The Lamar register., 1908-05-13
HIS CHARITABLE
DEED
BY }. 5. FLETCHER
(Copyright.)

(Copyrishtl
On certain bright autumn after
noon Mr.. Poskitt and the partner OF
his joys sat in their comfortable par
lor on either side of the tea table,
when the servant announced the
Misses Merridews.
Two quaint figures approached Mrs.
Poskitt. and shook hands with her In
shy, breathless fashion.
DO take a cup, ladies'" said Mrs.
Poskitt. who had already replenished
the. teapot and whispered the servant
maid to bring fresh hot toast. It'll
do you a power of good after your
walk. Do, now"
Miss Sarah Ellen Merridew and
Miss Martha Mary Merridew hesitated
in the fashion which they had been
taught many a long year ago to con-
slider the polite and genteel thing. But
eventually, after many protestations.
the two ladies' were seated at the table
and supplied with tea and hot toast.
Secretly Mr.. Poskitt was wondering
what had brought them to his house.
He knew them as the proprietors OF
the little village shop-two simple
minded old maids, whose sole means
Of livelihood lay in their business.
These here two ovid lasses is l.
the vale O. tribulation," he said to him
self. why, now, then. we must SEQ
il we can't do summat to help EN- out
on 1t. But we mum know first how
they come to get theer."
Mr.. Poskitt never hurried anybody's
hz he t0o
table had been cleared, and he, his
wife and their visitors had been in
stalled round the CHEEKY fire. to hear
the reason which had brought the two
old maids to his door. At the end of
a silence that followed the solemn
lighting of Mr.. Poskitt's pipe, Miss
Sarah Ellen Merridew spoke, with pa
thetic timidity.
Mr.. Poskitt," said Martha Mary,
me and Sarah Ellen is In great
trouble"
Mr.. Poskitt blew out q cloud of
smoke.
"Naay!" said Mr.. Poskitt, with great
affectation of deep surprise. 'Ye don't
say SO? Trouble! Why. / wor just
thinking how well We wor both looking
come, now!"
IT'S like this. Mr.. Poskitt." contin
ued Sarah Ellen. I've no doubt you'll
remember our only brother, John. OF
course, you'd never see much of him.
because he left the village when we
was all young folk. A fine. handsome
young fellow he Observation-Disclosures.
like all the Merridews."
81 hev some recollection O. tn gen.
tleman," said Mr. Posktt. Went
away to London Town, didn't-a?"
He did, Mr.. Poskitt, and married
and settled down there" replied Sarah
Ellen. Married a very genteel young
person of the name of Saunders. And,
of course. we never saw much Of them
after that-in fact, we never saw John
after fathers burying. and that's a
long time ago. He's dead now. is
John, poor thing! and SO is his wife"
Left onny family" inquired Mr..
Poskitt.
zone son, Mr.. Poskitt-John Saun-
ders Merridew," answered Sarah Ellen.
Yes, John Saunders Merridew. Sor-
ry l am to say 1t of one of my own
flesh and blood, Mr.. Poskitt, but that
young man, John Saunders Merridew.
our nevvy though he was. was bad
una real bad uni"
"Naay," said Mr.. Poskitt. "Ye don't
say"
"a real bad uni" repeated Sarah
Ellen Don't you try to make out as he
wasn't, Martha Mary. for he was. A
deceiving, storytelling. false-tongued
young rascal. that's what he was! He
told us how grandly he was getting on
in his business-he was in the sugar
broking trade. Mr.. Poskitt, though I'm
sure l don't know what that is-and
how much better he could get on II he
had bit more capital, and he said his
bankers would let him have the capital
II he could find securities to be bound
for him. And. of course, 1t seemed
only right that the young man should
apply to his relatives for help; and
SO in the end we signed some papers
as he'd brought down from London
with him, and accordingly me and
Martha Mary became bound to the
bank for him for E400."
Many" said Mr.. Poskitt. "Ay, to
be sure! And what next?"
The next, repiled Saran Ellen,
with rising indignation, was that he
got hold of the money and ran away to
America-some say with a play-ac-
tress. And, of course, We had to find
the money. We never said word to
nobody hereabout, for ones none so
| fond of advertising ones troubles. but
we were sore cast down; for, Of
course, we'd no e400-we'd naught
but the title deeds of the house and
the shop. and the bit of land round
about. Poor father had toiled and
saved all his life to buy these, you
know, Mr.. Poskitt, and we had to raise
the money by mortgaging them. And
1ow-now," concluded Sarah Ellen,
now the mortgages foreclosed, cause
he can't wait for his money any longer
and me and Martha Mary's ruined
xomen!"
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