Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 3.
DUBLIN, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23,1881.
THE LOST CERTIFICATE.
NO. 38.
BY MRS. E. H. HOUGUi' *
3
“There’s no use talking, ltoger.
My daughter shall never marry any
sav^ an honest and worthy man, but
he must he also able to insure to her
a continuance of the comforts she
has thue far eujoyed.
“I started life without a cen t m
the world, and see what I am now—
a wealthy man—every dollar hon
estly earned and safely invested, and
not a debt, in any shap^ except the
five thousand dollars on this place,
which, by the way, will be cleared
off this very day. Here is the mon
ey, in this yellow .certificate, repre
senting five thousand dollars in gold,
which, will be called for to-night.
When you can show me a few pieoes
of paper like this, Roger, I may then
consider your suit; so if you really
love my daughter, let me see yon
• prove it.”
Roger Woodworth stood for a mo
ment looking at tlie tempting bit of
paper, which Mr. Melton was now
replacing in its envelope, then said:
“You are inexorable, Mr. Melton;
but I must, I suppose, receive my
sentence like a man. It is the one
hope of my heart to make your
daughter my wife; and I have suffi
cient confidence in the sincerity mid
strength of her affection for me to
feel sure that, when I return, iu a
...position* to comply with your condi-
tioiis, I shall find her faithfulness
unshaken;” and, with a respectful
bow, he withdrew from the room,;
while Mr, Melton leaned back in his
chair and sank into a doze, his arm
resting on the windowsill, and the
envelope containing that precious
bit of paper held lightly m his
fingers.
Several hours later, while* Roger
was busy in liis room in the little
cottage where he lived with his wid-.
owed mother, a ring was heard at
the bell; and hurrying to the door,
he found himself confronted by a
Couple ofstrangers.
■“Is Soger Woodworth at home?”
asked the foremost man. "
“I am Roger Woodworth. What
is your business with me?” *
“I have a warrant for yonr ar
rest, for stealing a gold Certificate of
the value of five thousand dollars
from Henry Melton. You will come
peaceably, I suppose?”
“Of course,” replied Roger, al
though he grew deathly pale. “But
I must lcavo a lino for my mother.
She is not in at present.”
And penciling a hasty noto, he
left it on a table in the hall, then
accompanied the officers to the mag
istrate.
The testimony against the accused
was brief, but significant. Mr. Mel
ton testified that he had shown him
the certificate while lie was at his
house the previous afternoon, and,
immediately lifter liis supposed de
parture, had fallen asleep with the
envelope in his hand, and, on awaa-
ing, he found the certificate missing.
Before proceeding against the young
man, however, he had made « 0 me
inquiries as to his whereabouts after
that visit, which resulted in the dis
covery that he had been down in the
city and had purchased a bill of ex
change on London; ostensibly for
which lie had paid a gold certificate
of five thousand dollars. The broker,
however, from whom the purchase
was made had not noticed the nutn
her of the certificate, having been
unusually busy; nor did the com
plainant remember the number of
the one he had lost.
The young man’s answer to the
charge was clear and straightfor
ward. % 'V
Ho admitted the visit to Mr. Mel
ton, and added, that while on his
way home he had unexpectedly met
a cousin, Frank Alden, who bad
lately returned from California, aud
was about sailing for Australia. lie
wished to get a bill of exchange on
London, but feared ho would not
have time, so Roger had attended to
the purchase, for which his consin
had given him a gold certificate, the
most of his money being in that
form. His cousin had, moreover,
urged, him to go to Australia with
him; aud ho had finally agreed to
follow bim on % the next vessel that
sailed.
The magistrate decided that Hie
testimony was not sufficient to jus
tify him in holding the defendant,
and the case was dismissed, although
many believeef him guilty, and re
garded his story as a cleverly con
trived fabrication.
There were two faithful friends,
however, whose trust and affection
•lid much to sustain the young man
under the weight of this calamity.
