Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-05-13
{" Nothing O heavens Q,

they will succeed in bringing it up."
+" She is right" resounded from mum.
4 Der of voices, and from mine among tho
rest: and in an instant half a dozen neo.
pie ran to fetch the divers. Those who
remained exerted themselves each in tbeir
way, for the solace Of the poor porter
One brought him a glass of hqaen;; an.
other little brandy; third some ecu de
Cotqgne and four Or five presented the
grand specific, sugar and water. The
little violet girl had been before all the
rest in administering a cordial, and per.
haps hers was the most efieacious GLASS
of pure water which she held to his
trembling lips, aud made him swallow
: I" Drink, cried She Shrink # IN: it will
do you good" Whles4er i.agas the wa;pr
or the kind and sympathetic manner with
which it was offered, that relieved him i
know not, but certainly one of the two
had Its effect, for his looks grew less wild
ne burst INTO passionate fit of weeping.
and, by degrees, became composed enough
to make his acknowledgements to the hj..
name spectators, who had shown such in
terest in his misfortune.
The divers soon came, and one of them
descended without loss of time. Never
did L witness such an intense anxiety as
the search excited; if the fate OF every
one present had hung upon the success.
they could not have testified greater inter
est IN 1t. Soon he reappeared, bringing
up, not the bag of silver, but small iron
box. 1t was instantly broken open. and
found to be full Of twenty-franc piece in
gold; they were soon counted, and found
to amount to near ytwelve thousand francs,
about four hundred and fifty pounds sterl-
Ting.*
There were three divers, who, overioy-
ed at their good fortune, speedily divided
the prize among themselves and direct
ly afterwards another descended in search
OF the portef's bae. This time he return
ed with it in triumph. The poor fellow
could scarcel y speak when they put it in
TO his hands. On coming to himself, he
cried with vehemence, God reward you
you know not the good you have done
ii am the father Of five children. was
formerly in good circumstances, but Sc
rles of misfortunes reduced me to the
greatest distress. All that [ had left was
an irreproachable character, and that pro-
cured me my present situation ] have
had it but a week. To1iay sn0GT0, with
out help, have lost it. My wife, my chill
dren would have been exposed to all the
horrors of want; they would have been
deprived of husband and father; for
never, no never, could [ have survived the
ruin | had brought upon them! 1t is you
who have saved US all; God will reward
you, he alone can" While he thus spoke,
he rumaged in his pocket, and drew out
some francs. "This is all | have, It's
very little, but tell me where you live, and
tomorrow"
Not farthing," interrupted they with
one voice; and one ofthem added, "stop
bit, let me talk to my comrades" They
stepped aside for moment; followed
them with my eyes, and saw by their
gestures, that they listened to their COM
panion with emotion. owe are all Of
mind" said he, returning with them.
Yes, my friend, if we have been service
able to you, you also have been the cause
of our good fortune it seems to me then,
that we ought to share with you what God
has sent to us through your means. My
companions think so too, and we are 60
ing to divide it into four equal parts"
The porter would have demonstrated,
but his voice was drowned by the accla-
nations of the spectators" Generous
fellows !''-much good may it do do you y
-"The same luck to you many more
times !'' resounded from. every mouth.
There was not one present but seemed as
happy as if he or she were about to partcl-
pate in the contents of the box. defy
the most determined misanthrope to wit
ness this touching picture of happiness,
arising from motives so disinterested and
so pure, without thinking the better OF
poor illuminated human nature.
The money was divided, and, maNgre
his excuses, the porter was forced to take
his share. The generous divers went
their way the crowd began to disperse /;
but the porter still fingered, and | had the
curiosity to remain in order to watch his
motions. He approached the little violet
girl" All! my DEAR" cried he, "what
do not owe you but for you it had been
all lost with me.-My wife, my little ones,
must thank you"
q" Ma fol: it is not worth mentioning.
Would you have had me stand by and see
you drown yourself :!
"But your courage, your strength !!
could one have expected it from so young
a girl z"
"Ah! there is no want of strength
wherever there is good WILL"
sA,J ,ohodu over had more of that.