Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-06-25

O fashionable jeWelry establishment
and its bland proprietor looked
M down inquiringly on little Ross q;
7 he approached the glittering count
er.
"Would you like to buy this,
sir %,
There was tremor in the boys
voice as he asked the question, and
the hand that held up the emerald
necklace shook visibly. The lapi.
dary took the gems, examined
them closely for moment, and
then shot a sharp glance at the
child.
"See here" he said presently, his
voice stern and commanding, 81
want to know how you came by
this ?"
The boys clear eyes fell, he
blushpd and stammered, evidently
embarrassed. The ieweler put
aside the emeralds, and taking the
lads arm, led him into a small
ante-room.
"You are thief, SIR" he added.
fThat necklace belongs to Mr.. FOn-
tenay-he bought it of me not one
month ago. You stole it. You are
a thief"
The little fellow Strengthened
himself and his brown eyes blazed |:
'I am no thief" he retorted. GA
kind little girl gave it to me, and l
know it was wrong to take it, but
-but-my mother and sister are
starving"
The jeweler hesitated.
"YOu don't look like Il thief" he
said, "but will send for Mr.. Fon-
tenay; that will settle the matter at
once"
He dispatched message accord
ingly, and Ross sat down in one
cprner, and sobbed bitterly as he
heard the driving winds, and
thought of his mother ard poor
little Flora. In half an hour Mr..
FOntenay came, bringing his
daughter, little Pansie, with him.
The little creature darted like a
humming bird, her cheeks ablaze,
and her eyes flashing like tighten
ing.
"He didn't steal my emeralds 20
she cried. "I gave 'em to him to
sell 'em and buy bread for his little
| sister,"
Ross sprang to his feet, struggling
hard to keep back his tears. He
put out his little brown hand,
which Pansie instantly clasped in
her chubby palms.s
81 am not a thief, sir,' he said at
last, addressing Mr.. Fontenay;" 81
never stole anything in my life. /
know it was wrong to take the
necklace -but-but, sir, my little
sister is starving"
The merchant drew his hand
across his eyes.
"You're manly little fellow"
he said, patting the lads head,
''and / do not in the least blame |
you, but will take Pansie's emer-
aids, and she shall give you some
thing more available. Here, Pan
sic, give this to your little friend"
He put gold piece into Pansie's
hands, which she rendered to Ross,
with the injunction that he should i
run straight home and buy lots of
goodies for his sisteF-a command
he was not slow to obey.
ST think we will not lose sight of
the little fellow" continued Mr..
FOntenay, as Ross disappeared in
the stormy darkness. "Shall we,
pet? He's a promising young lad
and an honest one, Pm sure, Mr..
Lenox, you're in need of an errand
boy, why not try him? / wish you
WOuld.H s4a
The jeweler consented, TO Pan
sizes great delight, and on the fol-
lowing day Ross was duly installed
as an errand boy, in the fashionable
establishment.
Fifteen years after, one buster
ing March morning, young man
sat behind the counter of a thriving
iewelry establishment in one of the
Northern cities. He was hand
some man, scholar and traveller, a
man of taste, intellect. and money, I
for he was Junior partner in the
firm, which was prosperous one. {
But despite all his good fortune,
Ross Dunbar was not happy. His {
mother and his little. Flora had
gone to their long home, and he
was utterly alone, without kith or s
kin in the wide world.
Sitting alone one morning with
the roar of the March wind in his {
ears, his thoughts were running .
back to the days of his bOyhOod, to {
his mothers humble home. How
vivid the past seemed and how
dear aud sacred despite its priva-
tions and sorrow. His eyes grew {
dim and his heart swelIed. All
were gone over the wide waters of s
time and change.
A tender smile softened his sad
face as he recalled that stormy
night when he sat sobbing ON the /
steps of Mr.. Fontenay's mansionand {
little Pansie, the remembrance of
her sweet face, as he saw it through
the snow wreatns that night, haunt {
ed him continually. In all the fif- {
teen years never for one hour had .
he forgotten her. But she was gone;
lost to him forever. /
His revery was broken by the
entrance of a customer, lady close 4
ly cloaked and VeiIed. She APP g
preached the counter with Il jewel
casket in her hand. i
"Would you buy these ?'' she
asked simply, in clear sweet voice s
that stirred the young mans heart q
rs no other Woman'S voice had i
power to do.
He took the casket and Enclosed a
IL anu SJTCd0 OUT us NbltChlSs "A
watch, elegant and costly, Il dia-
mond ring, two rubies and an emer-
aid necklace. 1
Ross Dunbar barely suppressed a
cry of surprise as his eyes fell upon t
it. He turned it over with eager, c
fingers, and there on the {
clasp was the name that had lived
in his heart for so many long years:
Little Pansie."
"YOu wish to sell them all Z" he
asked, striving to steady his voice
and the wild throbbing OF his heart.
The lady hesitated an instant, /
then she put out a slender hand and
drew the emeralds towards her.
81 dislike to part with this" she {
said; it was fathers gift-and-bu !
no matter, take them all / must ,
have the money!
In her eagerness she had thrown
aside her veil, revealing lily face, ]
lit by lustrous sapphire eyes. Ross 6