The Penn's Grove record., 1894-03-30

sam was startled, and still more
ldismayed when he saw that, instead
of one Of the neighbors, it was a mar
he had never before seen.
swell, young chap, improyln' you
mind, be ye? That'sa good idea; bu'
couldn't you Jest get me a drink o.
water or milk, o1-or ask somebody
else to do It?"
"There amt nobody else; but lear
get you some water. / don't na?dll
dare disturb the milk"
"Ah, 1 see, afraid! Old lady'S
terror, is she? Locks you up alone il
the house when she's away"
"Well, l was just rgoing to bed
you know, an"
"Mannerly folks don't go to BED
when they've got callers" sald ths
man, sitting down in the window.
Come; I'm dying for the water, bcy!'
Sam hardly knew what to do. Inc
water pail was out in the shed, and
he could not shut the window down
with the man sitting there; but while
he hesitated the visitor swung him
self in.
"Now, my young friend, never mind
the water, but give me that money;
I'll take care Of it, an save the Ola
woman goin' to the bank"
The boys knees shook under him
! at this demand, but he said, bravery:
81 amt got no money to give your
Likely not; but you know where
her money is. l heard every word
she said. Few words an quick work
is my motto, so you just git it, an
I'll be off, an you can go to your
peaceful rest. She keeps 1t in some
out-of-the-way place, l know; a nice
hidin'-spot-now, where is it,"
Poor little Saml How he wished
he could say truthfully he didn't
know where. What should he do?
He must keep the secret--that was
certain! But what would this dread
full man do to him? Oh! if his aunt
had only gone to the bank that day.
She never kept much money III tho
house, buu this was the price of i
piece of land that one of the neigh
bors had bought of her.
II can't tell you" said the boy at
last
"Well, then, show me, thatI be
all the BETTER"
II can't do that, neither! Oh, do
! please go away"
81 VIII soon as l git my hands on
that money-double quick, too! An
now if you don't git it in a hurry, FL
take means to make you" and taking
Sans arm iE a grip that made h III
vince, he continued: "N0w, lead OIL
lively, an no false scents, neither, you
mind"
But the child refused to take one
step.
You won't, hey2 l don't want to
shoot you, but"
Poor Sam shuddered with terror,
and gasped out:
/. 'Oh, mister, don't! l can't get
you the money, but l will get the milE
right straight Off"
"Who cares for milk now? It'stho
g%reenbacks l want, dye hear? Now
git, 'em, or you'll suffer-"
II can't! / can't, not if you do Kill
me! Oh! amt you got no little boys
at home that you wouldn't want hurt,
so you can be sorry for mc?:"
"No, l amt; boys Amt worth
their salt, an / amt got no home
neither!!"
"Oh. dear! l wish Aunt Hammer
would come home" sobbed poor sam
in an agony of fear and dread. .
swell, she won't-not for a half
hour yet. Now quit that sniiilin','
and show up that money!"
But Sans lips were sealed, and hia
feet m~otionless.
Here, thcn," said the tramp, "il
you're bound to be dumb, Ill make
you so in earnest" and in a moment
the boy was firmly gagged.
"WiH you get it now, before worse
h%appens?"
But Sam, though faint with mortal
terror, shook his head decidedly, and
the man. becoming desperate, took
some strong cord from his pocket and
ted Sans hands behind him and
then to the handle of the door, AMI
proceeded to runlmage for himself,
uSNul illS IIIC bllllu IlldU II j ldllCNl u
find the money and he still refused to
tell, he should certainly XII HIM.
Sammy's whole life of twelve years
seemed to pass before him as he stool
there in misery with the cord cutting
into his flesh. Oh, how sweet life
lot ked to him now-even the homely
duties which that very day he had
Grumbled over. And dear Aunt Han
nah! Would she know that he had
died in defense Of her beloved money?
Would she be very sorry, he Won
dered, and would it be a dreadful ex-
pense to have a funeral and bury
him? Ali he had never been worth
his salt, but had been a trouble al.
ways! He felt faint and dizzy, but
these words seemed to ring in hiS
.ars, and he IA startled by q slight
noise Could the rufian be coming
back SC soon? and he had not found
the money Of course! But-no-the
sound seemed to come from outside,
and a key grated in the lock.
Hours after that Sammy came to
himself in a strange room. and his
aunt was or her knees by his bed,
sobbing and kissing his poor, swollen
wrists.
When he became strong enough he
was told the balance of the story.
How Mr.. Lawrence had been a
straggler in the vicinity that evening,
and had heard rumors of late rob
berries, and Miss Smith, quite uneasy,
had hurried home as soon as the baby
was better; how Mr.. Lawrence had
gone with her, and they had sur
prised the burglar, and would have
captured him but for the daring lear
through a second-story window; and
how Sam had been released and
carried over to Mr.. Lawrence's house,
where he and his aunt and the money
were to remain over Sunday at least.
All this he was told, and also that he
was n Of the very best and bravest
and dearest boys in all the world!
And Sammy has heard no allusion to
salt since that eventful night.