Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-19
THE HERALD.
NEARLY TOO LATE.

az tStt Gu VI pDUu d. the h-S Ul
four years, but was brought up BY a
kind aunt and uncle. My childhood
passed merrily enough until I was
about eight years old, when my
uncle, hearing of the Australian gold
fields, determined to seek a fortune
abroad, instead of toiling tor mere
pittancc at home.
So was transferred TO family
by the name of Graham. They were
middle class, plain, homely people
working goldsmiths, in fact--and
lived in Northampton square, Clerk
enwell.
They had but one child, daugh.
ter, named Lilly, who being only
three years younger than myself, we
became great friends, 1t was nstu-
raj, also, that as l grew up and went
proudly out to earn my few shillings
week, and drew nearer to man.
hood, l shonld learn TO love my pref
ty little playfellow.
Circumstances went on thus hap
PLY until was 20 and Lillyl7 years
of age, and then a communication
from my uncle in Australia informed
ms that they had oapita! opening
for me.
was 10th to leave Lilly; yet, as
| was doing very indilferently and
had heard Of such rapid fortunes ac-
quired in such short spaces of time
by energetic men, summoned
enough courage to tell the Grahams
ard poor Lilly that l was determined
to 90 TO Australia.
/ shall never forget my parting at
Blackwell pier. / shall never forget
nay pretty little Lilly clinging TO my
neck, and sobbing aloud, and implor.
ing me not to 90. and /, struggling
between the influence of love and
ente prise, trying not to BIZ a coward,
when | felt already thst | was one.
1t was in vain | tried to cheer her;
| think | did not look so very com
forting though, if | remember right
ly, l recollect saying:
ENeyer mind, Lilly darling, shall
return one day and make you a grana
lady. / shall be sure to succeed and
shall return to make you happy
My tears, | knew, were threaten
ing to break the feeble barriers that
held them back, and when she said !:
'Ab, but suppose you never do re.
turn-I shall break my heart, Rob.
ert .
Why, then l did think | shed a
tear or so; only to keep her com.
pany.
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 or.
phan protege.
arrived at last at Melbourne |
went miles overland, and at last
reached my uncie's settlement but
| had not long been there ere I found
life in Australia less easy than had
anticipated. l stayed with him
little time, until I took dislike TO
farming that was what my uncle
had most OF his money at-and
joined q party of young fellows start
ing tor a new gold field farther up
the country
Three wears passed slowly away
and began to get along much bet
ter, aud bad sent many Nugget OF
gold to Melbourne. / had only re.
ceiyed one dear, cherished letter
from Lilly, written on her eighteenth
birthday, and sending me a 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 rs.
ceivlng them, ard l wrote often
enough.
Wei, time went on. | had found
s1aunch, true friend about nay own
age, and We were like brothers. We
always worked together, and when
We had been out four wears and g
half Tom Thompson-for that wag
tho name Of my faithful friend and
| were getting rich.
l knew that | was nearer home.
aud more likely to gain my dear Ill
ly every month | worked; but | also
was aware Of the desperate crimes
and terrible deeds that were being
committed around us by the rangers
and other villains. knew that our
reputation was as dangerous as graf
flying and so it was; perhaps /
should not mention the incident, as
it seems to prolong a part of the
story that needs most breWly but, as
it hears directly upon the ultimatum
of the tale, l will trespass upon your
kindness to give it in full
One night Tom ana | had retired
to the bedroom we had built above
the basement Of our little house. and
was already dozipg, while Tom,
having carefully seen to the reyol
vers (for l need not tell you how
necessary they are in a country
whore justice is obtained in such a
rough and ready manner), was also
yielding to the drowsy god, when we
tancied we heard something move in
the room below
Both were quickly though silently
on the alert, for we know that though
not much, we had still some gold
that had not been dispatched to Mel.
| bourne. We knew that somebody
acquainted with its hiding place, had,
escaping our notice, secreted himself
in the cabin to gain possession of it.
| When We heard him move again,
aud, IS We correctly tAoaght, lie had
gained onr hidden nuggets, We
crawled silently to the hole that gave
entry to our liltle bedroom and
looked down.
All was dark, yet we could see the
dim outline OF a man moving hlthel
and thltheras though he knew every
inch Of the ground he trod Now
| We knew he would be certain 10 car.
| ry arms ani SO we had 10 be exceed
! ingly cautious
Tom coolly placed an old fur hal
on q stick he had beside him, and
hung it over the hole. shouting rs be
did so:
who's there p
We received no answer. but tho't