The first was his mother, whose hand
trembled as site laid it upon his
head, and assured him that the word
of her boy would stand against any
amount of circumstantial evidence;
while on (the day after his trial, a
boy delivered a little notg, at his
house, blotted and tear-stained,
which he read and re-reud, with a
throbbing heart and misty eyes:
“My Dear Friend—It almost
breaks my heart to know that father
believes von guilty. I do not, and
never shall—no never, Roger, though
ev 8£X one else should condemn you.
I believe and trust that this strange
mystery will be solved. Sadie,”
Roger’s preparations to leave for
Australia were rapidly completed.
“My very first letter home,”., he
said to his mother, as he embraced
her at parting, “ shall contain
Frank’s confirmation of the truth of
niy statement. When my remi tu
mid claim the dear, faithful girl
whose love is proof against all sns
picion ‘
Another misfortune, however,
awaited the young man when reach
ing his destination. Frank Alden
had fallen a victim to a fever that
was raging iu the colony, and had
died two days before, directing that
everything ho left should be-delivered
to his cousin us soou as he arrived.
Then, at this fatal termination
of the hope that had bnoyed him up
on the voyage over, Roger Wood-
worth would have welcomed death
had it not been for the remembrance
ot the trust and confidence of those
two dear ones at borne. The closing
words of that precious note revived
his almost sinking hopes, and draw
ing it from its concealment, ho read
them again and again.
“I believe and trust that this
strange mystery will be solved.”
Here, then, lay his present duty,
and he would prove himself worthy
of Sadie’s belief and trust by per
forming it faithfully. He sent a
brief letter to his mother, and then
set to work to earn a fitting dowry
for the girl he still hoped to make
his wife.
Meamvhilo, in the home Roger
had left, things went on much as
usual. The mortgage had been paid,
bnt Mr. Melton had taken no steps
towards the proposed repairs,—-he
must wait, he said, to recover a lit
tle irum ti,« loss of that five thous
and dollars, before making any fur
ther outlay; and Sadie fele very lit
tle intorest in the nAtter. On the
day after Roger loft, Mrs. Wood
worth had met the yonng girl, and
handed her a bit of paper on which
were simply traced the words “God
bless yon!” and Sadie had enclosed
it in a locket which she wore abont
her neck.
So passed two years, bringing
some new residents to the town, and
among them a physician, already
possessed of a good fortune, and who
readily seenred a largo practice. He
secured something else, also, almost
immediately—the fdvor of Mr. Mel
ton, who observed with gratification
the deep interest with which Dr.
Stanton regarded Sadie from the
first moment of his introduction to
her.'.- . v.-v
I shall begin my long projected
Mr. Molton said to his daughter, one
evening. “You will be of age in
three months, and I want it to bo
rea$y for your birthday present. I
will have it, thoroughly renovated
and refurnished from top to bottom,
so that you may have a home to be
proud of.”
“Refurnished, lather!” repeated
Sadie; “that seems hardly necessary
considering the quiet way we arc
living. I would be better pleased to
have it remain unaltered in that res
pect.”
“Perhaps, so, under ordinary cir
cumstances,” said Mr. Molton, fidg
eting somewhat uneasily in his chair.
“But I have something else to toll
yon. I have received an offer for
your hand, and one which you will,
I hope, bo disposed to consider fa
vorably.”
“From whom, father?” Sadie ask
ed, very quietly, although her cheek
grew paler than usual.
“From the very one I would have
selected out of a hundred — Dr.
Stanton. What do yon think of
that, Saidie?”
**1 think Dr. Stanton au excellent
and worthy gentleman,” said Sai d to,
steadily. “But I cannot marry hipi,
father—indeed I cannot.”
“That is all right,” said Mr. Mel
ton, evidently not disposed make the
matter a subject of any argument,
but to not upon the principle of
treating it as a forgone conclusion,
“A young lady is not expected to
jump at an offer, however desirable
or gratifying. A little maidenly re
serve, and even coolness, is. all the
more certain to insure aud rotai{i fcj
respect of a suitor. I shall, mek
this an attractive place, Siidio, an
on yonr twenty-first birth-day deed
it to you. I have labored for yonr
benefit and welfare through ull these
years, and shall, I hope, find that
my kindness has not been thrown
away, or unworthily bestovVod;” and
rising from his chair, Mr. Melton
kissed his daughter lightly on the
forehead and then left the room,
while Sadie buried her face in her
hands to hide the tears that were
trickling through hor fingers.
