Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-03-30

UcI ludI iCttcl.
She took it from her pocket tore it
open and read:
To Thomas Sheldon or has heirs:
You are hereby notified that an estate
awaits you in Greenfield, Nolan county,
State Of. Yours,
SMITH & LONG,
Attorneys at Law.
February %, Is.
"Oh," said Sal, wonderingly, what
does it mean? An estate!"
81 know" said twelve year old
Joe, it's money land Oh, Sal. if
father had only lived? He hated being
poor worse'n any of u.s."
Il suppose I'd better write and tell
'em there's no longer any Thomas
Sheldon, bat there's some six heirs"
said Sal
Sal wrote in big, school girl hand
a simple statement of the facts. but
she knew an answer could not be ex-
pected short of two weeks.
In the meantime the men who had
gone out looking for the strange man
that Joe had described, failed to find
him, and returned disheartened, and
the mystery Of the murder seemed
impossible to unravel.
Sal still clung to the rude shanty
and anxiously thought about her let
ter, while the people in Deer Greek
and the surrounding valley offered
her plenty of places to work.
She's proud. an she ought to
starve," said more than one, "but l
do pity them little children.
One day there came to Deer Greek
tall, handsome man who inquired
for Miss Seldom
The men regarded each other blank
ly, until some one said:
"Oh, the dickens! the fellow wants
Sal. I'll point out to you where
she g to he found "
The supper of mush and milk was
on the table when the stranger tap
ped at their door Sal opened the
door and admitted him.
II came," he began courteously,
'in reply to your letter. Game to
tell you of the big fortune that is
yours, as next of kin to an uncle who
recently died, and to take you all
back home with me-if you will go
Ito such home as you could hard.
ly picture, that is all our own"
"Sal hesitated; she knew the need
of money; she had long known pinch
ing want, but she loved the noun
tains and the valleys where she had
lived 80 long-snd then there was
Pete.
She hesitated only an instant. the
faces of the children, eagerly expect
ant, decided her.
ave can be ready anytime-to-
m orrow, if you'd rather"
Tomorrow. then; we will stop at
the nearest town, and you can get
anything you need for the long jour
ney.,'
He did not linger but joined his
guide to return to Deer Greek for the
night, and leared for the first time,
the story of the murder.
"You don't say! How strange!
W ho could have wished his death?
Poor fellow, with hundred thous-
and dollars waiting for him. Bnt
Tom Sheldon always was an unlucky
dog"
Sal had hoped to see Pete before
she left, but he failed to put in an ap-
pearance.
"Oh, well, what's the odds? /
rocken he's found his other girl by
this time. Come childr CD, are you
resdy?"
x X x
Four years later.
Deer Greek was big mining town
now, and even Sal herself, walking
its handsome streets, could barely re-
call the old landmarks,
If the town had changed, no less
had Sal, in her dress, her walk, seem.
ingly her entire self She bad been
handsome lass, with strong. free
step. She was now very pretty
lady, elegantly and gracefully attir-
ed Joe. tall and awkward, walked
at her side.
How strange it all seems, little
MOTHER" he said fondly. "The
rude shanty where we lived, and
where you toiled so long; and then
poor old fa,her had to be killed
don't ! wish ! could find that man. y
T'd like to walk down the old
road" said Sal. sit is here l said
good bye to Pete. | wonder where
he is."
"He was a rough, good hearted
chap, but he wasn't good enough for
you, not half "
His companion did not answer,
and Joe continued.
"I'll tell you what, if you'll sit
down here and wait for me, III 90
down to where the old shanty stood
and look around little.
The day was lovely, and Sal felt
old memories stirred anew.
"Oh, Pete!' she thought, "you
never knew how much | loved you.
Did you find that other girl, | Won
der.n
AS if in answer to her thought Pete
stood before her.
"Sal, | suppose it's really you,
though the folks now call you Miss
Sheldon"
40. Pete, where did you come
from? | thought"
"That you'd never see me any
more?".
eyes, and" trying to smile,
"where's your other girl, the one you
went in search oi?"
w never found her, Sal. l couldn't
having known you. | went in
search of something else"
"W hat Pete wealth."
"Yes-and your fathers murderer,
| didn't find much wealth, I'm an
unlucky chap, but ! found him."
"Oh, Pete"
| "Yes, an he owned up to the
whole thing. He was on his dyin' bee
when / found him-anotber fellow
hid put him there. ] didn't have tbs