The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-06-06

sounded like an accusation against him.
At length, he hit upon the stratagem of
yawning and pretending to fall asleep,
at which, still chatting to herself, the
woman withdrew.
Relieved to find himself alone, Saliva
dore slipped little more of the coffee,
and ate another mouthful of bread and
butter; but the one tasted bitter to his
tongue, and the other seemed as il it
were sprinkled with ashes. At length,
worn out, both in body and mind. he
threw himself, in his clothes, on the
bed and slept-slept soundly. Nor
if the countenance of his mother, wear
ing an angelic smile, lowered over him;
a beautified shadowy fo,m, its clasped
hands lifted up in benedictions, to which
host of seraphim from radiant sky
sang sweet hallelujahs.
Salvatore, half rising in the delight
of this delicious dream, would have fol-
lowed the airy retreat of the airy appa-
ritioR into eternity, when the impress
of small, soft hand seemed to draw
him gently back to earth, and with no
less delight he beheld the lovely feat
ures Of the jewelers. young daughter,
beaming in all their childish tenderness
into his eyes, inviting him to remain.
At this period, the dream dissolving,
Salvatore awoke; and, rising partly
from his bed, rubbing his eyes as if to
convince himself what he had seen was
no illusion, something dropped from his
L. 81 NTH 1o,S1 ,D,,r1 he
peted floor. 1t was the casket contain
ing the stolen diamond cross, and all
his waking horrors returned.
To snatch up the cause of his re-
morse and misery was the effort of
moment, and to restore it to its place
of concealment, where it seemed to him
like the tortures ascribed to the vrAt-
ure's beak. gnawing and tearing the
heart of the unfortunate Prometheus.
vanced. Rising, therefore, at once, Sal
vadore rang his bell, and, requesting
the lady to replenish the coffee, he
made the best breakfast he could, re-
solving to quit the town and return
with all speed to London. 1t was there
only he could dispose of his plumber,
and escape with its produce either to
America or Australia, where, by honest
industry, he hoped one day to earn suf
ficient to repay the robbed jeweler,
and look his fair young daughter-for
he could not forget her-once more
unfinchingly in the face. Such are
the decisions of youth, under the in
fuence of a first crime, till, unfortu-
nately, another and another succeeds,
and the heart becomes hard and cal
lous; and repentance, which brings the
soul to heaven, is thing of the past.
Yes, he would return to London; but
how? A few pence only remained of
the half crown. He must walk-there
was no alternative-he must walk. It
would take him three days to return,
and had he not made solemn VOW
never to come near his parents tomb
again till he was more worthy of their
forgiveness? Had he become SO? He,
a robber-a thief? The admonishing
voice of his dead mother seemed to
whisper i'll his ear, NO! Come not
near the ashes that your guilt has pro-
famed" In this frame of mind he was
crossing square, in which stood the
Town Hall, when a sudden shower of
rain compelled him t. take speedy
refuge under O cclonnade conducting
to the interior of the building. Stand
ing behind pillar, whose vast round
concealed him from observation, Saliva
dore was suddenly struck by the sight
of two policemen dragging forward a
man.
That mau was the drunkard who had
insulted Miss Altenbury, whom he had
SO hastily elected from the shop. Of
what could he be accused? An insur-
curiosity-an impulse be-
yond controlling, led Salvatore to learn
this circumstance, and, following in the
throng which entered at the same time,
he concealed himself in nook.
The poor fellow, who now assumed
perfectly sober and not disreputable
was charged with the fell
ony of stealing the diamond cross-the
cross which was then within few rods
of him, concealed within the breast OF
the real purloiner, who felt that he
ought to have stood arraigned at that
bar in the place of the unjustly ac-
cused.
The supposed criminal had, however,
good character to give. He had never
but once been intoxicated before. Re-
spectacle people spoke 10 his long
honesty; and for want of
proofs or evidence against him he was
acquitted.
As he left the hall, nevertheless,
many suspicious eyes were cast toward
him but he defed them all. with head
erect, and walked boldly away.
But Salvadore-where was he?
1t was he who hurriedly left the hall,
with eyes cast down, his head bent al
most on his breast, conscience-stricke
of heaven.
II was still raining. With his stolen
treasure unsupported in his possession,
Salvatore had no refuge to betake him
self to-no roof to cover him, and what
was worse, n torturing remorse to ac-
company him wherever he went.
His refuge was under the old hull of
a vessel, undergoing repairs upon the
beach.
Here he sat miserable and alone (for
even the fishermen and netmakers,
driven by the pelting of the pitiless
storm, had sought refuge in their tran