And while she sat there, tearful
and despondent, a ship was speeding
over the ocean, bringing Roger
Woodworth to the deathbed of his
mother. Her last lottor had reached
him uta time when the tide of good
fortune, started with his cousin’s
capital, was flowing in upon him
with lavish abundance—a letter im
ploring him to return, that she
might see and bless him once more
before she died—and leaving every
thing, lie,had taken passage iu the
first vessel ont—due, now, in a few
days. But of this Sadie knew noth
ing.
The repairs were netfrly complet
ed, and workmen were busy in the
room whore Mr. Melton had been
sittiug on that memorable day when
Roger had paid his last visit thei’6.
Mr. Melton had decided to have a
piazza on the outside, and have the
windows cut down to the ground. Dr.
Stanton was making Sadie a visit;
and she feeling*more than usually
indisposed toomertain him tete-a-tete,
hud suggested that they should in
spect the repairs. As they entered
the room, the men were removing
the woodwork from the principal
window, which was badly warped,
aud contained several deep cracks.
“Hello!” exclaimed one, os he
took ont a piece of the casing,
“there’s something down hero that
looks like a letter,” and in another
moinent he had pulled out an en
velope from where it was lying be
tween the woodwork and the wall.
“A letter?” exclaimed Sadie, step
ping quickly forward; “let mo see it,
floor in dead faint.
Raising hor head, Dr. Stanton
drew a small vial of smolliim-salts
froni his pocket-, at the sumo time
dispatching ono of tho workmen for
Mr. Melton; but by the tiiiio he ar
rived Sajidic was once moria on hor
feet, and extending the letter,
[claimed:
>, {fathor—see! The mystery
s: solved, and the cloud lifted, at
last!” i • • /
Taking tho envelope, Mr. Molton
gazed lit ft for a moment in silent be
wilderment; tlion opening it-mechan
ically, drew out the lost certificate.
“Whore was this found?” he asked.
“Down between the window-oas-
iug and tho wall,” answered Sadie,
excitedly. “Your hand must havo
been resting over that long oraqk in
the sill, on that day, and while you
slept the letter slipped down there.
Oh, father!—und poor Rogor—”
“Ho*slibll havo justice, my dear—
indeed he* shall!” interrupted Mr.
Melton. “I have-, done the yonng
man q great wrong; but it shall be
repaired ns far as it can be.”
‘‘Excuse me,” interposed the doc
tor; “are syou speaking of Roger
wq mu -yoi
Woodworth?’
f Yes—yes?” said Sadie, eagerly.
“Do you know him, Doctor?”
“I am attending his mother, who
is very ill, and who is expecting hor
son daily. He may be with her by
this time. I have not called yet to
day.”
“Oh! tliph, Doctor,” exclaimcc
Sadie, her cheeks ufluino, “if you
would-—if yoii only would
Stan
after disposing of his valuable inter
ests thoro, tho young couple roturn
od, possessed of a liberal fortune, to
their beautiful homo, whioh Mr.
Molton was to share with thorn tvs
long as lie lived
will gojat once,” jftid. He.; Si
slmlY make ton, anticipating her words,,and
, Siidie/and | gardin&r her with a smile at mien
re
guiding her with a smile at once sad
and tender. “And shall I take a
message from you, Mr. Melton?” ho
added.
“Yes, yes,” said the gentleman
“tell him to come up there, that
may clasp the hands of an honest
man, in forgiveness.”
In the little cottage he had left
two’years before, in such deep die
j graco and sorrow of heart, Rogor
Wopdworth was kneeling by the
bedside of his mother. A soft
stop sounded in tho . room and
the invalid looked up with a faint
smile.
“Ah,' Doctor!” she said; then plan
mg her thin hand lovingly on Rogor’s
head, which was still bowed, she ad
ded : “This is my boy—my dear son
He had come to recoive his mother's
repairs on this house next week,”
I
Taking it from the man, she gave
one look at a few words traced upon
it, then a low cry broke from her
lips:
“Oh, Roger, my darling! thank
God!you arc saved!” and 1
who had sprung
her. she lmd
dying blessing!”
