The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-30

u @NOANs
and meeting you, knew you and loved you.
You did not discourage my addresses, andI
determined to shape my affairs so that |
could IN a short time ask you to become nv
wife. But my father, by some means, dis
covered my secret, and then | realized that
his mind was indeed a wreck. He did not
forbid my marrying you. He did not
threaten or expostulate. He only begged
and entreated in the most piteous manner
that | should not leave him; and when |
prop 'sed TO bring you here, he only cried,
and declared that if | did so, we were ruined
that house and home, everything, would
vanish as the rest had done--up the Chin
ney. l saw that he was not in a condition
to be influenced by reason ; so | was forced
to give you up. Nelly, for a time. and do
all l could to administer what little comfort
| could to my father in his declining years.
| hope | was a faithful son to him. God
knows | tried hard to be. and while my life
was embittered with the consciousness that
[ must be content to love you without call
ing you wife, | felt that it was sanctiied by
this costly sacrifice to flial love. But the
end came.
MY father lay on his death bed, and a
kind Providence, for a few moments, re-
moved the vail which had shronded his rea-
son, and the old light of intelligence beamed
in his eyes. He called me to him aud said,
George, | have been living in a dream.
see it now. My recollection of the past is
dim, but | know enough to realize that
have exacted great sacrifices of you. But
the term of your exile is ended. Marry
the girl Of your choice. She is a treasure,
and is endowed with graces and beauties of
mind as we'll as person. | give you both
my dying blessing. But there is one thing
more | must speak of. | had money,
George; l saved it from the wreck; it was
fell again, and he fell back gasping up
the chimney and then died.
When his affairs were settled up no
effects were left but this house. | married
you, Nelly. thinking that with a house al
ready secured. | could easily provide for
you with my earnings; but misfortune came
first sickness, then inability to procure
employment. Our little savings melted
away. hen the house was mortga ged, and
mortgaged so heavily that next month,
when it is to be sold, there will be nothing
left for US but the scanty stock of furniture.
Oh, if could but get ont into the country,
where money-kings and m~onopolists en-
not control the growing crops end forbid the
earth yielding mp its riches. | feel that |
should be a man again and no longer a
mere tool to be picked up and laid down at
the will OF my masters"
Georges reminlscence was here brought
to a close by little Harry climbing up on his
knee and excl,iming:
Papa, | cant find no place to hang my
stockin'."
"Hang it on the chimney, of course an
swered George.
"But there amt no nail on the chimney"
81 Drive Ona than U0n'ra mechanic
enough for that"
That suited Harry exactly. and he was
soon at work. mounted on a chair, with nail
and hammer in hand. He was not success
full in his effort, for when he was giving the
nail a smart final blow it bounded out and
flew across the room.
"Try again, Harry said George.
The boy did try again, but met with no
better success.
TRY it in another place. suggested his
father.
Harry did as directed, but away went the
nail again.
You had better do it, said Nelly.
E" He will have the chimney pretty badly de-
faced if he keeps on"
George took the hammer and nail and
commenced humping with the hammer t.
find a suitable place. harkl what noise
WIS that? There was a stifed, but distinct
jingle, that responded to every blow of
Georges hammer. 1t caught the ears of
husband and wife simult. neously. They
looked at each other with a strange express
ion. Then George struck again. Yes there
was something in that vicinity which gave
forth a very unmistakeable jingle. Then a
sudden light cleaned in Nelly's eyes. She
commenced to tremble violently. Then she
whispered eXcItedly:
"Tear out the chimney, George, quick +!
Who knows but"
But George had caught Nelly's exposition,
and soon blow after blow rained in quick
succession upon the chimney, while the hid
den something jingled its applause. There
was only a thick wall of plastering TO ham,
mer away. 1t was only a few seconds work
and oh wGat have we here7 A strong iron
box, and so heavy that when George at
tempted to pry it out of its tnmb it slipped
from his hands and came Town on the floor
with a terrible crash. Then there was a
terrible jingle, as # three cheers were being
given for freedom. Then the iron box WAS
lifted up, turned over and snaAen. Then
George kicked it, and there's no telling what
he wouldn't have done, if Nelly hadn't sug-
gested, ''File it open, George"
No sooner said than acted upon. The
tools were produced, and swifter work was
never done than that which conquered that
stubborn lid but yield it had to, and when
the lid was lifted, and anxious, excited-yes.
frightened eyes looked into the box, what
did they behold-what but layer after layer
of shining, glittering, gold? The light
seemed to dance a jig over its bright, shin
ming face, az if it wanted to say, "Ah! I've
found you out at last, have II
George looked at the treasures In stnpefied
amazement. He rubbed his eyes, gave the
box a kick, and looked again. Then he
turned to Nelly with a serio-comic air and
said:
"Pinch me, Nelly"
He was accommodated to a realistic ex-
tent that satisfied him that he was aw- Ike.
Then the yellow boys were counted out one