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l SOh, did you, latner Z" tDen Chariles


letter is near the post Office by this time.


s1Do MT be too sure, my child"


''I can't help being sure, mother. Char


lie never fails to write when he says he will,
and this letter is to tell us whether he can
come home to Thanksgiving, and its only
Twelve days to that, aud shall be just six
teen that day"


eyes, yes, Rathy," said The father,
"come what come may, thanksgiving day
will always be thanksgiving to US"
"Oh, there's Colonel Miles !" exclaimed
Ruth, and she rushed TO the door, not,
however, without giving her father a brush
Of kiss as she passed.


s'Colonel Miles :" she shouted, "can't
you please TO stop at the posl-oflice, and
bring our letter from Charlie Z" The Col.
was not going to the post-ofiice, but his
turning-of' place was near il, and il was but
The work Of two minutes for Ruth to beg
'eat in his little wagon, to get her mothers
leave to go herself to the postoflice, to
take the chance of the two miles walk
home il she did not gel cast, and above
all 10 obtain leave to open the letter herseli,
as soon as received, to whichever member
Of the family it might be addressed.
Three hourspassed away, when Anthony,
a colored man, living at Mr.. Gardner's in
the village, brought Mrs Hathaway letter
from Ruth. 1t enclosed one from Charles
On Rulh's letter was written in large char
acters, ssRead this first )" and the mother
read as follows "Dear mother, and father,
don't feel too bad. shall be on my way
to New York when you get this. Miss
Emma Gardner has lent me ten dollars, and
| what clothes shall want Father can't go;
and you can't leave father, mother; and
~ can't stay. Father you will keep up
mothers spirits, won't you ?" know it
will all come right


aP. S. Mr.. Gardner has gone to Boston,
so Miss Emma and have had no one to
consult with. ] would not tell any body
else for the world"


Mrs. Hathaway, pale and trembling, gave
this letter to her husband, while she read
that from her son Charles.


stDear father and mother, and Ruth, II
have got into some trouble / ask of you
all not to feel anxious or distressed. ex-
pect" (erpeci was erased and hope substi-
tuted) "lo get out well, but if don't, l
shall still keep right side up as father
would say. Now be calm, mother, dear.
Just before we locked up last night, OBJ
served a stranger come into the shop; the
doors were closed, and all the clerks called
into the middle of the shop, away from the
counters. O,is Jackson was standing close
TO me at the time we were spoken to-
heard him mutter 'd--n it, but had not
the least thought of what was coming. Mr.
| Brown spoke sWe have been missing,
says he, fine goods for the last month; a
shawl was taken last week two yards Of
costly lace and one of the fve-dollar pocket
handkerchiefs are gone to-day. We have
policeman here, and you must all be
searched. One Of you must be guilty. i
am sorry for the innocent, but no Disgrace
viii rest upon them,--do your duty, Rush
ton.' The policemen BEGAN the search.
Some Of our young men laughed and joked; !;
could not, was afraid it would prove to
be Otis. He was the fourth searched, no
thing was found OH him. My turn came
next; the things were found in my coat
pocket, atop Of my handkerchief and every
thing, as if they had just been put there -
How the truth is to be found out, don't
know, but feel as if it would. All ask
is that father will keep up mothers spirits,
and dear Ruth, only think how you would
all feel if | had taken the things shall
wlite daily, so don't be anxious.


"Ever your loving son and brother,
"CHARLEs.
"P S. Direct to me scare of Robert Hen
shaw; he is my friend among the clerks"
(I6 be c0ntinued)