Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 167 — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—-- ene tat ait nena -—--, ——— oon See ee —ee- = -_—_——2~ 2 ee we a_i ee =e ee ae —— --- gE SF ae —-—-— er - = —- -—_——— — _— ——y—— a ee eT Ee ee a ue -——— ae oe - % ° . te — = < . : - re me —_———— - ~~ - had fully believed, some time previously, that their father was dead. Their grief had then grieved it- self out, and its freshness was not to be renewed by + I cea very of what might be called his second eath, In fact, there was such an appearance of romance and unreality in the story of Col. Thomassieu’s es- cape from the aepresee his subsequent captivity on Jason’s Island, the fraudulent mortgage, and Major Brackett’'s prncondiis in general, that the ladies could not fairly realize what was told to them, and it was evident that time would be re- quizes $a enable the entire truth to sink into their minds. But they appreciated the results, although they did not readily assimilate the details. “Ts it clear, then,” asked Laura, ‘‘that that very polite rascal has no hold whatever upon the planta- Tome and that it belongs to us since poor pa is really y ‘*There is no doubt of that,” replied Westleigh, *“unless—”’ ; “Unless what?” ‘Why, Miss Thomassieu, one of those two flat- boatmen was shot by Major Brackett, just as he was Soot to say somathing he wished your father to ear.”’ “What can it have been? You know something _ more. Don’t excite our curiosity without satisfying IT can only say,’’ replied Westleigh, “‘ that it was sometiuing about the boy who escaped from the flat- boat, and for whom you have cared so kindly.” The female mind is prone to jump at conalusions, and Laura jumped at once, ‘‘ Abeut Tommy!’ exclaimed Laura. ‘‘Is it pos- sible that he is our lost little brother? I have been bi he ever since he came here.”’ = t will be so nice!’’ said Emma, aha eee a lit- tle further than her sister. ‘‘I only w t poor pa could have lived to see his boy.’ * You srogotng entirely too fast, ladies,’’ protest- ed Arthur Westleigh. ‘' You have no right to con- vert og brpctg y suspicions into certainties, and I ought not to have said as much as I have, as it has given you hopes that may have no foundation atall. But the revelation, whatever it is, is about Tommy, and the old flatboatman, who has promised to complete the statement which his son began, says that it will make us open our eyes.”’ Both the ladies declared that their eyes were opened already, and that such a mixture of sad and dopa news was enough to upset them entirely. arly the next morning they rode to Judge Dal- by’s, escorted by Westleigh an “unied by Tommy Brackett, u shed as much tenderness as if he had already been declared the heir of their house. That declaration was soon made, At Judge Dal- by’s houseJacob Bumstead was brought into a room in which the ladies were seated with Tommy Brack- ett, Capt. Roberts, Arthur Westleigh, and Asa Sproule and Asa Scott. Tommy manifested consid- erable trepidation atthe appearance of the Honest Trader, and carefully kept out of his reach during the interview, although assured that he was in no sort of danger. The eagerness of the ladies to hear the promised revelation caused Bumstead to hesitate, and he be- gan to gain confidence and to negotiate, insisting thatheshould be "' let off,’ if he madea clean breast of everything. Finally, in consideration of the death of his son, and of his promise to disclose the hiding- place of a quantity of ** moonshine ’ whisky, Capt. Roberts agreed to his terms. The story he told concerning Tommy Brackett met the expectations of Laura and Emma Thomassieu. The boy was Col. Thomassieu’s son Martin, who had been stolen from the plantation, years ago, by Jacob Bumstead himself, acting under the instructions of Major Brackett, who had paid well for the job. | The old man said that he bad kept, and still haa in his orcpap eae a fine and handsome garment which the ittle fellow had worn when he was stolen. ‘Was it an embroidered sack?” Laura. Yes, that was what it might be called, and Bum- stead described the article as wellas he could. His description was clumsy, but sufficient for Laura, who recognized the garment as one which her loving ers had worked for her baby brother. he rest of Bumstead’s narrative tallied with the account which Tommy Brackett had given of him- self, and the boy was duly recognized as Martin Thomassieu, the heir of the Thomassieu estate un- der his grandfather's will. It may be added that Aunt Hannah, the old ne- gress who had taken such a fancy to the boy, de- clared that she had suspected him of being “ young massa Martin’’ since the first time she had seen him after his escape from the Honest Traders, Before the prisoners were removed from Jud Dalby’s place, Major Brackett was brought into the once ot Laura and Emma Thomassieu