“And more thamfchat, my friend,”
said tho doctor, laying liis hand on
tho young man’s shoulder. “Look
up, Roger Woodworth, and letino
see the face or an honest man—a
man whose fair name is free from
the suspicion that has so long been
resting .upon it!”
With a' bound, Rogor was upon
his feet, liis eyes luminous, his face
aflame. !
“What ate yott saying?” lie said,
TfiTflTvoice husky with mto» 80 eatrer
ness. “ Say thoso words —those
blessed words—once more!”
“Thord are others waiting to say
them! Mi'. Melton desires to clasp
your hand in forgiveness and recon
ciliation, while another awaits you,
of whoso welcome X need not speak!”
“Thank God!” exclaimed the ill
invalid. “Go to them, Roger, and
then return, that we may thank the
Lord for tills great blessing.”
There was nothing to tell in that
interview that the reader does not
already know; but tho joy that it
sent to tho heart of Mrs. Woodworth
seemed to prolong her life; and, two
months later, there was a quiet wed
ding in her sick room, at which Dr.
Stanton was present. As tho mar
ried pair knelt to receive the moth
er’s blessing, the hands that had
been extended above their heads
dropped softly upon them and rested
there; and stepping forward, tho
doctor lifted them gently and laid
them across her breast.
Within tho next few months Roger
Woodworth made a voyage to Aus
tralia, accompanied by his bride; aud
In the Australian Busli.
\ was terribly frightened one night
in Queensland by a dead nijtui riding
np to my campfire fit midtiighte I
was quite alone. I heard inv horses
neighing nnd.iinothor answering in
the Malgoa bushes, so I got up and
put wood on, making a bright blaze,
and presently, into the cirelo of
light canio a horseman bending over
his pommel, with his,.Itvrge straw hat
slouched over liis eyes. I - took my
revolvor off my saddle and sang put:
“Good night, mate! You travel late
Will you havo a drink of tea?'?
No.t a word of answer. Just then
hiy two dogs, who wore sniffing about
sot up such a terrible ory it. made me
jump again. After a bit I began to
open my e|es to the state , of affairs
and mustered courage enough. to
walk up to the horso and take hold
of tho reins. While doing so, 1
touched tho rider's hands, whioh
were us cold ns ioe. I tripd tg got
him off the suddlo, but it was of no
use. His logs were out of the irons
and wound tightly around tho mare,
I had to out the reins from the grip
of liis fingers. I packed him on the
horso when sunrise came and led
bim into Tainbo, Whbre I found he
was well known as a digger. He
had sot out thence that morning-*-
after drinking nearly a bottle of
brandy—to go to a - place cHstant
about lorfcy miles, and 1 was only
twelve rnilos fiom tlie towiislilp wlieif
he paid his ill-timed visit. There
was no doctor within 200 miles at
that time. However, they hold a
kind of inquest, at which the P. M.
talked learnedly of musoular con
traction and sunstroke, und was
puzzled to decide whether tho brandy
had anything to do with it, us lie
could swear from his own experience,
that tho iiqnor was first-class. He
praised mo more than I deserved,
for I had half u mind to run away ut
first. When I urn camped out oven
now alone strange thoughts of that
nocturnal horseman oomo into my
head. If anyone had told such a
a story to me I should hardly have
credited it. 1 mean that a man
should stick to his horse in thut way
without any other help than his
suddle straps afforded. His little
mare was vory quiet, though, and
was evidently attracted by tlie sound
of my horso bolls.
Tlie New Bible!
Thoro are some very straightfor
ward peoplo in Galveston. One of
them wont up into the Nows bfflco,
and sauntering up to tlie desk;
asked: *
“I bear thai the Bible has boon
revised. Do you know of any impor
tant changos that have been made?”
“A great many, I believe.”
“Then there is no mistalco about
Anriniiui being struck dcud for ly-
“Nb, I believe not,”
“Well*, if I was you I would find
out about it,” and lie strolled out as
unconoemodly as you ploaso.
