Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-05-06

Babyd gone to stay with God.
God, you know, lives overhead.
III he did, it n,pst be nice
a t,yi NIs way wa, up 'moag the stars.
'Oh sing my bird,
Yet awhile behind the bars"
from Harper's Bazar.]
The TURN OF AN ACCIDENT.
1t was six o'clock of crisp October
morning, and John Boyd, farmer, rous.
ing from his sound nights sleep, sprane
out of bed with the alert readiness of a
man who knows the value of tho first
hours Of the day. It was tavern bed
from which he jumped; home and its
cares were many miles away; but long
ride lay before him, and he washed and
dressed briskly, as one in haste, hum
ming a cheerful air meanwhile, as be-
came man who felt himself in good
spirits, and had ample reason for doing
so. For, be it known, this year had
proved the best for farmers since John
had been his own master. Harvests had
been large, prices high, and John, on
. his way back from the annual market,
carried sense of freedom and liberation
at his heart from the final extinguish-
ment OF q mortgage on his farm-a mort
gage which had pressed rs heavily on his
conscience as did the burden of Christian
on his shoulders. The burden was lifted
now; and, further than that, John car
RED in his fat red wallet two hundred
dollars, over and above, toward the ex-
penses Of the next year. He had never
been SO forehanded" before, and the
sensation was a joyful one. ssMy neck
is out of the collar now" he muttered to
himself as he brushed his thick brown
hair: II should be fool indeed if I
put it in again. No more mortgages for
mel! Then, his toilet completed, he
ran down stairs, two steps at a time.
Farmer-like, his first visit was to his
horses. They were munching their corn
satisfactorily; and after look or two,
and pat, John returned to the inn.
where a jangling bell announced break
fast. It was smoking on the table,
substantial meal of the kind universal in
taverns thirty years ago; and John Boyd,
whose appetite was of the kind proverb-
tally said to accompany good con-
science, was doing it ample justice, when
studded instinct led him to thrust his
hand into the inner pocket which held
the two hundred dollars. The wallet
was gone!
In the suddenness of the shock, John
felt himself pale, and then flush painful
~, as he confused'y tried to remember if
he had taken out the wallet, and when.
Under his pillow-that was it. He
recollected distinctly, or so 1t seemed,
putting it there, for security's sake, when
he went to bed the night before. With
a muttered excuse he left the table and
hurried upstairs. The door of his room
stood open, and maidservant was put
ting fresh sheets on the bed, the solled
linen lying IN heap on the floor.
Toward this heap John hurried and
began turning it over.
"Have you lost something, sir?" asked
the maid.
John Strengthened himself up to an
swer. He had not noticed the maid be-
fore, though she had waited upon table
at supper. Now he observed that she
was young and rather pretty-fair, with
o trim, slender figure, beautiful glossy
hair, neatly dressed and braided, and a
pair of sweet, apprehensive blue eyes.
Her voice was soft, too; and she had
shy, modest manner which suggested an
idea of refinement. All these facts
Farmer Boyd absorbed in fash, and
instinctively noting, weighing, estimat-
ing, by that wonderfully rapid process
OF which the human mind is capable.
while yet his thoughts were full of his
money and his loss.
eyes, I am looking for my wallet.
which left under my pillow. Did you
find it?''
The girls face blanched to deadly
whiteness, and her eyes dilated as with
sudden terror.
"No, sir" she said, her voice trem-
bling and sinking away, as she spoke.
81 didn't see any wallet"
John looked at her distrustfully: but
there was something in the pale face
which disarmed suspicion.
"Td like to search the bed" he went
on. cit may have slipped under the
mattress"
Together they turned the mattress. but
no wallet was visible.
"That off horse of yourn has got his
shoe loose somehow" announced Mr..
Nash. the landlord, OF the door. 81
thought I'd better tell you, SOS you
could stop to the blacksmith's as Won
pass, and get him to put in couple of
nails. Why, what's the matter?"
John explained. .,.<s
The landlord looked very grave. He
whistled softly to himself for minute.
with his eyes fixed on the tumhled bed
ding; then he went to the stair head and
Eo .