The Hickman courier., 1881-03-18
: HICKMAN FULTON KENIUcKY. FRIDAY MARCH 49, 1884,


But there was no answer. The door
into the street was wide open, and by
the moonlight that poured through it she
saw, as she peered under the counter,
that Dicks bed was empty. The boy
was gone.
Gonei gonel Oh, that was worse to
poor Granny Briggs than even the loss
of the money; for she had trusted him,
and he had deceiyedher. She had loved
him aud he had abused her love. The
neighbors were right: she was fool to
trust strange street-boy, and had been
served rightly when he had robbed her
When the dawn broke, the wise neigh
bors came into poor Granny's shop to
find her crying and rocking to and fro;
and they told her they had told her SO,
and she only shook her head. The shop
took care ~ itself that day. Life had
.lost it's iDs Perts.lr her. Her "oeeupa-
ton waf, S6.3O Pe& not with her savings
Money WY TX, Snonev, after all. he
had come g ~ the only thing she loved,
and Dick had robbed her.
1t was 10 o'clock. Granny sat moan
ing by the empty hearth. Good-natured
Mrs. Jones from upstairs was ''seeing to
things" and trying to cheer her, when
suddenly there was a rap on the door,
hllAl "a ftOitttllttil iOOhttt III
"Nlrs Rriggs, he said.
Here she is, - said Mrs. Jones.
Some one wants TO see you at head
quarters, said the policeman "There's
boy there and some money"
"Dickl" cried Mrs Briggs. "Oh, l
can't bear to look at himi'
But Mrs Jones had already tied on
her bonnet and wrapped her in a shawl,
md foLau hon, on bnr arm
"The wretchi" she said. I'm so glad
he is caught You'll get your money
back"
And she led Mrs. Briggs along-poor
Mrs. Briggs, who cried all the way, and
cared nothing for the money And soon
they were at their destination; then, and
not before, the policemen turned to the
two women.
'He's pretty bad, he said. "They'n
take him to the hospital in an hour.
suppose you are prepared for that. He
Is nearly beaten TO death, You know.
Did You beat him, you cruel wretch?"
said Mrs Briggs. 81 would not have
had that done for twice the money Let
him go with it, if it Is any comfort to
him
Il beat himl" said the man. "Why,
II mum EOl up iltIc NlltH tIll uc u
have been dead He held the bag of
money tight, and the thief was punching
him with a loaded stick; aud the pluck
he had for a little one-I tell you !
never saw the likel'
"'You shan't take Granny's money
from her, says he, and fought like a lit
tie tiger. If it's your money, old lady,
he's given his life for it, for all / know.
Then poor old Mrs. Briggs clapped
her hands and cried
"Oh, Dick! Dick, I knew you were
good. ] must have been crazy to doubt
you, and then she wrung her hands and
cried: "Oh Dick for just a paltry bit
of money!" and so she knelt beside the
pale face upon the pillow, and kissed it,
and called it tender names.
And Dick, never guessing her sus-
picions of him, whispered:
Il was so fraid he'd get off with it if
he killed me, Granny. and you in such
high hopes last night
He did not know what she meant by
begging him to forgive her. 1t would
have Jared i'll with him if he had, for he
was very near death.
But Dick did not die He got well at
last, and came back to the little shop.
end though Granny Briggs had her saw
ings, she never went TO the Old Ladies
Home; for long before she died Dick was
one OF the most prosperous merchants in
the city, and his handsome home was
hers, and she was very happy in it.
Primitive lfefHO6iSf