The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-12
BREAD UPON THE WATERS,

The night was wearing on as a lone
watchman of the little town of Merri-
vale, with weary yawn, turned from his
beat up and down the main street of the
village, and ensconced himself as COM
fortably as was possible within the
shadowy recess of the old bank building
doorway.
Coming on toward midnight" he
murmured, as series of footballs sounded
down the street. "Little danger of any
one stealing pennys worth in this old
fogy town."
A sentiment, by the way, often indulged
in, but an individual one exclusively, for
the four hundred dollars which he re-
ceived yearly from the town for his ser,
vices rendered it extremely essential that
he should not promulgate such ideas
among the various members OF the town
board.
"Some ones coming" he continued as
he peered past the shadow of the arched
doorway of the bank. ga rather late
wayfarer."
"And a young man, too," he pursued,
as the form of a boy, ragged, travel
soiled, and barefoot, came within speak
ing distance. Il say, you, boyw
The young wayfarer stopped, looked
abruptly around, and was about to re-
sumo his tiresome jaunt, when the burly
form of the watchman emerged from the
doorway.
az ~WsIy1,yy say y0u' boy" the latter repeated.
"Rather late for you to be out of
bed, amt itT'
The man had been gradually coming
nearer to the boy; now he had reached
him, he curiously regarded his white,
sad-looking face. Even the occasional
advent of a strange boy in this quiet vii
lage, sequestered from frequent commu-
nication with the busy outside world,
and shut in to its own enjoyments and
society by the graudly towering noun
tains of the Bantanya Ridges, was mat
ter of moment, consequently old Silas
Tolman was not at all averse to CONVEX
sation with the boy.
"Youre out late"
eyes"
"Going to stop here%
''Don't know"
'Don't know" echoed Silas some
what irritated at the monosyllabic terse-
nesss of the lad. "What do you know"
The boys eyes dimmed, and a pitiful
glow came into them.
81 know hunger" he said, simply,
Nothing more, just now."
For moment the village watchman
looked at the boy, and then took from
his pocket small and neat package.
dts my lunch," he said, "take it."
The boy hesitated to comply at first,
but finally compiled.
81 have no money to repay you for
this" he said. 81 am homeless and an
orphan. A mile back from here two
tramps stopped me and took the very
few pennies I had away from me-"
The watchman regarded him in silence,
and when the boy had finished the meal,
said:
"You have no home, you sayY'
"None," replied the lad, sadly.
"Ard no place to stay to-night?"
"No home" the old man muttered, as
he led him down the street and to his
own house, up the stairs, and into little
bedroom.
I live here alone with my daughter"
he said. "This is my lodging place,
Stay here and rest yourself well until
morning"
And then Silas Tolman returned to his
solitary beat, and back to the shadow of
the bank doorway.
Four days subsequent to the burglary
a well-worn traveller boy in whom it
would not be difficult to trace resem-
blance to the guest of the good natured
watehman of Merrivale upon the night
Of the bank robbery, was slowly walking
from Taunton to Merrivale, about ten
miles from the latter place, when q hand
bill on the side Of tree, directly on the
side of the road, attracted his attention.
Going up to it he read:
NOTICE-REWARD.- A reward of $500 will be
IN paid for any information which may lead 10
the apprehension of the robbers concerned III the
burglary of the Merrivale Bank, on the Both inst,
ana Il reward OF $lUUO Will De pald Tor the re-
coyery and return of the money stolen above.
JAMES i. BARKER,
President Merrivale Bank.
"a robbery" calculated the boy
"And at Merrivale. Truly, that's the
very place where the old watchman was
50 kind to me. A rare old fellow he was,
too. | got up and left without thanking
him in the morning, but he must have
understood that / did not want to i'm
pose on him any further. Fifteen hun
dred dollars! Whew! l wish l had it."
/ Solitude reigned supreme in the for
est until the gradually increasing tones
of human voice struck upon his ear
Two men were seen approaching, men in
whom he recognized the robber tramps
of the evening Of the Merrivale Bank
robbery. An intuitive divination of
some mysterious errand on their part
caused him to remain quiet. They came
on, halting in the very shadow of the
oak, within the umbrageous upper shell
ter of which he was comfortably as well
as securely watching them. s
81 say my plan is the best, Jack"
spoke one of the men, iinging an iron box
upon the ground. "Ihat ere box be