The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-08-13
FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.

Win Tie od'ous English pug.
-New York San.
FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.
When a young married clerk sud-
denly loses his situation in provin-
cial 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 fow 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.
1.-The children must liye." said tho
young man, looking at two tiny fig
ures in the bed, land all my other
clothes are done for. 50 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!"
1--WE got slippers" replied Tom.
''Make haste, dcar-no one will see
you in the DARK
Resolved to keep up, Clara stopped
for tho boots. .'Somothine must tnrn
up soon-perhaps you'll hear from
Brown 4 Go. Tomorrow" She said.
Ivory likely responded Tom in a
Responding tone. Brown & Co. were
his lato 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 Mrs. Craven
dressed herself in shabby waterproof
and bonnet, and covered her face with
thick veil. Then she crcpt down
the creaking old stairs and out into
the narrow street, with a heavy heart
and eyes into which tears would come.
Gusts of wind made the steet lamps
flicker and cast strange shadows rs
Clara Craven sped on toward the shop
where 'left-otf'' clothing was pur-
chased. She paused a few doors off
to let some persons 60 on their way,
for she was sorely ashamed of her en-
rand; and az she stood thus her eyes
fell on placard that was fixed uuder
the light Of lamp ON the wall of a
police station.
"Fifty pounds sterling reward"
Fifty 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-
plc 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 dar-
ing jcwelry robbery.
swish could catch the thief" said
Clara to herself. half laughing, half
sadly, ard when she looked again to-
ward tho wardrobe shop she saw she
might venture in. After hearing her
husbands boots deprecated in every
possible manner, she timidly accepted
tho pitiful price offered, and then stole
back into the street, where she pur-
chased a few absolute nccessaries of
life, and ordered some coal which a
green-grocer's boy wheeled IN bar
|
door of the clearinghouse.
Would you mind CARRYING them up
to my room in two basketsful if give
you two-pence?" asked Clara, gently.
The boy nodded by way of answer,
and the young wife opened the door
with her latch-key, 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 the 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 a corner unOb-
served; and when she went on her
way tho stranger passed on to the top
of the house, and entered the room
behind that occupied by the Cravcns.
An hour later q snug glow of tre
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 mcnding shabby clothes for a
while, and then he, too, went to bed,
sharing her fervent hope that :'some.
thing would turn up tomorrow.
And so it came about that when all
were asleep Clara sat on by the fire
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 eve,
busy street, her hands lay idle in he1
lap, and she blew out the candle tc
save its light for another time, and
turned such sad young face, such
troubled blue eyes. on the Pickering
fire that it seemed hard, hard that sc
young a life should be so old in sor.
row.
A sound of voices in the next room
reused her. There was a door com.
municating 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 Oh the stairs some
times-apd she wondered who hel
visitor could be at such an hour. Their
the sound of frightened sobbing and
expostulation made her listen atten
lively, for she feared her neighbor was
in trouble, and she determined to rouse
her husband if necessary.
mot yet. Joe! Oh, don't say yot
must 60 yet!''
"Mother, I've stayed too long al
ready. They'll be after me sharp,
now the rewards out. Think of fifty
pounds sterling, mother! The mon wh<
tempted me, and got tho jewels
/ would turn on ma now and not thu
, reward"
This was It, then! But one Sigh
wooden door stood between Clara an(
the thief she wished she could find
Only to step round the corner. There
she knew was the police station. and
for the pews she brought them sh,