Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-11
FIFTY POUNDSREWARD
The .ArgGy.l

. months at = Ia. SayingS had dwindled down
y to few I.p,.IIi The last resource Of the
! young coupe WAS the sale Of every available
o article OF value they possessed, and when my
Q story opens WANG Mrs Craven was on the
, point Of starting to sell the last remaining
saluable-name!y, her husbands boots.
The children must live" said the young
q man looking At two tiny figures in the bed
q Aand all NV other clothes are done for, SO the
boots are ~ me. Tie only trouble is
that you should have TO take them Clara.
!, But, Tom, You can't go without boots"
I've ,ot slippers replied Tom. Make
r haste, dear-no one will see YOU in the
dark
Re'olYed to keep up, Clara stopped for the
boots. Something must turn up soon-per-
hars youth hear from Brown & Co. to-mor-
row, she said
Very likely responded Tom, in de
spondinS tone. Brown q Co. were his late
employers, and he had written to them ask
ing if they could possible take him back
with faint hopes OF success
Quickly the b"otS were pat into an old
leather bag, and Mrs. Craven dressed herself
in shabby water proof and bonnet, and
covered her face with thick veil. Then she
crcp, tipwH the creaking old stairs and out
in IA narrow tTeet with heavy heart and
e---. into which tears would come IL was
ONE Of those Old Westminster streets which
are o clD-e to the dwellings of the great and
yet dirty and Gisrcpu-aile themselves. The
irsqec:ab.e p"rs"a> dwelling there had all
been reduced Ia the depths Of poverty. The
Other inhabitants were chiefly remarkable
for their varied vices
Gusts II wind made the street lamps flicker
and cast strange shadows as Clara Craven
1 slei on toward the shop where left off
clothing was purchased She paused a few
doors of {" let some persons go on their way
;or she was sorely ashamed of her errani:
and as she stood thus her eyes fell on
Tlacari taat Was fixed under the light of a
lamp on the wall of police station.
Fifty pound, sterling reward
Fifty pounds, How nice 10 get it,
I thought Mrs Craven. And then she took
another look to see if the coast was clear for
The l.ilsines, she had in hand Two more
! p,oile were coming Back went her eyes 20
the placarl. and she read that thi reward
Wa uiislei to any person who would give
such information as would lead TO tie con
( yicti'n 81 the perpetIator OF daring Jewel
4 rol berry
Wish | could catch the thief said Clara
I To herself half laughing. half sadly, and
/ when sine looked again toward the wardrobe
HOP. shH SAW she might venture in After
hearing fer husbands boots Gepreciated In
I every posS.bl: manner, she timidly accepted
+ tie pitifnl price offered. and then stole back
/ into the street, where she pu. chased 4 few
I absolute n,-essaries of life. and ordered some
( coal, which green srocer's boy wheele in
a barrel Leiini her until they reached the
90 4 If the lodging -hol,-.
T III N
room ia two basketsful. if I give You =
Pence" asked Clara. gently
The boy nodded by way of answer, and
the young wife opened tine door with her
latch key and ran up for an old basket.
While she was getting this out OF her room a
man had swiftly catered the hous. nj passeI
up the stairs The coal boy never noticed
him, for he was eagerly watching the signs
oi an approaching fight between two tom
cat, on an Opposite airway.
The staircase was very dark. So when
Clara came down with the basket the man
lad squeezed himself into corner unot,-
served; and when she went ON her way, the
stranger passed on to the top of the house.
and entered the room behind that occupied
b. the Cravens
An hour later snug glow If fire warmed
the young couple and their children, aud the
latter, having b. satisfied with "A meal.
went sound asleep. Tom watched his wife's
bGSy fingers meniing shabby clothes for
awhile, and then he, too, went TO bel shar-
IN her fervent hope that something would
turn up tomorrow"
And - il came about that when all were
asleep, Clara sat on By the fire that still
burned .he-rily: and after IL strokes had
fallen slowly from TIA. big clock aud the
restless roar of traffic was somewhat less in
the ever busy street, her hands lay idle in
her lap and She blew cut the candle 10 save
its light for another time, and turned such q
sad Young face, such troubled blue ewes on
the flickarin- fire that il seemed hard, hard
~ young a life should he 81 in sorrow.
\ sound of voices IN the next room reused
her. There was door communicating with
the next room, which of COURSE was locked.
but which made sounds easily heard Clara
knew that her companion was an elderly
lady, She had met her on the stairs some
tim, s. and she wondered who her visitor
couid Re ut such an hogr. Then the sound
Of iri- hicncd soh!ing AMI expostulation
made nor iIstca att-aiively, for she feared
her rriEhbor was ia trouble and determined
L. rouse her husband If necessary
~N"t Vet. Joe, ph don't say you must 90
vet
Mother, I've stayed too long already.
They'll b. after me- sharp. now the rewards
cut Tint. OF - pounds sterling, mother,
I hc ''ien VIII" tempted me, and go: the Jew
ci,. would round IA me and get the re-
warl
This was ii then, But one slight wooden door |
TODD between Cara and the thief she had
wished She could find. Only 10 step round |
tie corner. Taere, she knew, was the police |
station and for the news she brought them |
sha woull get % pounds sterling She |
cla-pei lie. hands tight and sat per |
fec.ly s;iii all the while knowing that |
ever second leSsened he. chance |
"t s"rurin; the living piece of prop
clty valued at - pounds sterling. In |
ter present straits, 50 pounds sterling seemed |
fortune to her. No enc VINO has no; gone |
through similar experience can ever know
what that temptation was to Mrs. Craven. |
y >hH sat. her strained ears caught the 1
ulu. hers voice again.
III not keep YOU. though my heart i,
breaking My bonny boy come 10 this, Oh,
Col. most mercful, save him from a felon's
q no'u
Mother. pray for me- II rsrap,. | vow
- lead an honest life and make u home for
YOU IL has not been NV fault Pray God
u forgive and help me
Ciara's grasp OF her hands relaxed Then
with white face and fearful ewes, she stood
up and looked at her two tinv sleeping bows
Then on her knces she fell and STAYED in
earnest prayer until she heard the st@althy
footsteps creep down the stairs and the front
door closed; then she stole 10 the window of
her darl enei room. and looking cut int
ia" lampiit street, watched n quick walking
figure IN an old country woman's cloak with
n deep cape and large poke-bonnet. such a.
her nciEhbur ALWAYS wore. and 81, knew !
that the young man had escaped in hi
mother clothes
One o. the most old fashioned houses IN ar
cd country town was Miss Grey brooks 4
steep fight uf immediately clean steps lei
rom ta- payment IT the High street TO her
lall door with it, shining bras knpckrg and
ell handle. On each side uf this hall door
was laTg, bay window, just high enough
.o make it announcement for any one To- shake
hands with Miss Greybrook when they were
u the street and she was tending flowers in
he wiGlogS At the back Of the broad hall
Ia: went straight across the house there
sere steps iding down into large, well
,cpt gardens, aud these were inclo>ei by
substantial brick wall that eifectually pro
ectel the fruit and flowers from pilfering
myers.
lgSide the houSe everything was expires
1--WE of wealth and solid comfort Miss
irey brock herself wes regarded by the town
ok as peculiar but her popularity being
accompanied by riches she was never made
- feel 1t uupleaSantlv. In person she was
all and angular, and pair Of piercing
lack eyes that shone out in vivid contrast
- L. -.