Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-01-13
IN A POCKET.
A HOLIDAY STORY .

"Well, WELL" said good Adonijth
Courtney, raising his eyes hea yenward.
providence has indeed afflicted US;
but should we mourn as those without
hopep Nay, surely not, since all flesh
is weak and unable TO meet and with
stand temptation in its own strength
and our dear boy, Lionel, still gives VI
hope of his repentance. All is not los
sister KeziSh," and he pressed his spin 10
ster companions withered and treml-
hing hand reassuringly, rs he bade Ia
pretty. fearful niece (the culprit' ;
sister), to re-read the letter of confession
that had that evening burst like p
bombshell in their midst and caused IL
good and simple-minded people gres
sorrow and anxietyof mind.
Lily Courtney l-ld hor brothers
singularly jerky and iliegibly- written
epist,e open before her. indeed she had
never closed Il since it came, but con-
tinusd opour over its shaky characters
in che vague hope Of cleaning a ray OF
light 10 illumine the murkJ record. At
her uncle's request she tried hard to
swallow the painful lump that had been
apparently growing in her throat ever
since her startled mini took in the
wretched tidings. She was gentle,
shy-nannered girl. of great personal
beauty and equal modesty; but her
strong, and "a yet untried trait Of
"A, al
loved the dear old pair who had re-
ceived her brother and herself in their
early orphanage, and who had given
every energy and thought to the educa.
tion and moral training of the other.
wise friendless children. Without ever
having being outside of Greenville-
since she came there little girl ten
years before-Lily knew quite well that
her aunt and uncle were singularly in
nocent and unworthy people, and,
thouh she could not help but fail into
many Of their primitive ways and illog-
icsl views, she was quite sure that
neither OF them was fitted to start out
in winter and travel to the great city
where her poor dear brother was in
trouble. She had quite resolved from
the first that she would 90 to him her
self, and when her voice trembled and
he choking sensation oppressed her
most a5 she read on, it was when the
conflict between her native timidity and
courageous sense Of duty occurred.
The note was dated day or two be-
fore Christmas and written in pencil so
badly that it was difficult TO read. It's
style. too, was unlike I.ionel's; In fact,
there was no way to account for It's alb
rupt and uneven character except thetrue
one. The dreadful snares and tempta-
tons oithat friRhtful city, against which
the elder pair, who had never passed n
night in It's polluted air, who had so
faithfully warned him-had seized him
IN their Elusive grasp. He had sue
cumbed; he had strayed and fallen from
grace; some evil being had robbed him.
and now, contrite and h helpless, he called
homeuard for relief His scrawling
epistle ran thus:
"MY DEAR UNCLE AND A AUNT--I don't
want Lily TO be Charmed Git was she
who had opened the note), so do not
include her. have had misfortune
I trusted to myself in these slippery
ways. was fool not 10 listen to coun-
sel-but thought / knew 1t all; the
result is, | became lost, grew confused
and fell. Do not alarm yourself, dear
aunt and uncle;. might have been
much worse. Asit Is, In the confusion.
I lost my pocketbook. The people
among whom, on coming to myself,
proved 10 be. are not Of the class for me
to remain dependent on fer asingle day
Plssse send or come. inclose address.
Regret to.alarm' you. With love.