Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-01-17

ono My affairs are wound upn
"And what is to become of usr
The sick man gave an agonized moan the
woman continues
1--WE must pawn something"
"But whatr
SECURITIES from the safe"
The broker sat up in his bed, and gurgled
in a hoarse, stifled voice:
"They do not belong to mel"
"To whom elseg
1.-THE count intrusted them to me to specu-
late with on change"
"You will return them as soon as you are
well again.
81 shall never be well again"
"And if not! He still has enough
sit is his property"
"And what is to become of usf'
Convulsive weeping was the answer, but
the woman was not satisfied with the answer
"Beggarsp
"Beggarsl"
a. your daughter, your children?"
can of your
"And is this right!"
"And is this rightr This dreadful re-
proach now kept ringing in the ears of the
sick man. "And is this rights" the woman
repeated ten times a day. First she whispered
it; then she shrieked it with shrill voice
Filled with these merciless words was the
night, which brought no refreshing sumber
to the poor dropsy ridden man, but only terri
flying darkness. Now and then he would
raise himself from his sick bed with mracu-
lous strength and steal into the adjoining
room where his youngest precious one slept
profoundly and happily; he would crawl up
to the bed and nestle his prckly face close up
to the little, smooth cheeks and sob-softly.
Sometimes the child awoke and started in
fear, for the ugly, sick father terrified him.
Then, like kicked dog, the broker would
creep back to his couch, and again the cruel
words would stir up every particle of rest in
the sick heart, and lacerate and torture him
with unspeakable pain.
'And is this right"
The next day his condition was worse
His stomach was bloated like leather bag
he could no longer lie down, and he breathed
with difficulty
Il have no money for the market" said the
woman.
On this day the first paper security was
taken to the pawnshop. The proceeds lasted
for several days. But as they were about to
take the second paper, there came letter
from the count. He wrote: 81 have heard
that you are ill., Now must admit, Josef,
that you have served me most honestly but
there is no showing what may happen. My
secretary will come to you tomorrow in or
der to remove the securities"
The woman had been reading the letter to
him.
"Well!r she asked
"They must be given to him when he
comesm
And is this rightr'
Again these words. 1t is not till noon that
the broker answers First he lisps it to him
self.
This is not right, it cannot be-"
In the afternoon the brown young man
calls. At the beginning of his visits he had
only been an apprentice. The family meant
especially well by him. He was a fellow
countryman of the hostess The broker had
procured a situation for him, and later a
position as booskeeper in prominent bust
ness house. He loved HIM us his own SON.
But since h. was taken i'll he had not llo wed
him in his room. Now, however, he had
called him in.
Wife and daughter were also in the room.
For while his eyes rested on those pres
ent: then he called his daughter to himself:
johanna, do you want to become Paul's
wife,"
YES" came the firm answer
lids closed YEARLY, and while he was wping
the lerspration from his brow lie rejected.
Lock the door, the sick man at last be.
gan anew, and MS eyes wandered about anx.
iously. Even the window c-rtains had to be
let down; then he had himself carried to his
iron safe. From al inside drawer he took
| the package of securities and had them
counted
Papers - the value of $1,000 guldenr
said the bookSeeler
As much u the count as penny is to u.s. y
added tae woman.
| The secretary of the count was received the
next day with reniark that tine broker mad
! gone away on n journey. Nobody knew
where or when he would return The score
tary returned several times to look for him
but when he heard that in reality the broker
was in lis room ON his deathbel, he came no
more.
In his place came the officials of the Grim
nal court. The broker was expecting them
and days before he was shaken with the ague
of the damned
when they come, You must dissemble,
feign INCONSISTENCIES" the wife whispered
in his ear, and left the house with the daugh-
ter The dying man was left to himself, and
fervently as he longed for it he did not lose
tinct!y as he gently and forbearingly gave
him to understand that he had never treated
him AS he had others; he heard him almost
beg: Josef, you are a good, honest man
give me back my money"
The broker hit his lips and was SILENT al
though some terrible power seemed to promp
him to say: The money is in the hands o
my daughters betrothed; l gave it TO him
| wished to steal it for my family. regre
it, take it back | want to die an homes
J manm
In his breast honesty and the blind low
} for his family fought a hot and savage bat
tle The second triumphed. He closed hi
eyes. and not a syllable was to be forces
from him.
The count was seized with sudden wrath:
Gentlemen, l want my money! I'll see i
there is no way to get at my money! Drai
him hencel Away to prison with him"
He could not be taken away. The officia
, physician certified that the broker could no
be transported without endangering his life