It Was all Right* ' : ;
Sovornl people were making pur
chases lit a Woodward avenue grocery
yostorday when an old man with a
cane in one hand and a bundle iu
the other stood in tho door and asked :
“Did any of you drive up hero hi
a sleigh ?^
“Yes; I did,” replied onp. ■
“Was it an old white boss?”
“Yos.”
“And an old woman in tho cutter?’*
“Yob.”
“And cun she manngo tho boss?”
“I guess she can.”
“Then it’s all right,” said tho man
of tho Cano and the bundle. “The
old,boss has run away and tho old
woman is hanging to the dashboard
and yelling murder with* ivli hor
m igli t.; but, if slio can manago him,
there’s no use of anbody getting ex
cited over it. Let mp inquire what
the price of cranberries is to-day.”
He who is false to present duty
breaks a thread in.tlie loom and will
fintl the flaw when lie may havo for-
[ gotten its causo.
A Now York firm gets a living by
selling tho moat of dead horses and
othpr animals to proprietors of cats
and dogs.
Wlion young ladies learn to stick a
pin in their apron strings so this it
won’t scrotoh a fellow’s wrist, there
will be more marriages.
According to tho decision of a
Kansas judge, both husband and wife
are entitled to outer a place ofamuse-
meat on a ticket reading “Admit
one.”
Borax.
Lady readers who have not tested
tlie magic properties of borax havo
boon losing a great help and comfort.
If once used you will never be with
out a bottle on your toilet table. It
removes stains nrtd dirt from the
muds better than soap, and at tlie
same time softens and smoothes the
i>k!n. it is splendid for washing tho
hair, and will, withoutinjury,oleanao
brushes and oombs in a few minutes.
For washing purposes it saves both
soap and labor. It will extract the
dirt from articlos of dolioato toxturo
without rubbing, it being only ncccs
saray to put the artioles to soak
with a solution of borax over night,
and need only to -bo rinsed in the
morning. Two tahlespoonfuls of
pnlverized borax dissolved in a quart
of water, to which water enough is
added to cover a pair of blankots,
will cleanso them beautifully. It
also saves great labor in wushing
paint. It is said to drive away ants
and roadies, if sprinkled on tho
shelves of safes and pantries.—Rural
New Yorker.
A minister at Ayr, Sootland, re
cently introduced the following peti
tion into his Sunday prayer. “0
Lord, bless the Established Church,
and the Free Church, and tho United
Presbyterian Church, and all the
other churdics. Thou knowest tho
various nicknames, Lord, bj
they are cullqfl; bless tl
General Garfield is reported to have
said thut Ohio has had about ns
many honors as she cun stand. This
opinion will bo rocoivod with out
bursts of approval all ovor the coun
try. The idea is aTi ttlo differently
expressed in some quarters, however,
whore it is believed that Ohio has
lmd about as many honors as tho
rest of the couutry can stand.
The largest peach orchard in tlie
wotld is not in Georgia, as the papers
have it, but in Chambers county,
Alabama, nour tho Georgia lino. It
contains 250 acres and has yielded
♦70,000 worth of ]teaches. It is
owned and cultivate by Mr. Johu
Parnell, a brother of the Irish agita
tor. Ho came to 7this country aomo
ton or twelve yours ago, and bought
an old and worn-out ootton farm,
whioh ho has converted into this im-
monso peach orehard, and is always
tho first to have curly poaohes on tho
markot, fpr whioh he receives almost
fabulous pricos. He is getting im
mensely wealtliy at tho business.
Apropos of Goorgo’s birthday;
Mrs. Washington, the mother of
Georgo, was going to make soap,
George and und inn father arraugedfo
largo cask with some straw in tho
botiom of it, and on tho top of thp
straw they put some ashes and tbe#
locohod them. Mrs. Washington got
her soap grease all ready and /p q,
short timo tho house was fljjpfj with
that beautiful odon that botolfpijs the
[•recess o} soup-boilling IsgojngQU,
Wiih all her skill she ctmJd fiotmaka
the soup come. Up investigation it
was discovered that some of the ashea
used wore from W WQQrt of the eher»
ry tree George cut (town and no lye
could bo pyoduced pyen from them,
This showed the power of truthful*
ness.