Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-12-24

4
written. Received five hundred
crown Nobody could detect the
least Justification in these words.
and the great register was burned.
We returned to bed. I already
saw myself across the ocean, pick
ing up nuggets Of gold. / had o
carriage with four magnificent
horses, and servant who offered
me a beautiful meerschaum pipe
trimmed with silver, while another
poured my champagne.
The next morning at the table l
feared every moment that might
see an officer approaching to take
me 20 prison. / was 90 much
afraid of uttering an imprudent
word that / dared not reply imme-
diately to any question. Ino long
er dared to carry money to the saw
ings bank, but made long detours
to avoid passing the building in
which it had been reorganized.
Gradually, however, / recovered a
sort Of tranquility, as I saw that
nobody suspected what / had done.
But when, on the approach of
Christmas, my masters children
began to dance around me one
morning, saying, we know some
thing that we shan't tell ? their
voices pierced my heart like q
knife. They knew the surprises
their father was preparing for our
pleasure, and were delighted with
their secret.
On Christmas Eve, Counsellor
Menninger's servant came running
to our workshop. i was in the
doorway. She said she had come
for me, and that / must 60 at once
with my tools to her masters
house.
The counsellor's name had terri.
fed me. Could my offence be al.
ready known? had decided not
to use the book until spring, and
had never shown it. But | was
afraid Of everything.
Nevertheless, ! went with the
young girl. She had q sweet, fresh
face, and the pure Christmas light
burned in her eyes.
My father was a locksmith,
said she. st. Peter is our patron,
and for many people the key to
Paradise is the key to their money.
box
We arrived at the counsellor
house, and | was shown into rich.
ly furnished room. The counsel.
lor brought me an elegant Cas-,
whose key was broken, and bads
me open it. He then told Cathe
rine, my guide, that he had other
preparations to make, and babe hel
remain with the lccksmith.
: 1T will be hard for you,' said
to Catherine, 'to leave these beauti
full rooms for some poor littl.
home
Il have plenty Of time in which
| to make up my mind to it, she re-
piled. But You do not yet know
everything. Living in a rich
dwelling, one soon learns that i,
matters little whether he is served
, with golden spooa or brass one
The essential thing is to live in
, peace with good conscience
At these words could no Longer
find the keyhole, and Catherine be-
gan to laugh at my lack of skill
At length, however, l opened tn.
casket, and my eyes were dazzled
by its contents. Upon blue vel
vet cushion glittered q set of dia,
monds.
Catherine stepped to the door
; and called her master; but no soon
er had he glanced at the casket than
he rudely seized my hand, saying
The brooch with the large dia'
mond in the centre is gone p
/ shook like poplar leaf, and
was about to throw myself on my
knees, when heard GATHERINGS
voice.
How can you think said
she, Il was here!'
BE still We will examine YOU
too I!
He called his wife, and then
turning to me, said that he would
search me, while his wife did the
same to Catherine.
/ And seeing this honest maiden
outraged by such odious suspicion
l yielded myself to his hands. But
| never can tell what l felt at that