Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-02-26
l believe he did try hard to get some

r gt
work, and answered innunerable adyer.
tisements from those requiring secre.
taries or clerks. But it was useless,
and now we are reduced to abject power
ty. We strove hard to keep home over
our heads, and, as long as we could
dwell together, our straits-severe as
they undoubtedly were-were not in
supportable. We struggled on, as those
who have lost their all arc enforced to
do-the continuous and ceaseless stug-
gle for daily bread. At length my two
| sisters-who were more capable than
was-were obliged to take situations;
they went out as governesses into fami-
lies where in former years we had been
accustomed to be entertained as guests.
alone remained at home to keep house
for my father. The little money he had
been enabled to save out of the wreck
OF his fortune had at last dwindled
down to but q few shillings; and we
were daily pressed by our tradesmen for
the small accounts owing for the bare
necessarles OF life, until our existence
was quite lntolerable.
| Twelve months ago this very day
ali! how remember Tiny father went
out after an early breakfast, on the
plea OF seeing some one, from whom he
hoped to receive some sort Of employ
ment-what, don't know. I felt it
awfully, his going from home that morn
ing! and was much depressed. / had no
special reason for this that I can recol-
lect; but fancied he looked more than
usually down-hearted and dispirited.
Alas! he never returned, and I have
never seen him again to this day."
Here this poor young creature-she
was but little more than q 'girl-fairly
broke down, and sobbed outright.
What could Butterworth do or say un-
der the circumstances? Here was one
whom he had been told was a suspected
criminal, and one he was deputed to
watch, making confidant of him and
unburdening her mind of all her home
troubles and Affections. But she pres
emily recovered herself, and resumed
her narrative.
AT first I imagined that he might
have been called away suddenly; per-
| maps have written US, and his letter had
mlscarried. I went to all the London
police stations, dreading that there
might learn something of him-some-
thing concerning his fate; thinking it
possible that he might have met unfair
play, or had been killed accidentally,
perhaps drowned. Ahorrible suspicion.
Yet what could think, or what can I
suggest even now, after so great lapse
OF time. My poor sisters-like myself
were quite broken-hearted. But had
no time to sit idle and give way to my
grief, for l had to seek my living the
best way could, and 1 shortly after
ward went out as a shop assistant and
supported myself by long and arduous
labor.
Yesterday did slight CLEAN of sun
shine appear on the horizon of my life;
some little hope-though possibly but
slight-that my father was still living.
l received letter from Oldcastle, from
a schoolfellow-a girl who had often
visited US in our prosperous days. She
had seen, she said, somebody walking
along the streets of Oldcastle whom she
felt convinced was my father. She
described him as being little changed,
except looking older. She had, Inob-
served, followed him to some house
where he was evidently residing. With
what delight received this announce
ment you can readily imagine. I at
once wrote, asking my friend to meet
me at the train on its arrival to-day.
Unfortunately, 1 named the wrong
hour-eight instead of six. In my hur-
~ had mistaken the train in the tine
cable. Had she met me, as had hoped,
l should then have been spared what +
dread each minute may follow"
"Whatever do you mean?" asked But
terworth, with amazement. He feared
lest his companions mind had given
way under the continual and painful
strain of the last twelve months.
II will explain, 'she answered. when
got my ticket at Kings Cross, had in
my hand my small black leather bag,
which contained little else but some
sandwiches, also my schoolfellow's let
ter with her address. On entering the
train 1 still had, so believed, this bag
with me. In my compartment were but
two lady passengers beside myself-two
ladies, evidently mother and daughter.
They never addressed word to me the
whole way down; in fact, was too
much. elated in thinking of the pleasure
of again meeting my father to take
much heed to this, or think it discour-
teous. l bought daily paper from
newsboy as the train was leaving
the platform, and I read all the news
most interesting to lady, until was
at last fain to read the account of q
great bank robbery in London. But this
latter was not much to my taste. On
changing at York into the Oldcastle
train I had compartment entirely to
myself for the rest of the journey, and
so may say that, until meeting YOU, I
never uttered word since leaving Lon
don. l was now beginning to feel hum
cry, and opened my bag, as thought
for my sandwiches. Judge of my aston
ishment on finding that had appropri-
ated some one else's property. could
not believe my eyes, excepting in the
similarity OF the bag-the same size
and color, though perhaps rather more
shabby. But there was greater sur
prise in store for me. for when turned
out its contents found it was full of
Bank OF England notes. Ibid not count