Barbour County index., 1884-02-01
FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.

FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.
when young married clerk sudden
loses his situation in a provincial.
bank where employers are reducing
their hands. IL docs not follow that
work can be had for the asking in Lon.
dom and So MIR Tom Craven found
himself II II seeking employment MANY
months after his savings had dwindled
down TO n few pounds The lat re-.
source ol the Young couple was tho sale
OF every avai able art Gle of value thev
possessed. and when my story q zen.
young Mrs. Craven was on ths point O
starting to sell the last remaining val
liable e-uamuly, her hu bands boots.
"lhe children NUT live SAID the
young man. looSin at two t'nv Grures
IN tho bod 'aud all my other ciotle.
arn done for. So the boots are no use to
me. The only troub q il that goH
should have 90 take them. Clara"
But Tom. you cam 20 " thout
I've got slppora." replied Tom.
Make haste, dear-uo one viii sec YOU
In the dark
Resolved To keep up. Clara stopped
ior The boots. 'Som"tling must tu.n
up soon perhaps yOu'll hear from
Brown X Go. tomorrow she said.
Very likcly.' responded Tom. I'm a
uespondng tonc. Brown nuj Go. were
his late cmplo, crs. anl ht had written
4 them rs ing il thcv could pos,iblv
take him back-w,th faint hopes Of
success
Quickly the boots were nut into nm
old leather bas. and Mrs. 4 aven
dressed herself in n shabby w,tern ,of
and bonnet and covered her face with
thick vel. Then she crept down the
creakiug old stars and on, into the mar
row street with n heavy heart, and eyes
INTO whch the tears would come. IL
was one OF those old Westminster
streets which are so clo-e TO the dwell
lngs of the great, and yet dirty and
uisrrpu able themselves. TIE csppct.
able persons dwelling there had all been
reduced TO the dep hs OF poverty. The
other inhabitants were cuicily remark
able for lncir varied vices.
Gusts Of wind m de the street lnmps
Kicker and cast strange shadows rs
Clara Craven sped ON towards the shop
whore "lcft-onn Goth no was pur.
chascd, She paused fcr doors Oft To
let some persons % on their wav. for
she was sO.cly ashamc Of her errand.
and rs she stood thu. her eve fell on n
pla'ard that was iiycd under the lipht
ot lamp on The wall Of police station.
&c o Reward"
Fifty poundsP How nice 10 cct itr'
thought Mrs travcn, and then She took
another look to se1 Il the coast was
clear Tor the business she had i'm hand
Two moro people were coming. Back
went her eyos Co tie placar.l. and she
read that this reward was offered To anv
person who would give such informa-
ton rs would lead to the convict ON Of
The perpctrator Of daring jewel rob-
berry.
wish / could catch tn, thief,, said
Clara to herself. half laughing. half
sadly; and when She looked acnin
towards TIE wardrobe shop she saw she
might venture in. Alt.r hcariny bcr
husband boots deprecated In every
poss Ole manner, she timiily ACCENTED
the pitiful price offered. aud then stole
PACK into the street. wlerc she pur-
chased few of the absolute nccessfries
OF lille. and ordered some Goals, which
grccngrocer's boy wheeled in n bar
row behind her until they reached the
door of the lOdging-house.
Would you mind carving them up
10 my room In two basketsfnl. II 1 give
You twopenccP" asked Clara, gently.
he boy nodded by way OF answer
Rnd the young wife opened the door
with her latch-kcy. aud ran up for an
old basket. While she was re tine This
out other room man had swf tlyeStored
the house and passed up the stairs
Tho coal-boy never noticed him. for his
tack was turned To- the door. and bo
was eagerly watching the sirns of an
approaching light between two tom-ca
on ON opposite doorstep. The stair
case was very dark. SO when Clara
came down with the basket the man
had squeezed himself into n corner nm
observed; and when she went on her
way. the stranger passed on to the ton
OF the house. aud entered the room be-
hind that occupied by the Cravcns.
An hour later snug glow OF fire
warmed the young couple and their
children; and she latter. having been
satisfied with meal. went sound asleep.
Tom watched his wiie's busy fingers
mending shabby clothes for awhile: and
then he, too. went 10 bed. sharing her
fervent hope that something would
turn up tomorrow"
And so II came ~ out that, when all
were fast asleep. Clara sat on by the
fire that still burned cheerily; and after
eleven strokes hal fallen slowly from
the big clock. and the restless roar of
traffic was somewhat less In the ever
busy streets, her hands lay idle IN her
lap, and she blew out the candle to save
its light for anot. er time. and turned
such n sad young face, such troubled
blue eyes, upon the Pickering fire that
u seemed hard. hard so young n life
should be so old In sorrow.
A sound of voices in tho next room
reused her. There was door of COM
munication between the two rooms.
which was OF course locked. but which
made sounds easily heard. Clara knew
that their neighbor was an elderly
woman; she bad met her on the stairs
sometimos. and she wondered who her
visitor could 10 at such an hour. Then
tne sound Of frightened sobbing and
expostulation made her listen attentive
ly, for she feared her neiQhbor was in
trouble, and determined 10 rouse her
husband, II necessary.
Not Yet. Joe. Oh. don't say YOU
must 20 yet"
"MOtsor, I've stayed 100 long al
ready. They II bs after ne share now
the rewards oiltl Think OF ESQ
mother The men who tempted me
and got the jewels, would round on me
now and get the reward