The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-02-17
geleet Stnrp.
MISS MASON'S FIVE DOLLARS.


penalties are, but they're severe. I'll
look them up, if you think it worth while. .
The Major, snug in the embrace of his
big leather chair, chuckled softly at his
own suggestion. His daughter shook her
head She was standing before the crate
fire, with one foot resting on the fender,
her wraps thrown back and her hands
stretched toward the CHEEKY blaze. She
made pretty picture. the Major realized,
with the freight playing over her trim
figure and furnishing the gold Of her hair,
and with the little touch of languor about
her which came as the reaction after brisk
exercise in the open air.
'sYou' re victim of circumstances, GER
tainly," he went on 'sNaturally you be.
lieved yourself protected by the inaliena-
BILE feminine rights of life, liberty, and the
pursuit of bargains; logically you supposed
that the S. bill you found on my desk
was meant to furnish the sinews of war
for your raid on the dry goods stores.
I'm afraid you didn't notice the magnify
ing glass lying near the bill. Well, as it
happened, had been inspecting the note,
and had discovered that it was not gen
uine. How did you succeed in passing
itY'
"There was not the slightest difficulty, -
his daughter answered. az hadn' a bit
of change with me, and the street-car
conductor took it. He was so clever and
obliging, too. Honestly, was the bill
bad? Please don't joke about it; he was
such nice young man..
81 am not joking. 1t was counter
felt, and very dangerous onei it deceived
me at first. Probably your friend has got
rid of it long before this. -
''But if he hasn' suppose the COM
pany detected it, when he turned in his
receipts-would he have to stand the
loss ?"
II expect he would. But, don't wor-
ry about it. If bad pennies are sure to
turn up again, there need be no fear that
bad $5 bills won't come home fast
enough -
''That may be, but what can the con-
ductor do? He doesn't know who am,
and I may not ride on his car again in
months
every true,'' said the Major, al am
very sorry for him, of course, but, after
all, he has to blame himself You are
entirely innocent of wrong intent, and it is
his business to know good money from bad.
[ imagine, though, he has passed the bill
easily; if he hasn't, and if he ever asks
me to redeem it, I'll do so. Isn't that
fair? Now, run along and get ready for
dinner. Tom Herrick dimes with as to-
night, you know. ;"
every well, papa, I'll go, the girl re-
Piled ''But I'm not satisfed-not at
all, ;" she added, as she left the room.
''On the whole, I'm glad she isn't
the father reflected. 81 like to see wo-
man scrupulous about such things | dare
say she'll bother her head over it for a
day or two, but it can t be helped. Never
knew good woman thoroughly happy
without something to worry about now and
then. Besides, she'll confide in Herrick,
and-well, were l his age, shouldn't
ask anything better than comforting girl
like Kate. Wen be satisfied all around -
And, thus philosophically disposing of the
subject, the Major sought his dressing
| room.
Tom Herrick intimacy with Major Ma
son and his daughter was one of the young
mans cherished privileges. He could re-
member only hearty friendliness in that
house. Sometimes, of late, he had al
most wished that his footing there was
little different-Kate was young woman
now, and he was certainly no longer boy.
The Major showed little change, to be
sure, but, in some way, Herrick realized
that that gentleman was honored with a
smaller share of the thoughts he devoted
to the Mason household At this stage
in his reflections Herrick generally forgot
all about the Major.
After dinner the host left the young
people to their own device. He had fallen
lately into the habit of doing this upon a
theory that if they desired his company,
they would inform him of the fact. He
was partly pleased, partly regretful, that
they seemed reconeiled to his absence. II
had my turn twenty-five years ago; it's
theirs now,' was reflection which he
found comforting.
Kate led Herrick to her own ''snug-
gerry" as she called it, little room,
bright, cosey, and always in dainty dis
order
stTell me about your work, said she.
ssDo you find there is really 50 much suf-
fering among the poor as the newspapers
say there is p
s'The case is even worse, said Her
rick. For the last two months he had
given most of his time to the great charity
organizations of the city, upon which a
season of industrial depression had cast a
burden such as it had never before been
called upon to bear. cit seems out of the
question to try to meet the demands upon
us by furnishing employment. The num-
ber of applicants has quadrupled, and
many of them are absolutely destitute
We need money, money, money? A
dozen times today wished myself rich |
man-the little | could do seemed so-pal
try.
ssBut, Tom, you're doing more than
your share-far more. Don't tell me you
are not, sir-I know you too well to credit
any denial. y
If you had seen such terrible poverty |
as my cases present you wouldn't speak of
any man share, Kate. You would feel
that each should give so much as lay in
his power. Worst of all, we can see that
the demands upon us are bound to in
crease; the last week, in fact, has brought
us new class people who were thrifty
and had savings, but who had been forced
to use them, and are now as badly off as
the least proyident Then, too, amons
the latest applicants are men uuaecustomed
to the hard labor, which is the only thing
we can hope to secure for them. There
are book keepers, clerks, and skilled me-