The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-15

chance was placed within nv reach
some weeks previously one of tb,
curates OF our church had been remov
ed to wider field of labor, and hav
ing peen over twenty years in tn,
parish, laboring earnestly for the con
gIegatlon, they took the opportunit,
| OF showing their gratitude by sub
scrlbing literally in order to presen
him with purse of gold and an ad
dress. The amount collected was on,
hundred pounds, and this sum, togethe,
with the testimonial, was to be pre-
sented to him on Tuesday at a large
meeting held in his honor, and to which
| ne mad been specially invited. I had
contributed my mite, and heartily
| Wlshed the good man well and success
| to the subscription list, but when ]
heard OF the amount nv feelinos
changed. Again I communed with nv
| own heart. "This,'' said I. sis the
exact sum I require in order To- enter
business for myself. Look at the good
IL would do us, and, again, the Rev.
!" is unmarried, without ties. and
processes an adherence of all earthly
goods; yet l am perfectly sure if /
t were to ask hlm-good and worthy man
though he is-for the loan of even
half of that sum he would refuse in
most decided terms.''
resolved that come what might T
would never ask another human be-
'ng.s help, and that, if possible, I
would possess myself of that hundred
pounds before Tuesday by some means
or another. Of course, I only intend
to take it as a loan, and return il
as soon as l became successful Well.
the only thing that remained now was
TO decide on some plan of action and
execute it as quickly as possible, as
L had but four days at my disposal
before the testimonial was to be pre-
serted. After much thought / deter
mined to make the attempt on the
evening of the function, while the
concert which was to be given in the
reverend gentleman honor was IN
progress.
L had received a card of invitation
to this entertainment in common with
the majority of the congregation, SO
there was no difficulty to be apprehend-
ed if [ could only depend on my nerve.
On the eventful Tuesday evening my
wife (who had not the faintest idea
of the projects seething in my brain)
proceeded with me to the large hall
In which the concert was to be held
and the presentation made, full of
pleasant anticipations of an ENJOYABLE
evening. L had provided myself with
black mask and a short black cape.
which were safely and closley wrap
ped in my coat-pocket.
We exchanged greetings with all our
friends and neighbors, and ensconced
ourselves comfortably in a back seat.
when the performance very credit |
able one, by the way-was in full |
swing, l seized the opportunity fur
nisned by change of artistes to quiet |
ly slip from my seat and make nv
way into the outer air. This was the |
moment on which all my future de-
pended
The street was deserted, and moving
quickly and cautiously to the back Of |
the hall L drew my mask and cloak |
from my pocket and slipped them on.
then proceeded, after a hurried SIR
vey of my surroundings, to force the
window which led from the, street into
the small ante-room where las I had
previously learned) the handsomely
worked purse of gold and illuminated
address lay in a small safe or cupboard
awaiting the moment of presentation.
Slipping back the catch with nv clasp
knife, was speedily in the room. with
the preparation standing on my fore
head, found my way to the safe. pulled
open the carelessly fastened door. and
seized the precious purse. In another
minute was safely in the
street again. Casting a hasty glance
around drew off my disguise and re-
urned the articles carefully to nv
pocket. Next l wiped my face an1
composed myself, and, with my booty
wing over my heart, returned to nv
'eat IN the concert-room.
1t seemed to me that I had been
absent for hours, but in reality I had
mi y been bare quarter of an hour,
md IN response to my wife's whisper
cred question / said that | had felt
he air of the room insufferabIy close.
)ut was better now.
The moment for the presentation was
asst arriving, and 1 sat trying to nerve
myself to listen with proper emotion,
10 more, to the inevitable announce
nent that there was nothing to pre-