The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-25
A CONSCIENCE STILL.

~ u WIZ lIlbl
to pay off his scores and get a fair start
scores, indeed, said Mrs. Hale, who.
WIN her daughter Maggie, was busted
ABOUT Tie supper. 'NNhy the first thing
Mrs'> barton did was to 60 and buy II ba-
~ c"rrlase. Probably she'll want one for
herself next" she added with a laugh.
Think OF her setting w with a baby-car.
Rhe ba eUssickly mother, said Maggie
and too big for little Nellie to carry in
her arms. I've often heard Mrs. Burton
wishing Tor a carriage in which the baby
could be drawn about comfortable"
They're as delighted as il the fifty
mounds were a thousand" continued the
Vother. ut isn't much to be proud of
Witty pounds.n
We'll. ! only wish ! had half as mnch,n
~kMnrti witha sigh. We're owing two
II $ rent. now, and what | made down
a' we furnaces wont 20 lar. to say MOTH
ing OF the chandler's score. think George
is in good luck
they had always been good neislbors.
.he hia'es anS SEurtons. The two men
were known as kstcady, honest fellows j n,u
but 1t often happtGcd that work was slack,
or even at "A standstill, and then those
who were turned of had to be idle or look
Tor job at the furnaces, some thirty
miles up the railroad.
Both Hale and Burton had returned
from one OF these cxpeditions-,he latter
TO claim the good luck that had bcfallen
nm, ana the former to repine that no such
luck ever came to himself.
About II week after this, Martin Hale.
on ms way home from work, overlook
George burton, VIII" had p1usea outside
the window oionc OF those variety shops"
where anything is sold. ron Il box OF
matches to u suit Of clothes, or Il set oi
cheap !ewciry.
lie was gazing III n girls jacket OF dark
cloth, neatly Trimmed.
Thinking OF buying your wife diamond
rlng, George said Martin stopping beside
him.
Not yet a while" lie replied good hui
moredly. II was lookin. 1T that little AZ
fair nodding toward the jncket-'and
thinking would Xix" to buy it for Kitty,
lit isn't dear. know she needs some
thing warm FOR winter, and to-lnorrow's
her birthday
suppose you go in and ask the price,"
The two stepped into the shop. The
women whohclped to keep it were eloquent
in setting forth the merits of the garment
49, y nv Iiil'HS.
When Burton hesitatcd at sixteen shil-
l1nss she brought down the price to twelve,
and he pulled ont a leathern purse and paid
the money.
You're spending your fortune pretty
freely, George, remarked Hale, as his COM
panion closed his purse.
We'll, rs, in this instance; but You see
hlttys seventeen tomorrow, and girls
Ike to be nicely dressed. Besides, I've
Cared off my little debts, and this ten
bunds that's left goes into the bank to-
borrow"
The woman, anxious to get as much as
possible out OF her customer, produced
soc WOODEN socks, and Burton, on exam
MN them, aid his purse OF the counter,
"nei 1t was speedily covered with goods.
Cohr'uGinsl II. to purchase the socks, he
took the bundle co.ainin. the Jacket, and
with never n thought CHS money. lett the
shop.
Martin Hale took the pese from under
the s ooi unseen by the 'Spaa1 wro bad
turned to replace the thinHJon the shelf.
II will givehima little are, lie thought.
"The lesson won't hurt I'm
Wien Burton reached lis own door. and
paused to wish his companion goodnight,
the latter raised his hind to his breast
pocket. But suddenly ! dark thought
whispered to him. BurNn had not missed
the money; Burton void never suspect
him. And while he hesitted, his compan-
ion had gone into the hdse and closed the
door.
cru give it to him tGmorrow-yes GER
SELF, and explain that ikus a Joke. he will
see that none OF the moe; is missing
But next morning wla alone, he opened
the purse, Just to see tat the money was
all safe.
He counted it out. chiefly ten pounds,
With that n,unnpt ,.,.i1 l /. H..
score, and pay his moths rent; and it so
happened Just ut TIM time Martin Hale
was more III need OF money than ever he
had been in his life. 1a had made but lit
tie the past summer, nd winter WAS com-
ing with its manifold 'ccds.
That day the work len were all talkin.
OF George Eurton's lsss. He must have
placed ms purse containing the money, in
coat-pockct. he said for upon renchin.
home he found it gon and II hole at the
bottom of:his pocket
He was so absent nded at times. and
he remembered hat he had forgotten to
tell his wife OF that ton pocket. He offer
ed y reward to the tiIdcr, but no one came
to claim it.
Burton's good luck. Next day his chill
dren were taken wit, the measles, and IL
doctor had to be ralld in. One little do
nestle trouble after another cainc upon
him, and at last he rccived his dismissal
from the iron mills, Where there were, the
proprietor exclaimed. more worklnen en-
ployeh han were NECESSARY.
Tho sam fate bcrGl Martin Hale. and
as he walked ~gloonily homeward, he
thought Of the ten ponds laying in the Sc.
cret place where he had hidden it. Never
once again had he loosed at it, and not "
day had passed thathc had not shrunk
from the thought OF it and from the sense
OF his own guilt; and yet, by n strange in
consistency, he could Tot bring himself to
part with the money.
A haunting dread 81 poverty and want
tempted him to keepit and people who
noticed that he had changed, that he had
become nervous and norose, attributed it
to his poverty.
George Burton wondered that his old
n%eighbor Stunned hin, and Martins wife
grew anxious and larrassed in witnessing
her husbands charged temperate who
had hitherto been alvays kind and con.
sidcratc to her and t,e children.
One evening Martin took the purse from
its hiding place and opened it.
There were II lew pieces OF small change,
and these he slipped In his vest pocket and
started down the street.
He was not accustomed to drinking any.
thing stronger than beer, but now he
thought to drown his bad feelings he would
take q glass OF spirits.
Walking briskly down the street, one OF
the small coins, slipping from his vest peck,
ct, fell upon the pavement. He did not
notice it, but the little boy beyond him did.
The coin rolled into the gutter, and it
was n moment or two before the child
could find 1t. Then he ran after the man
who had dropped it, and after a good chase
came up with him as he was about entering
u public house.
"Oh. Mr.. Hale, is IL you?" he exclaimed,
breathlessly. I've chased you ever so
long"
Martin looked down, and saw a pale lit.
tie face, and form thinly clad for such a
cold evening.
A pang shot through him. It was Eddie,
George Burton's little son.
,,Hy, -.Ln ~ -