Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-06-22

vi COuISt, VIII ulltiitl W II IL OuNll
are your orders; but mind, sir, it is not
my advice, and | decline to be held
responsible for the consequences"
81 hold no one responsible but my.
self" said John.
The news of Johns fortune reached
home before lie did. and he at once be-
came very important parsonage In
the village Not only did his old
friends flock around him with congratri.
lations, but those who had former
~ overlooked the poor mechanic entire
~ suddenly discovered that he was a
man of extraordinary merit. Mr. Arm
strong expressed JOY at his good luc+.4
at the same time he said: 81 don't see
how | am to get along without YOU"
Perhaps YOU won't have to-" said
John. Il mean to keep right on with
my work at present.
As for Mrs. Ratchet, she declared it
was like fairy story. She would have
day. "Who would have dreamed when
you brought that old man home that it
would end like this?"
1T hasn't ended" said John.
''Therc. that's just like You" said
Dolby; you're never excited, whatev-
err happens. Now, feel just like dane
ing and clapping my hands"
And Dcbby executed n pirouctte
which was the means of bringing her
foot down upon Ponto's tail. He ran
under the table with yclp, and she
dragged him out and pettcd him, say
ing: Never mind, Ponto; You shat
have beautiful new collar with sill
yer label, so YOU shall"
"Debby," said John, "if anything
should happen that this money should
turn out not tor he ours after all, would
it he such a terrible disappointment to
you?'
"Oh, John, what do you mean?" said
Debby.
"Grandfathcr Dill had daughter,
said John. "Do You remember his last
Words"
Eyes let me see. He said, Poor
Priscy! Perhaps she wasn't so much
to blame after all :"
well, priscy was his daughter. If
she is alive her fathers money is right
fully hers"
"In spite of the will?'
"In spite of the will" said John.
But she may be dead. | hope she
is. O Lordy! | didn't mean to say
that" And Debby clappcd her hand
over her mouth as if to keep back the
wicked words "But to think of being
rs poor as ever again after all our plans
and hopes! Why didn't you tell me
there was doubt about it in the first
place.
because You went on so you didn't
give me time" said John. Besides, it
isn't really settled that we give up the
money even if Priscy is alive"
How is anybody going to know what
you mean?" said Dolby, impatiently.
didn't You just say it was rightfully
hers in spite of the WILL"
"Yes; and / think it is riGhtfully,
though not legally. Now | am going
to leave it for you to decide; but first
make the case your own. Suppose
your father had left fortune and had
wi!lcd it away from you to comparative
Btrangcrs?"
That's what YOU call leaving it to
me to decide" sad Debbv. You put
it so there's only one thing can say,
| and then ask me to decide. Oh, Ponto,
| Pontoi it's very plain YOU will never
get your new collar, nor my new silk,
after all not if she's in the world"
Then Won wouldn't like to keep the
money from Grandfather dis daugh-
ter?"
"Of course, | shouldn't. How fool
ish YOU do talk, John"
Three months afterward John re
ccived dispatch from Lawyer Hatch
which caused him to take n second
journey. The advertisement had been
answered by n woman who proved her
self to be the missing daughter of
Grandfather Dill beyond n doubt,
She WAS poor widow, and sup
ported herself and little boy by coarse
sewing. A wretchcd support it af-
fordcd her, and she was found living i'll
tenement attic, with health and
spirits broken hv misfortune.
She said that she had long since re
| pcnted her folly in leaving her father,
| and had once gone back to her early
home to be rcconclcd to him. but the
place was then in the hands of stran.
gers. After that she had been unable
to learn anything of him. and had be-
| lltNpu MN lonp Slnct titH'l 'Dil'I NHo
The story John brought home to his
wife.
I'm sure it was Providence that
led me to run against Grandfather
Dill that stormy night, said John; but
for that his daughter would surely have
died of her hardships, and the poor
little boy would have been left to
charity, which was what she most
dreaded. But then suppose there's
Providence in everything"
Hes the stranGest man | ever saw,
said Lawyer Hatch, speaking of John.
"fIe took as much pains to hunt up an
heir to the old man, and to give her
the money that was willcd to him, as
anybody else would to have kept one
out of the way"
81 declare, he's bigger fool than |
took him to -" said Hans Schneider,
land that's saying good deal"
Perhaps some of my reader will
agree with Hans; but many, | know,
think as | do, that John was an UNI
conscious hero.