Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-08-13
FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.

FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.
When young married clerk sud
denly loses his situation in provin-
cal bank where employers are reduc-
ing their hands, it does rot follow that
work can be had for the asking in
London; and SO Mr.. Tom Craven
found himself still seeking employ
ment many months after his savings
had dwlndlcd down TO a few pounds.
The last resources of the young couple
was the sale of every available article
OF furniture they possessed, and when
my story opens young Mrs. Craven
was on the point of starting to sell the
last remaining article of value, name
ly, her husbands boots.
The children must liye," said the
young man, looking at two tiny fig
ures in the bed, land all my other
clothes are done for. so the boots are
OF no use to me. The only trouble is
that you should have to take them,
Clara.
But, Tom, you can't go without
boots"
"TYe got slippers" replied Tom.
Make haste, dear-no one will see
you in the dark"
Resolved to keep up, Clara stopped
for the boots. Something must turn
up soon perhaps you'll hear from
Brown & Co. Tomorrow" she said.
Very likely" responded Tom in
desponding tone. Brown g. Co. were
his late employers, and he had writ
ten to them asking if they could posi-
bly, take him back--with faint hopes
of success.
Quickly the boots were put into an
old leather bag, and hrs. Craven
dressed herself in shabby waterproof
and bonnet, and covered her face with
a thick veil. Then she crept down
the creaking old stairs and out into
the narrow street, with 4 heavy heart
and eyes into which tears would come.
Gusts of wind made the steet lamps
flicker and cast strange shadows as
Clara Craven sped on toward the shop
where "left.otf'' clothing was pur-
chased. She paused few doors off
TO let some persons go on their way,
| for she was sorely ashamed of her err
rand; and as she stood thus her eyes
fell on placard that was fixed uuder
the light OF lamp on the wall of
police station.
Fifty pounds sterling reward"
"rIfty pounds! How nice to get
it" thought Mrs. Craven; and then
she took another look to see if the
coast was clear for the business she
had in hand. Two more peo-
plo were coming. Back went her
eyes to the placard, and she read that
this reward was offered to any person
who would give such information as
would lead to the conviction of 4 dar-
ing iewelry robbery.
wish ! could catch the thief" said
Clara TO herself. half laughing, half
sadly, and when she looked again to-
ward the wardrobe shop she saw she
might venture in. After hearing her
husbands boots deprecated in every
possible manner, she timidly accepted
the pitiful price offered, and then stole
back into the street, where she pur-
chased few absolute necessaries of
| life, and ordered some coal which a
green grocer's boy wheeled IN bar
rel behind her until they reached the
door of the clearinghouse.
Would you mind carrying them up
| to nv room in two basketsful ii | give
YOU two-pence?" asked Clara, gently.
The boy nodded by way of answer,
and the young wife opened the door
with her latch-&ey, and ran up for an
old basket. While she was getting
this out of her room man had swift
ly entered the house and passed up
| the stairs. The coal boy never no
ticed him, for he was eagerly watch
ing tho signs of an approaching fight
| between two tom-cats on an opposite
stairway. .....
The staircase was very dark, so
when Clara came down the man had
squeezed himself into corner unob-
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 by the Cravens.
An hour later snug glow OF hre
warmed the young couple and their
children, and the latter, having been
satisfied with meal, went sound
asleep. Tom watched his wife's busy
fingers mending shabby clothes for q
while, and then he, too, went to bed,
sharing her fervsnt hope that some
thing would turn up tomorrow.
And so il came about that when al
were asleep Clara sat on by the tre
that still burned cheerily, and after
eleven strokes had fallen slowly from
the big clock, and the restless roar Of
traffic was somewhat less in the evel
busy street, her hands lay idle in hel
Ian. and she blew out the candle tt
save its light for another time, ane
turned such a sad young face, sucl
troubled blue eyes, on the flickerins
fire that il seemed hard, hard that 81
ro,,pg life should be SO old in sor
row.
A sound OF voices in the next room
roused her. There was door com
municating with the next room, which
of course, was locked. but which mad'
sounds easily heard. Clara knew tina
her companion was an elderly lady
sbe had met her on the stairs some
= ! ;;;,,,,s-sna che wnndarad who he
visitor could be at such an hour. Thei
the sound of frightened sobbing ant
cxpostuiation made her listen atten
lively, for she feared her neighbor wa
IN trouble, and she determined to rous'
her husband if necessary.
"Not yet, Joe! oh, don't say yo'
must go YETI
"Mother, I've stayed too long al
ready. They'll be after me sharp
now the rewards out. Think OF MT
mounds sterling, motherl The men VIII
,empted me, and got the jewels
would turn on me now ana get Tn
} reward.
This was IL, then! But one Sigh
! wooden door stood between Clara an.
the thief she wished she could md
Only TO step round the corner. Their
she knew was the poles station, an
o. ,ha naws sha brought them sL