Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-02-25

tOltdSc, anu liiSS hCiu IiSii hCauS a.
high as anybody. and well they might
for Charles salary was hundred ant
sixty pounds a year, and is more now
but Nancy added nearly fifty to theil
incoms the first year, but not shil
ling since. What has been the re
suit.
why they were obliged to give NJ
their neat cottage year ago, and sci
off their best furniture at half the or
! iginal cost to pay off the heavy e&'
penses attending her first sickness
and now they occupy three rooms il
the fourth story OF u third-rate t.Ae
ment house. And what makes mat
ters worse, Charley has become dis
couraged at his lot, and has lately
taken to drink.
"rhis Mrs. Fulsome told me il
confidence, with the tears standing
in her ewes: and she furthermore as.
sured me that that she very much
feared he would loose his situation in
consequence OF il. Charlie Fulsome
when he was married. was strictly
temperate. and looked forward to the
future with as much hope and conf,
dence rs YOU do: and vet, in little
more than two years, all his prospects
in life have been blighted through the
united and ill-alvised judgement OF
tho though;less couple"
! And With these clever arguments
laura would silsctually silence her
importusate lover for the time being
Now 1t Was great puzzle to every
body how old Jasper Flint, with hi:
panurious habits, could have died and
| left his children so destitute. Some
suggested that he must have hidden
or buried his money. and every parl
Of the house, cellar aud backyard were
carefully examined. but without its
resulting IN any such discovery.
One day Fred Allston ~as sur.
prised bl the appearance Of Tommy
ut the office. bearing a brIef aud start
ling message from his darling Laura
II contained just these words. and
they were very suggestive for they
were the first she had ever written Il
him:
/ "DE,R FRED: Come TO me quick.
! LAURA.
| When he arrived she met him 5,
/ the door. and he noticed that her
manner Vas very strange aud excited.
1 What IS the matter my poor Lsuru
WhA, has happened ?" he exclaimed
painting.
Something very old has hap.
I-ned :" VAS her hurried and anttcr.
ling answer. Il have just made q
strange discovery. and have sent for
sou post haste To enlighten me -
T She leyl tho way into the house, and
once inside she went directly and
without speaking 10 an old bureau in
ous corner and drew out carefully
prepared package Of papers and placed
ihsm IN her lovers hands.
( Fred gAzcd ut them for momen;
in hcsIlderment, aud then exclaimed
cxcitsdly, Good heavens. I.aura, whs;
does this mean Thcy are govern
meut bonds. Where did you get
them: There arc thousands. too.
Are you sure Of that. Can there
b. no mistake" demanded Laura, eI.
ci,e,lly.
NO mistake in the world. my dar.
. ling, They are genuine government
securities. Bat where in the name oi
all that is wonderful did you get
them
! "Iou remember the old desk with
one broken leg in the room which my
father used to occupy? Well, got
short OF kindling wood, and thinking
/ il no longer an object either Of utility
or ornament, ! ordered Tommy to take
I il TO the woodshed and cut it up. He
went out with it and began to cut it
T In a few minutes he came running in
I bringing in a handful of these bonds
with him. guessed from their ap.
pearance that they must be valuable,
so sent Tommy directly for You
thinking You might be able, with your
know ledge of business. to sre in this
matter more closely than |. | va,
almost sure that such important look,
ing documents could not be WORTHLESS:
paper"
"No, my sweet Laura, you were
right there" cried Fred, gleefully
for he saw that with this unexpected
mine of wealth in her possession, she
could not reasonably withhold hei
consent longer to become his bride
not if she really loved him, as she had
often assured him in their tender mo.
ments. There is no better paper in
the country to-day, or in tho world
than these same bonds"
In a word, the miser's children, who
had been struggling so hard the last
year and a-haIf for bare subsistence
while there was ample provision for
them hidden away for them in the
house, now found themselves indie.
pendent.
"And this was what so troubled m,
father after his attack of paralysis,
suggested Laura. "Ie could neither
speak, write, or any way make himself
understood. Poor father! he must
have suffered terribly, not to be able
to reveal his secret to mis- children
But he was very odd, and when vel
would admit no one to his confidence.
Gas YOU saw, he must have suffered
greatly, returned Fred, thoughtfully
"But now, dear Laura, you have grown
rich, you will hardly remember your
promises to poor fellow like me-
She looked at him reproachfully.
"Can you think so meanly Of me
dear, darling Fred, after all the proofi
of affection | have given you, yor
naughty, ungrateful boy?
"Forgive me, forgive me, deares
Laura! But now there i, no longe
any obstacle in the way, will you no
, be merciful enough to end this lon!
suspense, and name the happy day p