Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-31
NEARLY TOO LATE.

but was brought up by kind aunt and
uncle My childhood passed merrily
enough until l was about eight, when
my uncle. hearing of the Austrian gold
fields, determined to seek fortune
abroad, instead of toiling for a mere
pittance at home.
So | was transferred to family
named Graham. They were middle
class, plain, homely people-working
goldsmiths, in fact-and lived in North
ampton square, clerkenwell.
They had but one child, daughter
named Lilly, who beinr only three years
younger than myself, we became great
friends. 1t was natural, also that as /
grew up and went proudly out to earn
my few shillings week, and drew
nearer to manhood, should learn to
love my pretty little playfehow.
Circumstances went on thus happily
until l was 20 and Lilly IL years OF age,
and then communication from my
uucle in Australia informed me that
they had a capital opening for me.
was 10th to leave Lilly; yet, as was
doing very indifierently and had heard
of such rapid fortunes acquired in such
short spaces oftime by energetic men,
/ summoned enough courage to tell
the Grahams and poor Lilly was de-
termined to go to Australia.
l shall never forget my parting ut
Blackwell Pier. ] shall never forget my
pretty little Lilly cllnging to my neck,
and sobbing aloud, and imploring me
not to go, and |, struggling between the
influence of love and enterprise, trying
not TO be coward, when, felt already
that | was one.
1t was in vain tried to cheer her; i
think | did not look SO very comforting,
though, if | remember rightly, recol-
lect saying:
Never mind, Lilly darling, | shall
return one day and make you grand
lady. | shall be sure to succeed, and
shall return TO make you happy !"
My tears, knew, wee threatening to
break the feeble barriers that held them
back, and when she said:
"Ah but suppose you never do re-
turn shall break my heart, Robert"
Why, then | think did shed tear
or so; only to keep her company.
AT last the boat pushed off, and Mrs.
Graham-good, kind old soul still
kept her arms around Lilly, as she
waved her final adieu to her orphan
protege.
| arrived at last at Melbourne. |
went miles overland, and at last reach
ed my uncle's settlement; but | had not
long been there ere found life in Aus
tralia less easy than | had anticipated
stayed with him f. little time, until
I taaly Iis1ilyn 10 r. fN, tlNnt
was what my uncle had most of his
money at, and | joined a party of
young fellows starting for new gold
field farther up the country.
Three years passed slowly away, and
l began to get along much better, and
/ had sent many a nugget to Melbourne.
had only received one dear cherished
letter from Lilly, written on her 18th
birthday, and sending me lock of her
pretty chestnut hair; yet | thought /
had no cause to fear, as | knew that
writing letters does not give young
ladies half the JOY of receiving them,
and | wrote often enough.
Well time went on. / had found
staunch, true friend about my own age,
and we we're like brothers. We always
worked together, and when we had been
out four years and half Tom Tnomp-
son-for that was the name Of my faith
full friend-and | we're getting rich.
knew that | WAS nearer home, and
more likely TO gain my dear little Lilly
every month | worked; but | also was
aware of the desperate crimes and ter
rible deeds that were being committed
around us by the rangers and other
villains. / knew that our reputation
was dangerous as gratifying; and so it
was; perhaps should not mention the
incident, as it seems to prolong a part
of the story that needs most brevity,
but, as it bears directly upon the ulti-
matum of the tale, | shall trepass upon
your kindness to give it in full.
One night Tom am had retired to
the bedroom we had built above the
basement of our little house, and ! was
already doing, while Tom, having care
fully seen TO the revolvers lfor need
not tell you how necessary they are in
country where justice is obtained in
such rough and ready manner), was
also yielding to the drowsy god, when
we fancied we heard something move
in the room below.
Both we're quickly. though silently,
on the alert, for we knew that, though
not much, we had still some gold that
had not been dispatched to Melbourne:
We knew that somebody, acquainted
with its hidiug-place, had, escaping
our notice secreted himself in the cabin
TO gain possession OF It.
When we heard him move again,and,
as we correctly thought, he had gained
our hidden nuggets, We crawled silently
TO the hole that gave entry TO our little
bedroom, and looked down.
All was dark. yet we could see the
dim outline Of man moving hither
and thlther. as though he knew every
inch Of the ground he trod. Now we
knew he would be certain to carry arms
and 50 We had to be exceedingly
cautious.
Tom cDolly nlacod a. ala f,,r hat on n