Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-30
Nearly Too Late.

VIZ XII AA IkA&SI Nt Nitt d-p OA IOuT.
but was brought up by u Kind aunt and
uncle Nv childhood passed merrily
enough until / was about eight, when my
uncle, hearing Of the Australian gold fields,
determined 10 seek fortune abroad, in
stead OF toiling for a mere pittance al
home -r.
So WAS transferred to family hy the
name OF Graham. They were middle class,
plain, h0mely people-wOrking goldsnliths,
in faci-and lived i'm Northampton square.
Clerkenwell #s
They had but one child, daughter,
named I.ily, who. beiRg only three years
younger than myself, We became great
friends Il was natural also that as grew
UP and went proudly out 20 earn my few
shiIlings week, and drew nearer to man
hood, ] should learn 10 lOve my pretty little
plavfeIl0x-
Circumstances yrenr on thus happily un-
III ! was twenty and Lilly seventeen years
Of age, and then communication from
HIy Unlce IN Australia informed me that
they had a capital opening for me-
WAS lGafh 70 leave Lily; vet as / was
dong veTT indifFermtly and had heard Of
snch great fortunes acquired in such short
spaces Of tine by energetic men, sum
m0ned enough courage one day totell the
Grahams and poor little Lilly was deter
mined 10 20 10 Australia
SlsaH never.&orret nav parting at Black
-Hl Pier / shall never forget NV pretty
tiftir Lily clinEing 10 nay neck, and sobbing
aloud, Rnd iupl0ring me not to 90, and /,
struggling between the influence Of love and
euterpEise, 1Tying not 10 be a coward. when
] felt already thai was one,
il was IN vain ] tried 10 cheer her; /
think I did not look SO very comforting,
though il rememher rightly, recollect
saying:
Never mind Lily darling, TRllall return
one day and make YOU a grand lady, I
shall tc sure TO succeed. and shall return TO
sIlake y01 hsTJpy
Ms tears. ! know. were threatening TO
Isosk fsle feeble barriers that held them
back, and xaen she said:
s.Ah, bun suppose YOU never do return
/ sAlGl lreak my heart, Robert
WHY. then fflink Ida Ehed tear or so
only 1o keep her company. ..#-
AT last the boat pushed of, and Mrs.
ts-RlEam-Co0d- kind old sOll!-still kept
lnrr arms around Lliv as she waved her
sil.sl hEi1n q ller orphan prOtege.
s-4sves e ssS ~ Nelbour-e ! weut
smiles oxeriEnd. and AZ last reached my
szncls's sel1lsEneI1t. bGi had no; long been
slIEze ere Lfo1nd lsfe il Australia less rSSy
ti9an had anticip6ted- stayed with him
far n little time. until took q dislike TO
fm-EIing-f0r that was what my uncle had
s1lnaf Eaas1 0f his money at-Hnd Joined a
yarrv ct yDulr fellows starting for q new
gsslS field faT1tAsr TIp the country.
Three gears passed. slowly away, and /
a.cgzn 20 get along nsuch better, and had
.s=n1 many q nuECe1 10 Melbourne. had
sssslt- received one dear cherished 1stter from
EEIlr, E-SfGen on her eighteenth birthday,
slnd senai1E 11e = lock Of her pretty chest
uszli hair rez 4 tllourla I lad no cause 10
fu4-, ~ ! lneE THAI writing letters does
ngt Efve Young lhdirE half The JOY of re-
r.e7r1nc Shgu. and wreie Diiaa enough.
Vel, time went m I had found a
-awuncA. true sfrirnd zla0li ray own Sge, aid
yre we've sfE1c agro-hers. We always worked
sogeti1eE. and Ehcn We had been out four
vrssrs and q half, Torn Thompson that
WIS TIE Eszne of Isly ssiihful fnend-and
were getting -Teh-
4 knew FlEx= ] Ess nearer A5na5 and more
anztar 10 gain uIE dear little Lilly every
-aaurt urarkel: 5yut I also was aware OF
tine aazupe7ase crimes and terrible deeds
tlas1 Ea-e lesiErS committed around US by
rRue rnnvas and osher villains knew that
our rsSu1S1i0n was as dangerous as gratify=
ing and 50 Il wssg perhaps ] should not
merton the incident, as Il seems 10 pro
51ng q part q the story that needs most
n-rss1Y. bu1. as Il bears directly upon the
EllzinaEaasxl1 Ct the tale / shall trespass upon
Fwur knanaaa 20 give il IN full.
One night Tom and had retired to the
tsasrosm I'VE had built above the basement
af our little house, and / was already doZ-
ing. while Tom, lREsng carefully seen TO
the rcVolverx tf0r / need moi tell yol how
pl1assszTy they are in a country where JUS
tice l. ssIfained n such a rough and ready
gnsnaa3. xas also yielding TO the Growsy
a.ssd. when &C tRacied We heard something
move 7n the rssGm beloE.
Both were quickly, tilouEh silently. on
aA4s alert for we knew that though not
ElGeh. we had still some gold that had not
fseen DISPATCHED 10 Melbourne We knew
1alaz sameb0dE, acquAinted with its hiding
place, had, escaping our Doaice secreted