The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-08-01
SELECT STORY.
THE TURN OF AN ACCIDENT.

rousing from his sound nights sleep,
sprang out of bed with the alert read
mess of man who knows the value of
the first hours of day. 1t was a tavern
bed from which he jumped home aud
its cares were miles away; but long
ride lay before him, and he washed
and dressed briskly, as one in haste,
humming cheerful air. meanwhile, as
became a man who felt himself ia
good spirits and had ample reason for
being so. For, be it known, this year
had proved the best to farmers since
John had been his own master. Har-
vests had been large, prices high, and
John, on his way back from the an
nual market, carried sense of freedom
and liberation at his heart from the
final extinguishment of a mortgage on
his farm--a mortgage which had press
ed as heavily on his conscience as did
the burden of Christian on his shoul-
ders. The burden was lifted now, and
further than that, John carried in his
fat, red wallet, 5000 over and above,
toward the expenses of the next year.
He had never been so "beforehand'
before, and the sensation was joyful
one.
"My neck is out of the collar now" !"
he muttered to himself as he brushed
his thick, brown hair. 81 should be a
fool indeed if I put it in again. No
more mortgages for mel"
Theu, his toilet completed, he ran
down stairs, two steps at time.
Farmer-like, his first visit was to his
horses. They were munching their
corn very satisfactorily, and after a
look or two and pat, John returned
to the inn, where jingling bell an.
nounced breakfast 1t was smoking
on the table-a substantial meal of the
kind universal in taverns thirty years
ago, and John Boyd, whose appetite
was of the kind proverbially said to
accompany a good conscience, was
doing it ample justice, when sudden
instinct led him to thrust his hand into
the inner pocket, which held two hun
dred dollars. The wallet was gone.
In the suddenness of the shock John
felt himself turn pale and ther flush
painfully as he confusedly tried to re-
member if he had taken out the wallet
and when. Under his pillow-there it
was He recollected distinctly, or so
it seemed, putting it there for security s
sake when he went to bed the night
before. With muttered excuse he
left the table and hurried up stairs.
The door of his room stood open, and
the maid servant was putting fresh
sheets on his bed, and the soiled linen
was lying in heap on the floor.
Toward the heap John hurried and
began turning it over.
"Have you lost something, sir 2
asked the maid.
John Strengthened himself to answer
He had not noticed the maid before
though she had waited upon the table
at supper. Now he observed that she
was young and rather pretty-fair,
with trim, slender figure, beautiful
glossy hair, neatly dressed and braided
and pair of sweet, apprehensivc blue
eyes. Her voice was soft, too, and
she had shy, modest manner, which
suggested an idea of refinement. All
these things Farmer Boyd observed in
a flash, and instinctively noting, weigh.
ing, estimating by that wonderfully
rapid progress of which the human mine
is capable, while yet his thoughts were
full of his money and his loss.
"Yes, | am looking for my wallet
which 1 left under my pillow. Die
you find it p
The girls face blanched to deadly
: whiteness and her eyes dilated as witt
sudden terror.
mo, sir" she said, her voice tremb
ling and sinking away as she spoke
II didn't see any wallet
John looked at her distrustfully
but there was something in the pail
face that disarmed suspicion.
T'd like to search the bed,' he said
at may have slipped under the mat
tress.
Together they turned the mattress
but no wallet was visible.
"That off horse of yours has got hi
shoe loose, somehow" announced MI
Nash, the landlord, suddenly appearing
at the door 81 thought ia better tel
you, so that You can stop at the black
smiths as you pass and get him to pu
in a couple of nails. Why, what's tn
matter
John explained
The landlord looked very grave. III
whistled softly to himself minute
with his eyes fixed on the tumbled bed
ding then he went to the head of tn
stails and called his wife. Present.
they came in together, and the land
lady's face looked very red and trou
bled.
"Such thing never happened in m
= house before" she protested "Bu
there's only one person that has been i
your room since you came, beside your
self, and she's the person you mus
reckon with" pointing to the maiC
who, with white cheeks and downcas
eyes, leaned against the wall as
awaiting sentence.
"Oh, indeed, indeed, didn't take il
| never saw any wallet" she said bu
her voice was drowned in Mrs Nash
louder tones.
Sand pray who else took it, do yo
suppose9 Who else had the chance
Answer me that II serves me ju'
right for taking in girl with no re'
ommend--a girl don't know nothin
about, not so much as her name, c
where she came from, or where he
folks are Five weeks ago tomorrow
that's all the time she's been in tn
house, sir, but this is the end of it. 1t
the last time I'll ever have a help
don't know the long and short of, {
you needn't be afraid to stop with |
again, no, none of your friends, either
as for her, out she packs this veT
day.
"Id better 60 for the constabl
hadn't |, If you're sure it was under IL
pillow you put it ?" said the landlor
"Oh, don't please, don't" pleade
the girl, weeping bitterly,
"Give the gentleman his wallet bac
then, and perhaps he'll lie. you go"
81 can't. / haven't got il o