Nevada County picayune., 1886-06-09
SECRET OF MY FOOTSTOOL.

polish, and then viewed the valua- ble article approvingly before plac- ing them in their softly.padded case.
 "Think they look we'll, little wo- man?" he asked.
 Il think they do, indeed" I ans- wsred, in unqualified admiration for Ted was capital workman, and had mended tho pretty trink- cts very skillfully. 'I am sure Mrs. Bailey will be pleased. The owner herself would be puzzled to detect where she damaged them" Ted smiled; then, as he did not intend to take them back to tho shop until tue return of his em. ployer, which would not be till the morrow, be deposited both tho jeweled bracelets in his customary ''non.burglar-p proof safe," ss he jok. ingly called . small, strong, square box which he had fitted with lock and key, padded inside and out. and covered with chintx to match our sofa. He made use of this as ' footstool, saying that evil dispos. cd persons would be the less like. ly to examine it; and mny a jest he had about his placing gems un. der my feet, and about me being a small person with . high mind, for l set my foot upon gold, aud the like nonsense. Dear old Ted! He WAS so clever at his trade and % trustworthy, that he had always more work than he could get through. He was very fond of mo his poor little crippled sister would never allow me to sit too long at my needle, aud shared with me in every possible way the little duties necessitated by our humble menage; so he and jogged along very merrily. We lodged in two rooms in a quiet street on the out. skirts of Bridgepool. Our landla- ly was kindly old body who had known our parents long before either Ted or found ourselves on this worlds stage.
 Having put away the bracelets safely, my brother next packe cd up three or four watches he had been busy to setting to rights, and pre- pared to so to the chop in Bridge pool which usually employed. l watched him putting on his over coat, for the day WAS very cold; but he seemed slow in his move ments; and 1 thought he was re. luctant to leave me alone, for, though I was generally active enough, considering my infirmity, one of my bad spells was now on me, when, as he knew, l found moving about q pain and Q difiicul ty for some days. It happened too. that Mre. BrOwn-cur landla- ly-hsd gone out for the day-a very rare occurrence.
 "Can do anything else for you before I go?" he asked.
 "No, Tod, dear, thank you"
 "Make sure; look around and see if everything is put handy for you" said my brother, placing my crutch . little nearer.
 "Evcrything," l replied cheerful ly, ''sud pve such a lot Of work to get through, I shall 6nd the after. noon short"
 ''I don't half like your being left alone so long, for 1 may not be back before i've" said Ted" eye. ing me dubiously. "Cousin Milly would come around if asked her." "Yss, and bring her baby, who would hinder my work sadly. l don't like babies when l am busy. Go away, Ted, you dear old fellow! Don't bother about mel shall be all right"
 "Well, by-by, little woman," he said, stepping to kiss me. "l'll be home as soon as csn, and Bessie," he added, pausing in the doorway. "be sure you don't touch the win dow today. The cash lino snap. ped this morning. I must send a carpenter to mendit You will re- member"
 promised that I would, and my brother departed. l hIm go down stairs and shut the street door. At first the unusual quiet of the house was rather depressing; but I soon became too much engrOssed in my sewing tO pay attention to that, and stitched away busily at some things