The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-05-13

Il AS4IA AAO< ~ ASA9 o~A -
of constant stirring should arrive Nettie sat
sat down by her sister TO take lesson in
brush. making. III.
| 1--WE can take few dollars Of your pay.
Nettie, and lay IN Il small stock of candy to-
morrow The school children will soon find
il out | can take some comfort 10 having you
at home, for time, at least. Why can't VIC
indulge IN good supper tonight, as long as
you have your pay! I'm getting reckless.
Let's have oysters"
agreed" said Nettie, delighted to see Flo
so ready (for once) for com aratlve luxury,
-" 'Scrimp. alton has its limitsH'
ooh, OH" cried her sister, IN mock horror.
"Labors of Max Miller How can you, Net,
tic9 There The candy nearly boiled over
Run and stir-quick"
i Un the midst OF stirring and fun enter Miss
Mellavine In a state of unwonted excitement).
"Such a surprise, my dears! What do you
Think But first of all, suppose you've
heard that Caleb Stone Is dead"
She dropped into the nearest chair and
famed herself with her brown.check apron,
though 1t was wintry March outside
"Why, no." exclaimed the girls In breath,
while Nettie held her spoon suspended in mid
air, with ropes of tally gracefully pendulous
therefr0m.
81 must begin at the very beginning" SAID
Miss Mellavine, "or / shall be sure to forget
something | ought to remember (IIe died at
4 o'clock this morning, but Mirandy couldn't
bear To have mess of half.strange women
around, she SAID so she begged me to stay on
though I'm free to confess | ached to come
and tell you as quick rs | decently could) |
can't get over the turn 1t gave me To think
that all this time-(but shall be sure to let it
out before | get around to it, after ALL if Pm
not CAREFUL. When | went up last night he
was asleep and Mirandy was sitting by the fire
and the little fellow had gone to bed. Pm so
glad you've come, Mellavlne,' says she, for
Caleb is that set on seeing you that | was
afraid he might try to dress himself TO 90 70
your house II you didn't come. He's been out
of his head more or less all day, but the doc
tor gave him another small dose of morphine
and he's resting 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.
"Is that you, Mellavine?"
"'Yes, sir said |, gong up to the bed.
| "Mirandy,' says he, you go out and sit by
the kitchen fire till want you agan'-and to
humor him she went. Just as quick as she
shut the door he clutched me by the arm and
pointed to heavy black box that stood on the
bureau.
"'There! There it Is " says he. It's clutch
ing at my throat now as if 1t had fingers.
Take 1t away. Take 1t awayn he almost
shrieked
eyes yes, presently SAID to pacify him.
"Why don't you take lty The key hangs
around my neck. Here, unlock it and take
away the-thc package. 1t is clutchlng me, |
tell you! BE quick! BE quickp
81 did Just rs he told me-you've got TO be
with a ravin' man, you know,-not expecting
to find anything important. | unlocked the
box, and the first thing l see-oh, | pretty
near let it out that time, but you've guessed it,
like az not. declare, 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 dubbed unheeded in the
porcelain kettle
"'Tell them,' said he, that I've not had an
hours peace since locked 1t in there Their
fathers sudden death put 1t In my head-the
temptation came like a d-then-oh,
the misery You know the rest. Afterward
| could not confess. They are good girls
not be anything else Tell them to keep it all
all. 1t is doubly theirs, have so wrongei
them! do not want them to pay another
ration ration ~ can an make. Beg them to Keep my Sc
cret l don't deserve that they should have
mercy on my good name-but, oh! for Miriam
dys sake and little Joe's beg them to keep 1t
They are good girls Now call my wife, ht
says, and drops his head back upon the pillow
without 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
butt hot, iaar hla m ~ IA lpol;l and
tions will haunt me to my dying day, verify
believe"
She drew from the bosom of her calico
dress packet, which she placed In Nettie's
hands. The lost money, as the reader has
doubtless guessed.
From Loren Sackett, of Ashfleld, to Caleb
Stone, 81 800 payment for live stock. Sent by
kindness of John Randall"
For two years hidden in Caleb Stones strong
box, while two heroic girls turned out OF their
homestead to satisfy his guilty greed, were
working their young lives out to make good
Its assumed loss.
Flo and Nettie wept silently at the side OF
their good friend. Mingled with the mex.
pressible relief at their good fortune was pity
such as few in like case would have been
able to feel-tor the wretched, guilty man who
had 30 used them, and sorrow for his innocent
wife and child, that this gam must come from
their grief and loss. All, John Randall's
daughters were indeed good girls!
After ALL" said Flo, finally, jumping up
and running to the stove, ~ don't believe it's
good economy to let the candy burnt"
They kept the dead mans secret faithfully
compassionately. They made the remaining
payments to the heirs rs If nothing had occur
red, then went to Boston, Nettie to take thor
ough course in elocutlon, and Flo as an ar,
student They were not wanting numerous
Paul Prys OF both gender, VINO couldn't fol
the life of them see where John RandalPs
girls got money to fool away on such doings
To such Miss Mellavino discreetiy replied
that, as far rs she could say, ii was a present
from very kind friend named Destiny"