and their ends, and was informed of the revelations con- cerning him that had been made by Col. Thomassieu and Jacob Bumstead. He received the information with an air of uncon- cern. He had lost his ‘‘ stake,"’ and took no further interest in the game. “It was all the fault of that old fool of a flatboat- man,” he said. ‘‘When he insisted upon getting hold of young Sproule, for the pypoes of forcing money out of him, I told bim that he would bring usinto trouble. Ihad the game in my own hands, but he broke itup.” _ ‘*You perceive,” said Westleigh, ‘‘that we have discovered that your mortgage was fraudulently raised to ten times its real auount, and that the furg. ry has made it void,” Sproule, and accom- n whom they lav- gerly asked -_—_--_-- . CT ae OO ee ——— ee OS NS ee ae =i = ——S_ — = ; | - Asa Se —* oo —<————— ——— =< So - = e tt, the Steamboat a $ **So you tell me. I havo nothing to say about it.” ‘You must elso acknowledge that even if there had been no forgery, it could not be good in law, as young Martin Thomassieu was the real owner of the cag omewagt “Have it yourown way. [have nothing to say about it.” “Perhaps you may be willing to tell us, Major Brackett, why it is that you have so vindictively pursued Col. Thomassieu and his family, beginning the pursuit so long ago. There are many estates against which you might have operated more suc- cessfully, if your only object had been to get posses- sion of the property.” “That is true,”’ replied Brackett. “I had a pope reason, and I don’t object to telling it. When Iwas quite a young man, old Martin Thomassieu, the randfather of that boy, denounced me on a steam- oat as a cheat, and subjected me to the degrada- tion ofa ae eater Sg > I swore to be revenged, and I don’t know but Ihave good cause to be satis- fied. My plans have not succeeded as well as I meant they should; but I stole his favorite grand- child, and now I have sent his son to meet him in the other world.” ‘For that crime you will have to hang!” indig- nantly exclaimed Laura. ‘“* Bet you five to two that [ don’t.”’ It may be stated here that Major Brackett did not hang for that or any other crime. Capt. Roberts caused his prisoners to be confined in the safest county jail in that section of country; but they had not been there long when Brackett, with Madden and another, broke out and made their escape, and were not recaptured. The te of Col. Thomassieu was buried at the homes , and the grief of his daughters was tem- pered by their joy at the discovery of their lost bro- ther, for whom Laura was appointed guardian. The cloud upon young Martin Thomassieu’s title to the plantation was removed by process of law, the forgery in Brackett’s mortgage g visible on a close inspection of that document. Richard Brashear received the news of the capture of Jason's Island before he reached his destination. He sent back the police force which he had brought from St. Louis, and made his way to the Thomas- sieu plantation, where he was rapturously received by Asa Sproule and Asa Scott, and cordially wel- comed by the rest of “*the family.” After resting himself and enjoying the hospitalities of the ladies, he accompanied the two boys on the trip to New Or- leans which had been so rudely interrupted. When Asa Sproule had satisfied himself with see- ing the sights in New Orleans, hs admitted that he had had enough of “life” for the present, and pro- sed to his companions that ong § should stop at he Thomassieu place on their way back to St. Louis —a proposition to which they giadly assented. ile they were taking their ease on the planta- tion Arthur Westleigh was married to Emma Tho- massieu, and after his marriage he began to agitate for a change of residence. Martin’s health, which had been poor when he escaped from the Honest Trader, showed no material improvement, and West- leigh urged that he needed a Northern climate for sanitary reasons, as well as educational purposes. As Westleigh was anxious to establish his home in the North, Laura yielded to his arguments, and ac- cepted in the boy’s behalf an offer that was made by Mr. Brashear on the part of Asa Sproule for the purchase of the estate. So Laura and Martin went to Ohio with their sister and ber husband, and Asa Sproule settled down as owner of a fine plantation, with Snakeroot as his assistant and factotum. As soon as Sproule reached his twenty-first birthday he married pretty Flora Dalby, and in the course of time the two plantations will become one. Asa Scott might become a landed proprietor if he desired to; but he is a very popular young man in that region, and expects to enter public life. THE END. The Saturday Journal, “The Model Family Paper —AND— Most Charming of the Weeklies.” A pure paper; good in every thing; bright, brilliant and atteantiva: ied ‘ : Serials, Tales, Romances, Sketches, Adventures, Biographies, Pungent Essays, Poetry, Notes and Answers to Correspondents, Wit and Fun— All are features in every number, from such celebrated writers as no paper in America can boast of. The SATUKDAY JoURNAL is sold everywhere by newsdealers; pie sta cents per number; or to subscribers, post-paid, at the following cheap rates, V1Z.: Four months, one dollar; one year, three dollars ; or, two copies, five dollars, Address BEADLE & ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York. — — <<. 