The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-13

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brains in fun function. he was the ciev-
crest pupil in The school, though OF none
Of them did The master have less hope Of
evolving a sober and useful citizen He
was inevitably the center OF all mischief
as tbs huh Is The center OF The wheel; and
though nobody could hep liking the young
rascal. ne was 50 good-tenpsred. amusing.
and 80 10 say Entsgfous, yet all shook
their heads over him, and op-ned that his
future booked orniuouS. Nancy only, VINO
suffered most from his outrageousness. not
merely loved him with ali her heart. but
had faith IN his final triumph over all
evil. she continued 20 believe IN him. in
the teeth Of all evidence, when his mis-
fortune came upC1 bin: and, when at last
the poor little drowned body was picked
out Of the river. she thanked the Lord,
on her knees. through her soDs, that she
had never haroored an uncharitahle
thought toward him. This is how il came
about:
There was ore person IN the parish with
whom Tom was al open war-Lawyer Cor
win. His aversion for him. instructive at
first, was confirmed by shat he heard
and credited as 10 his shady conduct to-
ward HIS deceased uncle. Tom expected.
in due season, 10 become the master OF
Biilop's: and then ne meant 20 take IL out
Of lawyer Corvin! Meanwhile, Corvin
had a son. Peter. about Toms size: Peter
enough to get into fuss with Tom, and
the latter thrashed him with such Joy and
thoroughness (as much on the lawyers
account as on Peters, that Peter ceased
from that day 10 be a bully. and became
a sneak
One day a lot OF the boys. Tom and Pc
ter among them, went in bathing az the
ford in Fen Brook. Peter took occasion
10 remark that Tom was A pauper any
how. and that his CPster's) father could
sell him and his old aunt out tomorrow
If he chose. The moment he selected for
saying this was when he was standing
Dire ssed on the bank, and Tom was swim
ming naked in the middle of the stream.
Tom, as he made his way with all posi-
Die speed toward shore, was heard 10 re-
tort that Lawyer CorvIn's money was
not his own, and that one of these days he
would wake up and find that he was
pauper himself. AS Tom approached the
landing, with obvious designs upon Peters
person. the latter took TO flight; Tom pur-
sued him as far as his own undraped plight
made decorous, and then came back with
an expression significant OF vengeance 10
come Apparently. however. he soon for
got all about the matter. and parted from
his companions with his wonted good
humor.
But next morning a rumor ran that
Lawyer Corvins house had been entered
cussed il outside the school house, and
Peter. when he came up. confirmed IL, and
upon being asked whether anything were
known of the thieves put up very preg-
nant look. and said he guessed something
would be known before long. The master
came. the boys took their seats, but it was
found that Tom was absent, not. unfor-
tunately, a rare occurrence. But Peter
looked more sagacious than ever.
SchDOl LET ont AZ moon They Swarnel
forth into the elm-shadowed country road.
Who were these approaching yonder? One
of them, as Peter observed was his father.
A boy walked beside him: IL was Tom.
And who was that man with his hand rest
ing on Toms shoulder? Why. it was
John Higgins, the constable! And there
was Nancy Billop following on behind.
with tears streaming down her plump
cheeks. What did il all mean?
1t meant. alas, that Tom had been ar
rested for the robbery. His jackknife had
been found on the ledge of the back win
dow. which had been forced. The threat
which he had made the day before was
remembered. But all this and more would
have weighed nothing, had not an over
whelming piece of evidence come TO light
in Toms pockets: nothing less than wad
of bank notes which Lawyer Corvin prov
ed he had drawn out of the bank the
morning previous, as well as several coins
a y.
What could be opposed to such testimony
as this?
The boy put bold face on the matter;
he admitted that he had been out a good
part of the night, but he said he had been
laying traps for woodchucks. He could
not explain about his knife, except that
he had lost il some days before As TO
the terrible contents OF his pockets. he
vehemently professed TO know nothing
about It; but he was quite sure he had
never been near Lawyer Corvin's. 1t was
but a poor defense, and il was evident that
his many friends were disappointed As
Tom looked round the little room in which
the preliminary examination was held.
there were no eyes to meet his own with
encouragement and faith. Yet his self
command would not have faltered but for
a sound OF stifled sobbing that reached
his ears. He looked round. and there was
Nancy.
My darling good boy" she cried out. "I
know you didn't do II, if an angel was 10
sit right there and say you did If they
send you TO prison, II go too, and Nellie
with me! You was always the best boy in
the world. and I'll lay down my life for
you. I viii. sooner than let them wrong
you'll don't care who they are,'
So the old fire in the Biliop blood flashed
out again. even In gentle Nancy. Tom,
remembering how far from considerable he
who so loved him. could not any longer
keep the tears from raining down his stub
born brown phiz. and with a suddenuess
that Disconnected Mr.. HuEhes-who. how
ever secretly wished the boy had sprea 4
a pair Of wings and flown out Of HARM
way aitogether-he jumped over the high
backed bench that stood between him and
her. and threw his arms around her COM
Portable shoulders and pushed his cheek
against hers. and gulped out. Don't you
cry. Nanny. they can't hurt me-ins.de-
for I didn't do 70; and goin' 20 prism 6
nothtu'. II YOU know you're all right.
Youu see II / don't make somebody sweat
for this yet I love Won. YOU dear. and I
wish Ia always done what YOU wanted
me-
This. as the newspapers would say. Gre
ated a visible impression faVora BILE 30 the
prisoner. Mr.. Corv.n. after a pause. OBJ
served that nobody would be more pleased
than himself u Tom Linton succeeded in
establishing his innocence. AZ the same
time. unfu the facts before them were sat
isfactorily explained, Justice % al PARTIES
required THAT the prisoner be kept in Gus
make him very comfortable StlI. steal
ing was stealing. and the law was bound
20 take action according 10 the evidence
brought before g.
Then said tho u1Iu-ky Tom. with 4
r ash I'm his ewes. III vou was - tell how
you cot veur money. mayle you'd be going
~ 5aJ for stealing stead Of me-
Thai settled the question OF bah: the
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