The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-14
last night where the-the- careless person.
must have dropped them" !

last night where the-the- careless person.
must have dropped them" !!
A red flush covered her face. Was my
mother telling an untrutha questioned!
her closely, but got little satisfaction in
deed. She evaded my questions. I felt
little hurt at her want of confidence
but I went to work and tried to forget;
it all.
Later in the day I learned that Hugh
had gone West without a word of fare!
well.
And now followed the most unhappy.
weeks of my life. My dear mother was
entirely kind and gentle with me; even,'
perhaps, more affectionate than usual
But there was something between US. I
could not tell what, but something. And
she! the most CHEEKY brightest woman in
the world-she seemed utterly oppressed
with sorrow. My heart ached over it all, ,
but what could I do? Lo, the weeks went
on, gloomy enough, and two months had
passed when I was startled out of my sad
ness by sudden misfortune which oc-
CURED to myself.
I had drawn $1,000 from the bank to
pay bill for drugs, and for the night
placed it for safe keeping in small escri-
toire in my bedroom, of which 7 always
kept the key in my vest pocket. (You
see, little lady, in those days I was a
spoony fellow, and this was the sacred
depository of your letters.) /,
On going to the escritoire the next
morning I found it securely locked, but
on opening it the money was missing.
The house had been robbed a second
time. !
I ran to the breakfast room with my
bad news, and there sat my mother, with
the old bright, jolly look on her dear
face, looking perfectly happy and con-
tented. Twas delighted to find the sad
ness and gloom gone, but alas! I must tell
my direful news. /:
"Mother, " said, "mother, I've been
robbed! My money Gou saw me put itb
away last night, didn't youD is all gone!"
I thought she would utter an exclama-
ton of distress, or surprise at least, but.
what did this unaccountable woman dos
She got up, led me to the sofa and pulled
my head down on her broad shoulder, as
she had done hundred times in my child
hood days, and kissed my forehead and
eyes, and then, with sort of tender
humility, kissed my hand.
ooh, George, my boy, my own boy"
she said, "I've got story to tell you.
Don't say one single word, only listen,
my darling. Oh" she exclaimed sud-
denly, ssthese miserable, miserable, mis-
erable weeks, when thought-but let
me tell my tale. You know, dear, last
October Hugh lost his watch and money
and we all tried so sofaithfully to find them.
Well, I was worried nearly to death
about it all. hardly slept an hour at
night. On the fourth day, you remem-
Der, you received letter from Ellen, and
as a man was waiting to see you in the
store, you handed me your keys and said:
Mother, please put her letter away for
me- took the keys, but being myself
very busy at that moment, did not put
the letter in the desk just then; but that
night, after you retired, I unlocked the
little escritoire, and there in your own
most private drawer lay Hugh's watch
and money! And he was standing near
and saw it, too. George, dear, donf
say a word, not word just yet; hear it
all, my boy, before you open your lips. I
was stunned for a moment, then fell on
nv knees at Hugh's feet. I said: Have
mercy. Oh! please have mercy on my
poor boy, 'and he, looking so shocked
and sad, said: For your faithful sake,
dear madam, no one shall ever know this
but you and l. e.. =:
"You know what followed, George
how went about heart broken, and all
day long, and all the long nights, the
horrible thought kept Dining in my
head: your boy. is thief! Your boy is
a theft and yet I loved you George, all
through, my boy-all through.
"Well, yesterday you had great deal
to do and were very tired in the evening.
After dinner told you to lie down and
rest. In two minutes you were fast asleep.
I sat reading and occasionally looking at
you, thinking how profoundly you slept.
After while, still with your eyes fast
closed and evidently fast asleep, you got
up and started out of the door. fol-
lowed. You went to your bedroom, un-
locked your escritoire, took out your
money, went down to the next floor and,
without stopping, on down into the
cellar. You know I keep few stores
there, and had yesterday with your help
put in barrel of new apples. You
went to this, lifted the top, and most
carefully took out about dozen, then,
just as carefully, put your roll of money
into the barrel and covered it again with
the apples. Then, very slowly, you
turned around, walked up the steps and
sitting room, lay down on the sofa and
resumed your nap as quietly as if nothing
had happened. Well, ran back, locked
the cellar door and took seat by your
side and cried my heart out for very joy,
like the silly goose that I am.
cit was all explained now. You did
steal Hugh's watch and money, George,
but you did it as unconsciously as if you
had been dead when it was done. Oh!
this has been certainly the happiest morn
ing of my life, and she began anew to
weep and laugh over me in the tenderest
and most absurd fashion.
"But, MOTHER" I said, "seeing is be-
ieving. Let's 60 and find the money"
We went. It was all there-just
little soiled from cellar dust and apple