The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-12-26

: heap of money To get it back again.
, Five hundred golden pounds! Only
think of thatl"
"Five hundred pound4 for finding a
tarricr dog" replied Uncle Keckwidge.
! at amt likely. Not if he was ever
/ such a sumner for rats"
, 81 didn't say anything about terrier
dogs, Mr.. Keckwdge," exclaimed
Tom. 81 said deed Mr.. Morpeth's
deed"
"You distinctly said terrier dog
with one eye" said Uncle Keckwidgc; /;
and as for saying you'll be id, that
don't alter it. Nor il amt manners,
either"
81 never said anything of the kind!"
shouted Tom. az said it was a deed
that WIS lost-a parchment document"
81 said all along it was dog you
meant" said the old man, only catch
ing the last word of the sentence. "a
tarrier dog, answers to the name of
Bob! Well, you amt found him, have
you"
Mrs. Moyse and her daughter were
so tickled with the old mans mistakes
and Toms increasing indignation that
it was some time before their laughter
would permit them to explain to Uncle
keckwidge that it was valuable pa
per, and not a dog that was lost.
"Then why did he come a-telling us
stories about tarrier dogs" l don't
believe there amt been no dog lost at
all-there now. And he may put that
in his pipe and smoke it,"
Tom was beginning to get really an
| cry, but Bessie pacified him by squcez-
ing his hand under the table and whis-
pering:
Lor', you don't mind uncle, Tom,
dear. You know he's quite deaf and
foolish. He doesn't know half he
says"
al don't think much of the other
half, whatever it may be-" said Tom,
doubtfully. He's never particularly
amiable; but this evening he does seem
to have his knife into me uncommon"
Never mind, DEAR" replied Bessie.
" we don't take any notice of what he /
says, aud yon mustn't either. Have a
little of mothers homemade raspberry
jam, and think no more about it. This |
is the first pot of last years making.
brought out expressly in honor of
you"
THANK you, ma'am; since you're so
pressing, | don't mind if do" said |
Tom, and proceeded to help himself. !
But scarcely had he taken a mouthful
when he grew suddenly pale, his lower
jaw dropped, and he remained gazing
tixedly at the jam-pot as if spell-bound"
Good gracious, Tom," said Bessie,
" what ever Is the matter? Are you
in?"
Don't say it's a black BEETLE" said |
Mrs. Moyse, peering anxiously into the
jam-pot. But there was nothing there
TO cause Tens emotion.
No, don't; its nothing; shall be
all right directly! "gasped Tom. cts |
its the five hundred pounds"
Mrs. Moyse and Bessie looked at him
as if he had taken leave of his senses.
Uncle Keckwidge murmured incOhef-
emily, "Five hundred tarricr dogs with
one eye, answers to the name of Bob"
and relapsed into vacancy.
But Tom did not long continue in his
momentary condition OF bewilderment.
He pulled out the rough draft of the
advertisement, which was still in his
pocket, and beganIto compare the names
of the parties TO the deed, as there men,
toned. with piece of the parchment
which had covered the jam-pot, and
which now lay upside down upon the
table
"Ralph Howard and Frederick Pol
lock, Thomas Burt and Sydney Forest
Dysart, William Henry Austin. Yes,
the very names Mrs. Moyse, I've found
the missing deed, or at least a part of
it; and now, if we trace the rest, our
fortunes made
"You don't mean that dirty old piece
of sheepskin that lay about here for ever
so long, and that | took TO cover my
jam-pots? Good gracious"
"Mrs. Moyse, that dirty old piece of
parchment is worth fivehundiedp pounds
But where's the rest of it? For heav-
ems sake, don't say that it is destroyed"
'lrs all cut up, at any rate" said
Mrs. Moyse, fiinging open her cup
board. There's two dozen pots there,
and they've each got piece of it. That
pot was the first we've opened. And
rather think" "-rummaging in the cup
board-"yes, here it is II rather think
this is all the rest of it,"
IL was an anxious moment. The mu-
tilated parchment twas spread out, the
pots uncovered, and the circular frag-
ments restored, though with some diff
entity. each to its proper place. AT last
the task was finished. A few of the
and rheredses and prOcided disos were
slightly sticky, but not the smallest
part was missing.i
Mrs. Moyse's possession of the dc ed
was easily accounted for. When
Messrs. Sharpe & Floyd had removed
from Chancery lane. a quantity of old
papers, which were regarded as out of
date and useless, had been swept into
the corner for the dust-mau. The deed
in question had, by some accident, got
among them; and Mrs. Moyse, observ-
ing that II was parchment, and being
careful bonsekeeper, picked it up and
laid 1t aside for the purpose for which
she afterwards used it.
These particulars were communicated
to Tom while Bessie brushed his hat
and generally got him ready (for ex-
element had made him quite helpess)
to go OF to Mr.. Sharpc's private house
at once to claim the reward. Every
body appeared to have vague kind OF
impression that it wss all dream, and
that they had better secure the reward
before they woke up. With the deed
carefully wrapped in paper and in the
breast-pocket OF his carefully bultoned |
coat, Tom hurried to Mr.. Sharpe's, and |
hot and painting, began 10 tell his story. |
No sooner, however, had Mr. Sharpe
comprehended the main fact that the |
deed was found, and assured himself of
its absolute identity, than he stopped |
Tom short in his narrative.
"Thafll do for the present." said he
''you shall tell the rest as we go to MIR. |
Morphefs.
A hanson was called, and the pair
were soon at Mr.. Morpeth's house.
SIS your master imp inquired Mr..
Sharpe.
"Yes, sir" said the footman, "but
he is just sitting down to dinner"
81 must see him, Notwithstanding,
said Mr.. Sharpe. "Kindly take him
my card; tell him my business is very
nrpanf -