The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-06-29
A THRASHING WELL PLACED.


TO death had II not been for his daugh.
ter Lena.
When he fell from the scaffolding he
hurt his back so that he was not able to
walk, and Of course could not work at
his trade.
He was n painter, and very good
one--the best In Stockton.
He had not been there very long, but
he had saved some money and had
bought his house. There was mort.
gage on II, owing to Henry Greenfield,
one of the leading lawyers in the place,
and also one of the most fashionable
men there "'
When David was hurt his daughter
lena left the normal school at once and
set TO work TO earn her fathers living as
well as her own.
She managed TO get some pupils,
young children, also some sewing
which helped out, although the ex
penses seemed TO eat up her earnings
faster than they came in.
And the worst OF It all was that Jack
Bolton was away. ft4
Jack was Lcna's lover, and they were
engaged to be married, but Jack had
gone away to look for fortune in the
mines. tfr. fiHII
II is rather pretty story, the meeting
between these two.
Stockton Is sometimes flooded In the
spring, and the year before the water
rose so high II washed away several
houses. Among them was that In
which Lena was living.
Jack Bolton had Just come to the
city, and he Joined the rescuing parties
at once. They had been working hard
all day, and toward evening he went
into his room TO go TO bed Looking
out of the window he saw, far down
the river, something white waving in
the air .ftHfHY" -4i
Jack was so tired that he turned away
and threw himself down on the bed;
but he could not sleep, thinking of that
signal.
At last he got mp, got boat and
rowed down the river toward the cot
tonwood trees, where after half an
hours search he found one withta girl
perched in the branches.
She was almost insensiblc from cold
and exposure, but Jack got her down
and brought her back to town.
She told him the house had stuck In
the mud, next TO the cottonwood, and
that she had got out just in time, for
soon aftcrward fresh wave had turned
the house over and II had gone down.
OF course, after this Jack saw great
deal of Lena, and II wasn't long before
the two were engaged.
Now, Lena Huntley was the prettiest
girl In the town. That every one
agreed to.
1t occurred to Mr.. Henry Greenfield
that such girl was far too handsome
TO be Jack Bottoms wife, and when old
David hurt himself Mr.. Greenfield
thought his chance had come.
For time he was very kind: but
when Lena told him that she cared for
Jack Bottoms little finger more than
she did for the lawyers whole body,
with the money thrown in, Mr.. Green.
field left, vowing vengeance.
He made up his mind that he would
break her spirit down, feeling sure that
If he succeeded she would yield.
The first trouble came over the mort
gage, which could not be paid. He
forced the sale Of the house, and Lena
and her father had to look for lodgings.
Then suddenly every one who knew
Lena was astounded at hearing she had
been arrested and charged with theft.
The story told by Mr.. Greenfield was
that she had come to his office to re.
ceive small balance of $40 or $15 due
her father on the sale of the house.
He had left her in his private Office,
while on his desk was some $500 which
had just been paid In. He came back,
paid her the money due, and she left
When he came TO count the money on
the desk there was $50 missing. No
one had been In the room but her, and
he had the numbers of the bills.
He got search warrant and went 10
the rooms where the Huntleys were liv-
ing, and the policeman found the bills
In the drawer of Lena's bureau.
Lena, of course, said she knew moth.
ing of them, but admitted she had come
home for minute after leaving Mr..
Greenfield before going TO one of the
houses where she taught.
The poor girl, crimson with shame at
the disgrace, was taken to the police
court and held for trial.
If II had not been for Mr.. Castlc---one
of the gentlemen who employed her TO
teach her childran---she would have
gone 10 jail. -,
Mr.. Castle Went on her BOND, secured
. lawyer 70 defend ner, and diu whae
he could FOR her. But with this accni-
sation hanging over her head Lena al.
most broke down.
ehe wrote 10 Jack that their engage.
ment wasat an end, forshe determined
she would not disgrace him' But the
day after her letter went one came from
him' saying nc was gong up 10 ldaho
prospecting
Inc landiady Oh the house In which
inc huntleyslived was TAT, Dad,tem-
pered ola woman, whom no one cared Tor.
n ire one .hing sne loyea was money
Cnc guy Lena went ilto her room ana
loSnu MIS-; brown IN high FEVER.
size H0l ler sewing AMI sal nv her.