The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-04-20

She dropped into the nearest chai
Q and famed herself with her brown
g check apron, though it was wintr
e March outside.
"Why, no r. exclaimed the girls in
a breath, while Nettie held her spoo,
8 suspended in midair, with ropes oftafr
| gracefully pendulous therefrom.
81 must begin at the very begin
> ming" said Miss Mellavine, cor I shall
, be sure to forget something 1 ought t.
{ remember. He died at o'clock thi
> morning, but Mirandy couldn't bear t.
have a mess of half-strange womer
around, she said, so she begged me t.
, stay on-though I'm free to confess
| ached to come and tell you as quick o,
| decently could.) can's get over the
turn it gave me. To think that all this
time but shall be sure to let it Out
before get around to it, after all, il
I'm not careful.) When I went up last
night he was asleep and Mirandy vas
sitting by the fire and the little fellow
had gone to bed. I'm so glad you've
come, Mellavine, says she, for Caleb is
that set on seeing you that / was afraid
he might try to dress himself to go to
your house If you didn't come. He's
been out of his head, more or less. all
day, but the doctor gave him another
small dose of morphine and he's rest
ing easier now She hadn't more than
got the words out of her mouth when
he turned his head on the pillow and
opened his eyes.
els that you, Mellavine ?"
"'Yes, sir said 1, going up to the
'Mirandy,' says he you 20 out and
sit bty the kitchen fire till L want you
again'-and to humor him she went.
just as quick as she shut the door he
clutched me by the arm and pointed to
a heavy black box that stood on the
bureau.
"'There! There it is p says he. it's
clutching at my throat now, as if it had
fingers Take it away Take it away +
he almost shrieked.
"Yes, yes, presently said I, to pacify
him.
"'Why don't you take itp The KEY
hangs around my neck. Here, unlock
the box, and take away the-the pack.
age, It's clutching me, tell you'll Ee
quick Be quick =
81 did just as he told me you've got
to be with ravin' man, you know, not
expecting to find anything important.
| unlocked the box, and the first thing
see-oh, pretty near let it out that
time, but you've guessed it, like as not
l declare, l don't know when shall get
over the turn it gave me
Flo and Nettie exchanged quick,
startled looks, and drew nearer to Miss
Mellavine, while the molasses bubbled
unheeded in the porcelain kettle.)
"'Tell them,' he says, that I've not
had an hours peace since ] locked il
in there. Their fathers sudden death
put it IN my head-the temptation came
ike whirlwind-then-oh, the miseryl
You know the rest. Afterward l could
not confess. They are good girls-good
girls. John RandalPs daughters could
not be anything else. Tell them to
keep 1t ali-all, 1t is doubly theirs, |
have so wronged them! do rot want
them to pay another dollar on the old |
account. 1t is the only reparation can |
make. Beg them to keep nv secret. 7 |
don't deserve that they should have
mercy on my good name-but, oh! for |
Mirandy's sake and little Joe's-beo |
them to keep it'll They are good girls.
Now call my wife, he says, and drops
ais head back on the pillow without I
another word. There, I've tried to tell
it, word for word. just as it happened
and, you dear things, nobody could be
gladder to put it into your own hands
than my very own self-but that miser
able mans looks and motions will haunt
me to my dying day, verify believe"
She drew from the bose m of her cal
leo dress packet which she oil ced in
Nettie's hands. The lost ruoneyl as
the reader has doubtless guessed,
From Loren Sackett, of Ashlield. to
Caleb Stone, 81, 800 payment fer live
stock. Sent by kindness of John Ran.
DALI"
For two years hidden in Caleb Stones
strong box, while two heroic girls,
turned out of their homestead to satisfy
his guilty greed, we're working their
young lives out to make good its as.
sumed loss!
Flo and Nettie wept silently at the
side OF their good friend. Mingled
with the irexpressible relief at their
good fortune, were pity (such as few in
ike case would have been able to feel)
or the wretched, guilty man who had
10 used them-Gnd sorrow for his inno-
cent wife aod child, that this gain must
,ome from their grief and loss! Abl
Iohn Rsndalls daughters were indeed
good girls
"After ALL" said Flo, finally, Jump
ng up and running to the stove, IL
ion't believe it's good economy to let
he candy burnr'
They kept the dead mans secret
aithfully, compassionately. They
made the remaining payments to the
leirs as if nothing had occurred, then
vent to Boston, Nettie to take a thor
ugh course in elocution, and Flo as an
rt student. They were not wanting
numerous Paul Prys OF both penders
Vho couldn't for the life of them see
Vhere John Randall's girls got money
0 fool away On such doings To such !
Iiss Mellayine discreetly replied that,
s far as she could say, it was present
rom very kind friend named "Des- /.
my -
Tho sto oa Of q Waetax,o A.. 80