Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-12-28
And his bitter tones rose almost to

q SuTltk.
"You're not ugly at all just now"
replied Maggie, truthfully. "The
water in your eyes makes YOU look
kind and NICE"
What's your name?'' he asked, in
a sort of husky voice.
"Maggie-Maggie Dayton; and that
is Billy"
i "Have you no friends, Maggie?"
No; there is one somewhere, but 1
couldn't find her out"
"Then you are just like me. have
no friends either"
Maggie was sorry for that.
IF you like, Ill be friends with
you.' she said. pityingly. You've no
mother, either, so you're just like us in
that. too; only you are an old man.
and I'm pretty young. / suppose
you'll feel it worse than me.
i II don't think you could like a
frightful old man like me-" doubtfully
returned the miser, after pause. to
| examine his bag. "I'm like a devil
amt r
EYES, but that's only on the outside.
think could like you pretty we'll
after bit, when I get to know you
better. Your looks wouldn't frighten
me away SO much as your hard
words"
/ "Ah, would try hard not to SPEAK
them" pleaded the old man. "Stop.
don't go away yet. See, here's quar-
ter, It's for you and Billy. Of course !;
only you must promise me before you
go that you will come tomorrow into
my store and tell me all about your
mother, will you?'
/ Maggie agreed to go next day, and
with that promise they parted The
old man hobbled off, and shortly after
that Maggie met policeman, who
directed them to cheap iodging-house.
where they passed the night. The
next day they duly reported themselves
to the old miser, and were received
with an overfiowing hospitality and
kindness that fairly banished all re-
serve, and with many stops and quiet
cryings Maggie told him her little
story.
What he thought of it did not ap-
| pear but that night he took them to
respectable widow. a few blocks of,
where he left them with the strict in
| junction that they were to come back
| again the next morning. That morn
ing Tom Smithsen had been destined
never to see, and this concluded the
children's story.
A few days after, in going along the
Bowery. l met two well-known thieves,
one of whom had clumsy patch on
the lapel Of his coat.
| took them to headquarters. care
fully ripped off the patch. and then
found the scrap taken from the teeth
of the dead curiosity dealer exactly
filed and matched 1t.
A gold necklet, with locket and min
iature attached, which found on the
other, took home with me, and the
cry of delight with which Maggie
greeted the first look at the portrait
convinced me beyond doubt that it was
that of her mother, which had been
stolen from Smithson on the night Of
his death.
The two were duly tried, and the
evidence being supplemented by their
own confession, which was to the
effect that the fright of seeing the
miser suddenly drop down before
their eyes, had effectually driven them
off without looking for more.
But that was not all.
When the auctioneer came to ar
range and take an inventory Of Smith
sons goods. he began by making a
rousing fire. But before he got the
stove going strange thing occurred.
lie had to split open the lump of
wood found in the grasp Of the dead
man, and between the two boards he
found minute account Of Smithson's
belongings, some bank notes, bank
book, and will in favor of Maggie
and her brother. both signed and wit
messed.
The money and possessions alluded
to in the document, after ali claims
had been satisfied. were properly in
vested and yielded seven hundred dol
lars year.
1t was not much, 1t is true, but it
was more than Maggie and Billy were
lever likely to want, for the lady with
whom they stayed 50 took to them that
when real relations turned up she reso-
lutely refused to part with them, and
even offered to give up all the money,
or the equal value, for the privilege Of
retaining them. The result, of course,
was that they grew mp well cared for
and happy.
Quite Indifferent.
A certain barrister named Jones,