The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-01-22
NEARLY TOO LATE,

was lc1t III otpnau NJ tue age OF IOur
but was brought up by kind aunt and
uncle. My childhood passed merrill,
enough until was about eight, when my
uncle hearing of the Australian gold.
fields, determined to seek a fortune
abroad, instead of tolling for a mere pit
tance at home.
So was transferred to a family BY
the name of Graham. They were mid.
dle-class, plain, homcly people--work-
ing goldsmiths, in fact-and lived in
northampton Square, Clerkenwell.
They had but one child, a daught el
named Lilly, and she being only three
years younger than myself, we became
great friends. 1t was natural, also, that
as l grew up and went proudly out to
earn my few shillings a week, and drew
nearer to manhood, l should learn to love
my pretty little playmate.
Circumstances went on thus happily
until I was twenty and Lilly seventeen
years Of age, and then communication
from my uncle in Australia informed me
that they had capital opening for me-
| was 10th to leave Lilly; yet, as I was
doing very indifferentiy and had heard
of such rapid fortunes acquired IN such
short spaces of time by energetic men,
summoned enough courage to tell the
Grahams and poor Lilly that I was de.
termined to go to Australia.
l ehall never forget our parting al
Blackwell Pier. I shall never forget my
pretty little Lilly cllnging to nv neck
and sobbing aloud, and implo1ing me moi
to go, and l, struggling between love and
enterprise, trying not to be a coward,
when felt already that was one.
1t was In vain that I tried to cheer her
think did not look so very comfort.
ing, though, if remember rightly, I re.
collect saying:
"Never mind, Lilly darling, ! shall re.
turn some day and make you a grand
lady. shall be sure to succeed, and
shall return to make you happy!'
My tears, knew, were threatening to
break the feeble barriers that held them
back, and when she said:
"Ah, but suppose you never do return
lit shall break my heart, Robertr'
Why, then think did shed tear OF
so; only to keep her company.
At last the boat pushed of, and Mrs.
Graham good, kind old soul !-still kept
her arms around Lilly, as she waved he,
final adieu to her orphan protegc.
arrived at last at Melbourne. Invent
miles overland, and at last reached my
uncle's settlement, but l was not long
there ere found life in Australia less
easy than had anticipated. l STAYED
with him for little time, until took q
dislike to tarming-for that was wha,
my uncle had made most of his money al
and joined party of young fellows
starting for new gold field farther up
the country.
Three years passed slowly away, and
began to get along much better, and had
sent many a nugget to Melbourne. had
only received one dear, cherished lettel
from Lilly, written on her eighteenth
birthday, and sending me lock of he,
pretty chestnut hair; yet I thought
had no cause to fear, as I knew that writ
ing letters does not give young ladic.
half the joy of receiving them, and
wrote often enough.
Well, time vent on. I had found 6
stanch, true friend about my own age
and we were like brothers. We always
worked together, and when we had beer
four years and half, Tom Thompson
for that was the name of my faithful
friend and were getting rich.
knew that was nearer heme, anc
more likely to gain my dear little Lill,
every month worked; but l also wal
also aware of the desperate deeds ant
terrible crimes that were being commit
ted around US by the rangers and othc1
Williams. knew that our reputation wal
as dangerous as gratifying; and SO i
was; perhaps I should not mention thu
incident, as it seems to prolong part oil
the story that needs most brevity hut, a!
it bears directly upon tire ultimatum o
the tale, shall trcspass upon your kind
ness to give it in full
Oae night Tom and I had retired Il
the bedroom we had built above the base
ment Of our little house, and I was al.
ready doing, while Tom, having careful
ly seen to the revolvers {for need NO
tell you how necessary they are in ,
country where justice is obtained in sucl
arough and ready manner), was ais,
yielding to the drowsy god, when W
fancied we heard something moving il
the room below.
Both were quickly, though silently, o,
the alert, for We knew that, though no
much, we had still some gold that hat
not been dispatched to Melbourne. w
knew that somebody, acquainted with it
hiding place, had, escaping our notice
secreted himself in the cabin to gai,
possession of it.
When we heard him move again, and
as we correctly thought, he had gainet
our hidden nuggets, we crawled silentl.