, 1888-06-03

sarth were slipping from beneath her
not caught her. She revived immedi-
stely and cried out: THANK Godi Oh,
thank GodI" Then her tender heart
went out toward the real culprit. Are
you quite sure this time, sirS" she asked,
earnestly.
Quite sure, ssse answered, 'for she
has confessed"
''Oh, sir, said Molly, "'don't be hard
on herl Think of all she has suffered,
for if l who am innocent. have suffered
30 kneely, what must the guilty one
have ~endured2"
Capt. Prime was deeply touched by
this appeal, though he answered lightly;
"Oh, j shan't hurt her, though / don't
think her crime has cost her much sor-
row; but you haven't said you forgive
me, Molly. Do your 'Freelyp she
replied, ''you are 30 good yourself that it
makes yon angry with wrong doers."
The captain WINGED. Say rather l
was too uncharitable and harsh; but /
have learned a lesson l shall not forget.
Why don't you ask me who the thief isf'
II would like TO know II you wish to
tell me-, she replied simply.
"Well, then, it was no other than
Kitty. Yesterday 1 had occasion to go
into the parlor, which, as you know, Mrs.
Prime opens only on great days. Kitty
was with me, and she ran up to the sofa
and said, Don't touch my moneys,
daddyr Where are your moneys,
daughter / asked. In here, said Kitty,
crawling under the sofa. I looked under,
and there In the lark corner was my
money in three neat piles. AS nearly as
l can find out, Kitty took the money
from the drawer some time that after
loon and carried 1t into the parlor. where
she played with it awhile and then hid it
under the sofa and forgot all about it till
she went into the room with me ycster-
day. So you see, my own daughter was
the thief after all"
II remember finding her in there,
now" responded Molly, Though | had
forgotten 1t before"
well, Molly" said the captain, ris-
ing, Mrs. Prime misses her swift hand
maiden. When will you come back?'
"Neveri' said a new voice, and Robin.
who had entered unobserved, came for
ward and stood beside the blushing girl.
''She is going to be married as soon as
she gets her wedding finery made"
"Ohor' laughed the captain, 'that is
the way the wind blows, is it7 Well,
WE'LL l shall give you a wedding present
when the time comes" And with these
words and a bow to Mrs. Gowen. he left
the house.
Robin would take no denial this time,
80 Molly consented to be married on the
first of the following December, and in
spite of what he had said, she went back
to her work the following day. Mrs.
Prime and Kitty were overjoyed to see
her, and she was happy N ce more.
When, in November, she finished work
and wen home to get ready for the we'd
ding, Mrs. Prime gave her a gold eagle
besides her wages, then calling her into
the keeping room showed her n beautiful
silk dress lying on the table.
There, dear" said she. sis your wed.
ding dress.
Molly gazed at 1t for n in
speechless admiration, then turning to
her mistress with swimming eyes she
cried out:
''Oh, Mrs. Primel how good you all
are to mel This is too lovelyl"
Nothing is too good for you, Molly"
said Mrs. Prime, fondly.
The wedding day dawned bright and
fair. Capt. and Mrs. Prime were pres
ent, and after the ceremony the captain
put a slip of paper into Molly's hand,
saying: Here's your wedding present,
my dear" The paper proved to be q
check for $500, a great fortune for the
simple girl.
Molly often visited her friends, the
Primes, and in a few years a little CIR
named Hannah went with her. Kitty
grew up to be a good woman, and al
ways loved Molly dearly.-Dora Annii
Chase In Boston Budget