunt
| in our velvets, drive our span, and fare
sumptuously every day One dollar for
rs and two Tor himself. reckon. What
should such boy know about specua-
tionY It's the old story over and over.
Speculating with other peoples money is
little indiscreet, to say the least. |
should have chosen sackcoth and sshes
rather than velvets won by such means"
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, il
there's ope-"
Rose diamonds, every spark Of
them
Not to mention the pearls and en-
eralds."
"Doublets and split pearls, dare
say"
You are 40 discoaraging Libby
We must have the money. | don't sup
pose that the wstch would bring tenth
OF the sum, hut it would help. Dear
dearl there's Hannah de RotbscAild with
two milions OF income, while you aud |
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 !"
You 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 and spicy
orchards beyond. You might have
had enough and to spare, Hitty enough
70 keep Tom out OF temptation"
And it was temptation to poor Tom
no doubt" returned Hitty, ignoring the
illsui-n, seeing 10 much money lying
idle, and such chance for doubling 1t
over and over, as he fondly believed"
Pshaw! A Ihorne had no business
to be tempted. Was our grandfather
tempted at the time OF the embargo,
when he could have had false papers
made out, as rybOdy was doing. and
saved his fortune, and left us all indie
pendeDtH II we mortgage the place, 1t
won't bring Eve thousand dollars; and
who could we call upon to take the
mortgage, and what should we do after.
ward - live in a tent gypsy style' oh,
| HitIy, if only you had Mt been 10 head
strong about Sesrle, oil this would have
been spared us +"
Don't speak OF il, Libby 1t hurts
me still. How could ] know what would
be best' and Miss Hitty, pacing the
long room with head bent, paused at the
easement, aud ssw the sunset reddening
upon Searle Hill, and touching the
window psnes into jewelry. The twenty
years OF happiness which might have
fallen TO her share up yonder proved
twenty year. Of silent endurance merely.
| She had watched the seasons a. they
passed over the Hill with an interest
which she had hoped would die, but
which had only strengthened with the
years-the lovely dsllying of the SPRING
time, the summers overflow OF bloom,
the splendor that autumn wears, the
white magniicence borrowed from win.
ter. II, twenty years ago, Hitty had
loved Anson Sesrle well enough to die
for him, if need he, she had loved little
Tom well enough to renounce happiness
and children and love for his sake, and
to live on through the barren, hopeless
days without a murmur. Tom had come
TO her arms a forlorn and helpless tive.
wear old baby, without father or 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-master, and
had broken his fathers heart /; aud when
the old gentleman died, he had left re-
spectacle fortune, the interest for the
benefit Of his two living daughters, the
principal falling 70 their children and
only in case Libby and Hitty died with.
out leaving direct heirs could any thing
more than the mer st trife revert TO poor
little Tom. Hitty had been engaged TO
Ars'n Searle year whe IN old Mr. Thorne
shufii d OFF the mortal coil and this un-
ju.t will came to light, and Searle him.
self was at that time only young lawyer
wrestling with circumstances, with no
great amount of funds at bis command.
And nothing for little Tom but this
paltry hundred dollars !" groaned Hitty,
when the will had been read and the es-
tate administered.
"Oi cnurse shall never marry" ssid
Libby. who was plain and old LOOKING tor
her years, and whose one lover had juted
her nsny years ago, when the bloom Of