2. : me eee eee BEADLE & ADAMS’ STANDARD DIME PUBLICATIONS. Speakers. BEADLE AND ADAMS ha7e now on their lists the fol- lowing highly desirable aed attractive text-books, prepared expressly for scnoois, families, ete. Each volume contains 100 large pages, printed from clear, open type, comprising the best collection of Dia- logues, Dramas and Recitations, (burlesque, comic and otherwise.) The Dime Speakers for the season of 1880—as far as now issuec—embrace twenty-three volumes, viz. : i. American Speaker. 13. School Speaker. 2. National Speaker. 14, Ludicrous Speaker. 3. Patriotic Speaker. 15. Komikal Speaker. 4. Comic Speaker. 16. Youth’s$ er. 5. Elocutionist. 17. Eloquent ker. 6. Humorous Speaker. i8. Hail Columbia Speak 7. Standard Speaker. er. 8. Stump Speaker. 19. Serio-Comic Speaker. 10 Soren Hees Speak a1 + par r — ‘ " -Eagle er | 21. ny er. 11. Dime Debater. 22. Jolly Speaker. 12, Exhibition Speaker. | 23. Dialect ker. These books are te with choice pieces for the School-room, the ibition, for Homes, ete. They are drawn from FRESH sources, and contain some of the choicest oratory of the times. 75 to 100 Declama- tions and Recitations in each book. Dialogues. The Dime Dialogues, each volume 100 pages, em- brace twenty-six books, viz.: Dialogues No. One. Dialogues No. Fourteen. Dialogues No, Two. ialogues No. Fifteen. Dialogues No. Three, Dialogues No. Sixteen. Dialogues No, Four. Dialogues No. Seventeen. Dialogues No. Five, Dialogues No. Eighteen Dialogues No. Six, Dialogues No. Nineteen. Dialogues No. Seven. Dialogues No. Twenty. Dialogues No, Eight, Dialogues No. Twenty-one. Dialogues No. Nine. Dialogues No. Twenty-two. Dialogues No. Ten. Dialogucs No. Twenty-three Dialogues No. Eleven. | Dialogues No. Twenty-four. Dialogues No. Twelve. | Dialogues No. Twenty-five. Dialogues No Dialogues No. Twenty-six. . Thirteen. 15 to % Dialogues and Dramas in each book. These volumes have been prepared with especial reference to their availadility in all school-rooms. They are adapted to schools with or without the fur- niture of a stage, and introduce a range of charac- ters suited to scholars of every grade, both male and female. It is fair to assume that no volumes yet offered to schools, at any price, contain so many available and useful dialogues and dramas, serious and comic, Dramas and Readings. 164 12mo Pages. 20 Cents. For Schools, Parlors, Entertainments and the Am- ateur Stage, comprising Original Minor Dramas. Comedy, Farce, Dress Pieces, Humorous Dialogue and Burlesque, by noted writers; and Recitations and Readings, new and standard, of the greatest celebrity and interest. Edited by Prof. A. M. Russell. DIME HAND-BOOKS. Young People’s Series. BEADLE’s Dime HANbD-Books For Youna PEroPLe cover a wide range of subjects, and are especially adapted to their end. They constitute at once the cheapest and most useful works yet put into the market for popular circulation. Ladies’ Letter-Writer. Book of Games. Gents’ Letter-Writer. Fortune-Teller. Book of Etiquette. Lovers’ Casket. Book of Verses. | Ball-room Companion. Book of Dreams. book of Beauty. Hand-Books of Games. BEADLE'’s Dime Hanp-Boors or GAMES AND Popular Hanpv-Books cover a variety of subjects, and are es- pecially sige to their end. andbook of Sunimer Sports. Book of Croquet. | .achting and Rowing. Chess Instructor. Riding and Driving. Cricket and Football. Look of Pedestrianism. Guide to Swimming. Base-Ball Player for 1880. Handbook of Winter Sports. Manuals for FPousewives. BeaDue’s Dime Famity SERIES aims to supply a class of text-books and manvals fitted for every per- son’s use—the old and the young, the learned and the unlearned. They are of conceded value. 1. Cook Book. “, Family Physician. 2. Recipe Book. 5. Dressmaking and Mil- 8. Housekeeper’s Guide. linery. Lives of Great Americans. Are presented complete end authentic biographies of many of the men whe have added luster to the Sepuite by their lives and deeds, The series em- races: I.—George Washington. | VII.—David Crockett. 1J.—John Paul Jones. VIll.—Israel Putnam. IIl.—Mad AnthonyWayne| IX.—Kit Carson, IV.—Ethan Allen. X.—Tecumseh, V.—Marquis de Lafay-| XI.—Abraham Lincoln. ette. -—Pontiac. V1.—Daniel Boone. XIII.—Ulysses 8. Grant. The above publications for sale by all newsdealers or will be sent, post-paid, on receipt of price, by BEADLE & ADAMS, 98 Winuam St.,N.Y. om (E ‘S' a ee —- rr ,OO (El)