The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-04-01
A CONSCIENCE STILL.

Chambers Journal.
A CONSCIENCE STILL.
So George Burton's had bit of good
luck" said Martin Hale, as he hung his
hat and coat behind the door, and drew
up to the fire 1--WE heard of it up at
the foundry. Fifty pounds from that
old aunt of his who died last week.
Well, it'll help him to pay off his scores,
and get fair start. d"
Scores, indeed" said Mrs. Hale,
who, with her daughter Maggie, was
busted about the supper ''Why, the
first thing Mrs. Burton did was to 90
and buy a baby-carriage. Probably
she'll want one for herself next" she
added with a laugh. Think of her
setting up with baby-carriage."
The baby's sickly, mother" said
Maggie, land too big for little Nellie to
carry in her arms. I've often heard
Mrs Burton wishing for carriage in
which the baby could be drawn about
comfortably"
They're as delighted as if the fifty
pounds were thousand" continued
her mother. ut isn't much to be proud
of-ffty pounds"
'Well, | only wish | had half as
much.n said Martin with sigh.
We're owing two months rent now,
and what | made down at the furnaces
won't 90 far, to say nothing of the
chambers score l think George is in
good luck"
They had always been good neigh
bors, the Hales and Burtons. The two
men worked at the iron mills in the
town, and were known as steady honest
fellows; but it often happened that work
was slack, or even at a standstill, and
then those who were turned off had to
be idle or look for a LOB" at the fur
naces, some thirty miles up the railroad.
Both Hale and Burton had just re-
turned from one of these expeditions
the latter to claim the sgood luck" that
had befallen him." and the former to
repine that no such luck ever came to
himself
About a week after this, Martin Hale,
on his way home from work, overlook
George Burton, who had paused outside
the window of one of those variety
shops" where anything is sold, from a
box of matches to suit of clothes, or
set of cheap jewelry.
He was gazing at a girls Jacket OF
dark cloth, neatly trimmed.
Thinking of buying your wife dia-
mond ring, George?" said Martin, stop
ping beside him.
Not yet a while" he replied good
humoredly. Il was looking at that
little affair '-nodding towards the jack
et-"and thinking l would like to buy
it for Kitty, if it isn't too dear. l know
she needs something warm for winter,
and to-morrow's her birthday"
Suppose you go in and ask the
pricePn
The two stepped into the shop. The
women who helped 10 keep it were elo-
quent in setting forth the merits of the
garment, and its wonderful cheapness.
When Burton hesitated at sixteen
shillings she brought down the price to
twelve and he pulled out leather purse
and paid the money.
You're spending your fortune pretty
freely, George" remarked Hale, as his
companion closed his purse.
"Well, yes, in this instance; but you
see Kitty's seventeen tomorrow, and
girls like to be nicely dressed. Besides,
I've cleared off my little debts, and this
ten pounds that's left goes into the bank
tomorrow.
The woman, anxious to get as much
as possible out of her customer, pro-
duced some woollen socks, and Burton,
in examining them, laid his purse on
the counter, where it was speedily cov-
cred by the goods.
Concluding not to purchase the socks,
he took up the bundle containing the
jacket, and with never thought of his
money, left the shop.
Martin Hale took the purse from
under the goods, unseen by the woman,
who had turned to replace the things
on the shelf
Il will give him little scare" he
thought. ''The lesson won't hurt him."
When Burton reached his own door
and paused to wish his companion
goodnight, the latter raised his hand to
his breast-pocket. But suddenly dark
thought whispered to him. Burton had
not missed the money; Burton would
never suspect him. And while he
hesitated, his companion had gone into
the house and closed the door.
I'm give it to him to-morrow-yes,
certainly tomorrow" said Martin to
himself, land explain that it was
joke. He will see that none of the
money is missing"
But next morning, when alone, he
opened the purse, just to see that the
money was there all safe.
He counted it out-exactly ten pounds.
With that amount he could clear off his
score, and pay his months rent; and it
so happened that just at this time
Martin Hale was more in need of money
than ever he had been in his life. He
had made but little the past summer,
and winter was coming with its mani
fold needs.
That day the workmen were all talk
ing about George Burton's loss. He
must have placed his purse, containing
the money, in his coat-pocket. he said,
for upon reaching home he had found
it gone, and hole at the bottom of the
pocket.
He was so absent-minded at times.
and he remembered that he had forgot
ten to tell his wife of that torn pocket.
He offered reward to the finder, but
no one came to claim it.
This seemed a turninp-point to
George Burton's "good luck" Next
day his children We're taken with the
measles, and doctor had to be called
in. One little domestic trouble after
another came upon him, and at last he