The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-16


observed.
To his unboundej surprise, and to the
equal surprise Of the Littlcton people, he
asccrtaincd through lawyer that the
seeming pauper was indeed the owner
of thousands.
He had no relations in that town. nor
was it known that he had any elsewhere.
He was not native of Littleton, how
ever, but had come, it was believed,
from Pomfretl so to Pomfret went
! John.
None OF the younger generation re-
membered any Dills. but some Of the
older ones knew that there had once
been such n family. though they had
long since lost Rll knowledge Of them.
"If anybody can tell you about thein,
old Granny Madison cam" said the
landlord of the Eagle Hotel "She
knows everything. Shes regular
History of pomfret' in one volume"
And SO it proved.
do l remember Mr.. Dill--Joshua
Dill?" said the old lady. ITO be sure
do. lie was one of our leading citl-
zens once, but after he quarrellcd with
his daughter he was all broken up."
Then lie had \ daughterg"
eyes; stubborn, headstrong piece
as ever lived, and wild and needless be-
sides. He couldn't do anything with
her after her mother died. At last he
got so angry at something,-I never
could find out precisely what,-that he
scolded her worse than common, and she
threatened to so off and leave him to
himself. He told her to go If she want
cd to, but she should never come back
| if she did.
He didn't expect she'd go, but she
went, and nobody knows that they ever
saw each other again. Mahala Blunt,
that kept house for him, told the story,
all she knew of it, and she said it was
pitiful to see him after she'd gone.
He'd steal out to the gate, and look up
and down the road half dozen times in
an evening, and she knew he was look
ing for Priscy."
"Priscy" said John.
Eyes; her name was Priscilla, you
know. But Priscy never came, and by
and-by he seemed 10 give it up, and af-
ter that the only object he had in the
world appeared to be to save and hoard
money. And it didn't do him any good
either, for he wouldn't even allow him
self enough to eat, nor Mahala neither.
At last she said she couldn't stand it
any longer, and she left him, and by
and-by he sold out anl went nobody
knows where"
"And the daughter?"
."Oh, most likely she's dead! There S
been good many stories a1olt about
her, but come to sift them they didn't
amount to much"
Then John thanked the old lady for
her information, and having, in his
turn, told her what he knew of Mr..
Dill, took his leave
When John reported to Mr. Hatch,
his lawyer, the very meagre information
he had gathered at Pomfret, that gen.
tleman said: st isn't of the slightest
consequence, sir; all the relations in the
world couldn't upset the will. which is
perfectly legal"
John smiled. 81 suppose the hest
way to ascertain whether the daughter
is living would be TO advertise, wouldn't
itP" he asked.
Doubtless it would; but what do you
want to ascertain for? You'll only make
trouble for yourself"
at seems to me the right thing to
do" said John; land, as don't under
stand much about such matters, will
get you to attend to it for me, and send
me word if you hear anything"
"Of course will attend to il if such
arc your orders; but mind, sir, it is not
by my advice, and l decline to be held
responsible for the consequences.
~ hold no one responsible but my
SELF" said John.
The news OF Johns fortune reached
home before he did, and and he at once
became a very important parsonage in
the village. Not only did his old friends
flock around him with congratulations,
but those who had formerly overlooked
the poor mechanic entirely, suddenly
discovered that he was a man of extra
ordinary merit. Mr., Armstrong ca
pressed Joy at his good luck; at the same
time he said, 81 don't see how I am 70
get along without YOU"
Perhaps you won't have to-" said
John. Il mean to keep right on with
my work at present."
As for Mrs. Ratchet, she declared 1t
was like fairy story. She would have
a new silk dress before another Sunday.
"Who would have dreamed when you
brought that old man home that it would
end like this3"
at hasn't ended" said John.
There, that's just like you," said
pebby, you're never excited whatever
happens. Now feel just like dancing
and clapping my hands"
And Debby executed a pirouette
which was the means of bringing her
foot down upon Ponto's tail. He ran
under the table with a yelp, and she
dragged him out and petted him, saying,
"Never mind, Pouto; you shall have a
beautiful new collar. with silver label,
so you shall"
''Debby," said John, iii anything
should happen that this money should
turn out not to be ours after all, would
it be such a terrible disappointment to
you?"