The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-24
Under False Pretences.


at something that hung out Of Tommy
Teller's coat pocket. whats this? Been
cribbing 50 I.cthing out ofthe store, Ell?
Wei, l did suppose, Thomas, that you
were honest "
Tommy Teller turned very red. lie
had stopped moment on his way from
the cash desk to settle trihing d. err
encc OF opinion with Larry O'Bren,
another cash boy, and in the conflict had
forgotten all else.
q am honest, SIT" said he. 'Ididn't
crib anything out of the store"
"Ihcn," said Mr.. Ausdale "what is
this. -
1t was piece of lemon colorcd silk,
rich y embroidered in a rainbow issue
OF col0rs, to Initiate an Oriental scene
a well, Swallowed by pa m trees; the fig
ure OF one or two pi grims; a group of
camcls in the background.
Its Si9's work, mumblcd Tommy.
81 hid away in my pocket Just to chaff
her, Sis is awful easy chaffcd Imeant
to leave it on her doorknOb this morning,
BIT | forgot
- our sisters work?7 said Mr.. Aus
dale. 'Crude-vcrv crude-but not
bad. It's just what Mrs. Ausdae wants for
a sofa cushion. | wouldn't mind giving
s. for it if your sister cares to sell it,"
'She'd ike to sell it, l know" said
Tommy. ''But the fancy stores they're
OvercrOWded with that sort Of thing and
Sis was Just doing it for a screen for her
self"
GIVE dollars, then, " said Mr. Ausdale
"Take it or leave it, As you choose. pve
no time to stand haggli"g here"
And Tommy, who had been brought up
with a very fair idea of the value of
money, and very little respect for art,
closed with the bargain ut once.
Tommy carried the s. bill home at
night when he left the store.
II S mother worked in a dressmaking
establishment on ighlhavenue. Cath.e,
the youngest sister, was a "hand" in a
great corset factory; Cecily. the elder,
temporarily out of work, as trimmer Of
bOnnetS now oIfic.ated Us hOusekeeper
81 like to have rs home" observed
sage Tommy, "because she always saves
me bit of gingerbread or spoonful of
jelly for my supper. Cathics got a tad
that sweets amt good for boys"
If it had not been for the little seal
Hoped sULar-cake, poor Tommy's supper
of dry bread and cheese would have been
favorless enough. lie swallowed it,
like a greedy puppy, in three gulps
ITS jolly good -" said he.
"Tommy, said CcciIy, 'have you
seen my embroidery? l believe you've
hidden it, yOu little wretch"
Tommy drew out the folded green
back and laid it on the table.
''That's for you, said he.
give dollars, Tommy? For men
Eve sold your piece of yellow fum-
merry" said Tommy, scraping his cheese
with knife, and laying it butter-wisc
on the bread.
''Tommy, then you carried it away,
and I've looked all day for it,"
81 didn't mean too-reaIly, Sis" said
Tommy, Is mouth distended by bread
and grated cheese Il Just put it in my
pocket for lark last night, when you
were talking to Fannie Walker, and
clean forgot to take it out again. And
old Ausdale saw it, and said his wife
wanted a silk cushion, and he'd give five
dollars for it, 50 sold it,"
Ceciiy's eyes sparklcd.
give dollar5,' said she 81 am
thankful for the money, though didn t
expect it would be a markets able article.
Everybody is trying their hand at art
embroidery now"
81 shan't ask more than ten per cent.
commission on the sale" observed Tom
my, with grin.
and besides" added Cicely, paying
no attention to this Interpolation. Ma
dame Iascllc hasn't paid mother for q
month"; and they've lowered the wages al
Cathie's place fifteen per cent. I'll, it's
so hard to live"
"Wait till I'm grown up and then
see" boosted Tommy. I'm up to lot,
OF old Ausdalc's lodges, and mean tc
be merchant and make all our fortunes.
See if don't"
Cecily sighed. The time had been
when she, too, had had her aspirations
and dreams. \ mere living was all that
she hoped for now. Yet she was barely
two tWcnty-pOOr girl!
She and Miss Eudora AusdaIe. the
wealthy merchants d tighter, had been
in the same " Shakespeare classes five
years ago before her father died, leay
ing as affairs so hOpele5sly complicated
They had cantercd side by side around
the tanhark- covered ring in Signor Sici
vclli's Riding Academy; they had ex
changed patterns, and written each
OtAIN- iiOtG0J Ii4LttS l'Gtti CSI, hltN
ending "Yours to eternity !" but wher
the sun of fortune went down on Clay
ton Yclicr's hapless family, Miss Aus
dale discrectly dropped their acquaint
ance.
"Cccy was darling," she pensiveIy
observed; "but these reduced gentry
are always wanting to borrow money, OIL
asking favOrs, or making nuisances o.
Themselves in one way or another. Deal
papa SAYS it isn't best to expose ourselves
to any such annoyances. And he be
longs to so many relief societies. ano
aid associations now that it's terrible
tax. And Mr.. Thorneycroft preached
such a sweet sermon last Sunday on the
text: The poor yc have always witt
you" So, as papa says, it's direct
flying in the face Of Providence to try
to alter things"
For Mr. Felix Ausdale was one o.
those prominent rhiIanth-opists who die
not believe in hiding their light under
bushcl.
"IIc is a most benevolent person.
said honest Mr.. Thorneycroft- "AnC
Miss Ausdale is an angel of goodness
What I should do without her aid in the
parish work | do not know"
The NEXT nirht Tommy Teller DrO