Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-06-18
A CONSCIENCE STILL.

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. Il
"Scores, indeed" said Mrs. Hale, who,
with her daughter Maggie, was busted
about the supper. "Why the first thing
Mrs. Burton did was to go and buy ba-
by carriage. Probably she'll want ono for
herself next" she added with q laugh.
'Think OF her setting up with q baby-car
riage"
''The baby g sickly, mother" said Maggie
land too big for little Nellie to carry in
her arms. I've often heard Mrs. Burton
wishing for a carriage in which the baby
could be drawn about comfortably"
They're as delighted as if the fifty
pounds we're a thousand continued the
mother 1T isn't much to be proud OF
fifty pounds"
well, only wish I had half as much"
said Martin with a sigh. Were owing two
month 5 rent. now, and what made down
at the furnaces won't go far, to say moth
ing Of the chambers score. l think George
il in good luck"
They had always been good neighbors,
the Hales and the Burtons. The two men
worked at the iron mills in the town, and
were known as two steady, honest fellows;
but it often happened that work was slack,
Or even at II stanhstill, and then those
who we're turned OFF had to be idle or look
Tor lob at the furnaces some thirty
miles up the railroad.
Roth Hale and RnrtOn had returre1
from one OF these xpeditions-the latter
TO claim the good luck that had beiallen
him, and the former to repine that no such
luck ever came to himself.
About 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 Il box OF
matches to suit OF clothes, or Il set OF
cheap iewelry.
He wns gazing at a girls jacket OF dark
cloth, neatly trimmed.
thinking OF buying your vile diamond
ring, George" said Martin stopping beside
him.
"Not yet while" he replied good hui
more'lly. II was looking at that little al
fair nodding toward the jacket" and
thinking would like to buy it for Kitty,
it it isn't too dear. know she needs some
thing warm for winter, and tomorrow $
her birthday.'
Suppose you 60 in and ask the price?"
The two stepped into the shop. The
women who helped to keep it were eloquent
in setting forth the merits Of the garment
and its wonderful cheapness.
When Burton hesitated at sixteen shil-
lings she brought down the price to twelve,
and he pulled out a leathern purse and paid
the money.
YOU'RE spending your fortune pretty
freely, George, remarked Hale, as his COM
panion closed his purse.
well, yes, in this Instance but you see
Kittys 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 TO-
morrow
The woman, anxious to get as much as
possible out OF her customer, produced
so,ne wooden socks, and Burton, on exam
ming them, laid his purse on the counter,
where it WAS speedily covered with goods.
Concluding not to purchase the socks, he
took the bundle conta lining the jacket, and
with never thought OF his money, left the
shop.
the goods, unseen by the woman who had
turned to replace the things on the shelf.
II will give him 81 little scare, he thought.
1.-THE lesson won't hurt him.
When Burton reached his own door, and
paused to wish his companion good night,
tho 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 compan-
ion had gone into the house and closed the
door.
"lu give it to him .mOrrOw-yes GER
tainly to- morrow said Martin to HIM
self, and explain that it was IL joke, he will
see that none OF the money is missing"
But next morning whom alone, he opened
the purse. just to see that the money was
all sale
He counted it out, exactly ten pounds.
With that amount he could clear of his
score, and pay his months rent; and it so
happened just at this time Martin Hale
was more in need OF money than ever he
had been in his lfe He had made but lit
tie the past summer, and winter Was COM
iny with it's manifold needs.
That day the workmen were all talking
OF George Burtons loss. He must have
placed his purse containing the money, in
eoat-pocket, he said, for upon reaching
home he found it gone, and u hole at the
bottom, OF his pocket.
lie was so absent. minded ut times, and
ne remembered that he had forgotten to
tell his wife Of that torn pocket. He Offer
cd Il reward to the finder, but no one came
to claim it.
This seemed q turning point to George
Burton's good luck Next day his chill.
drcn were taken with the measles, and
doctor had to be called in. One little do
NESTLE trouble alter another came upon
him, and at last be received his dismissal
from the iron mills, where there were, the
proprietor exclaimed, more workmen en-
DlOycu than were neceSSary
The same fate befel Martin Hale. and
as ne walked gloomily homeward, he
thought OF the ten pounds laying in the Sc
cret place where he had hidden it. Never
once again had he looked at it, and not q
day had passed that he had not shrunk
from the thought OF it and from the sense
OF his own guilt: and yet, by q strange in
part with the money.
haunting dread OF poverty and want
tempted him to keep it, and people who
noticed that lie had changed, that he had
become nervous and morose, attributed it
TO his poverty.
George Burton wondered that his old
neighbor stunned him, and Martins wife
grew anxious and harrassed in witnessing
her husbands changed temperate who
h'!! hitherto been always kind and con-
slderate to her and the children.
Que evening Martin took the purse from
its hiding place and opened it.
There were a few 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 glass of spirits.
Walking briskly down the street, one OF
the small coins, slipping from his vestpock.
{n5 L.. lid
notice it, but the little bow beyond him did.
The coin rolled into the gutter, and it
was a moment or two before the child
could find it. Then be ran after the man
who had dropped it. and after agood chase
came up with him as he was about entering