The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-07-24

voice;
Hattie, Hattie, would not have be-
lieted this Of you!"
And then she found voice.
Indeed, indeed, " she said family, II
did not put II there. cannot imagine
how il came there.
"Of course you will discharge hor,"
Miss Chasnble said, turning to Mr..
Leaning. "Otherwise, Il shall be under
the painful necessity Of summonng
policeman myself Such an audacious
theft must not be allowed TO pass un-
punished. y
"Qf course shall discharge her"
Mr.. Leaning said gravely, unless she
can give q satisfactory account Of how
the charm came there Hattie, child,
speak out and tell MS how il was.
But Hattie could not speak; she could
only sob and tremble and look mutely
about her MS a wounded fawn might
have done in the midst Of its enemies
Miss Chasnble was ineNorable; and so
1t came to pass that when half an hour
later she crept TO her poor little home,
she was not only deprived of the priyi-
lege of working for her morsel of daily
bread, but she was branded with the
stigma Of thief
Poor little Hattie! She had been so
blithe and happy that morning, and
somehow il had seemed TO her that life
had never before looked so sunshiny,
For she had even dared to think that
grave Mr.. Leaning spoke more gently
to her. than to the other girls ana
fingered longer by her side in giving the
directions for the day work
But now-and Hattie clasped her two
little. cold hands over her eyes, and won
dered if it would be very wicked to end
all this weary horror in a placid unend-
ing sleep,
And while she sat, crouched all in
heap, beside the dull fire in her little
room, wondering what to do with life
that seemed so. hopelesSly wrecked to
her, Pete Mccarthy, the janitor Of
the firm of Leaning and Company,
had just come into the work-room with
a big steaming pitcher Of hot coffee for
the girls usual four O'Clock refresh
ment
An is it the ruby ye're after maxim
all the commotion about?n he asked, as
he looked around upon the busy lot of
girls. Faith, an could have told We
where il was long afore this, if We had
any Of wees come down and axed me.
Didn't see it shiniD loik a BIG ayil eye
bad luck to ton the hure amongst
the scraps of silk, when | swept the
room? An didn't just slip it into Miss
Challis drawer for the safe keepin of
it2 An didn't | name to Tell MiSther
Laming the furst time seed him? Sure
| cant see what the diyil the mysthery
is about
Miss Chasuble looked at Mr.. Lean
ing Mr. Leaning looked at the girls
sewing about him, and a strange silence
fell upon them all
II am very sorry, ] am sure, Miss
Chasuble said deprecatingIy; "but it |
wasn't my fault
ut was all my fault, said Mr.. Lean |
ing with a troubled look upon his face,
Poor little Hattie--poor little fright
sned girlw
And then, when Pete had numbered
of down stairs TO the furnace-room
again, and Miss Chasuble had taken
herself and her silken draperies into her
carriage at the door, Mr. Leaning put
on his hat and oyercoat and left the
building.
Hattie, my poor little Hattie"
There she still crouched upon the
door, by the almost freless stove, the
lovely brown hair disheyeled so as to |
completely veil her head and face, and |
her forehead buried in her hands.
At the sound of Mr. Leaming's voice,
she started nervouSly.
"0h, sir, [ didn't steal it, indeed | |
didn't steal it, she cried, shudder |
convulsing her slender frame. '1ndeed, |
Mr.. Leaning, | do not know haven't |
the least idea how the ruby came among |
my spools,'
But | know said Mr. Leaning.
And as he told her the whole story, he
watched her with look in his eyes she
had never seen there before, while for
veWjoy the color came Suffering back
into her tell-tale cheeks, and light in
to her wide eyes,
And may come back to work
againP' she faltered enquiringly. 81 am
SO poor, Mr., Leaning and there is my
little sister 10 Keep at school, and moth |
er Is not able to do anything and
you may do as you please about
coming back, of course, Mr.. Leaning
said grayely; but / would rather you |
did not "
Hatue's countenance fell, and her
sweet red lips quivercd
notPn
Because, little Hattie, want to take
you to my own home as my wife |
wan'tto marryyou, dearest, If you think
you can be contented with such grave
old sobersides as me; and think you
can trust me that little sister and moth
er VIII not suffer by the exchange in Sit
uaUons.
Toh, Mr., Leaning, you cannot mean
itg You are not In eornestP"
Am not in earnest little Hattiep
have been in love with you for the last
year, ! thinknay, | am sure Of 1t.
Now, little one, will you take me?"
And Hattie went back to the work
room no more, She had indeed lost her
situation buf MOI IN apGnunt of Mice