Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-11-02
Too Many Calls,
A sketch--By Mrs. M. q, Beooher Stowe,

latter part OF December, when Mr.. A..
returned from his counting house 10 the
comforts of IL bright coal fire, and warm
arm chair, in his parlor al home. lie
changed his heavy boots for slippers /;
drew around him the lo!ds ui his even.
ing gown, and loungng back in his
chair, looked up to the ceiling with an
air of satisfaction. Still there was a
cloud on his row-what could the mat
ter be wiihAlr A To tell the truth he had
that afternoon received in his counting
room the agent Of one Of the principal
religious characters Of The day and
had been warmly urged to double his
last years bscIpiion, and the urging
had been pressed by statements and ar
guments to which he did not well know
how TO reply ;-"People think" solilo-
quized he 10 himself, "thai ] am made
of money. believe this is the fourth
object this year for which ] have been
requested to double my subscription,
aud this year has been one Of family en-
pcnses building and fitting up OF this
house, carpets, curtains, no end 10 the
new things to be bought. really do
not see how ! am to give u cent more
IN chariiy--lhen there ara bills for the
boys and The gills-lhey all say they
must have twice as much now, as before
we came into this house wonder if !
did right in building it - And Mr.. A.
glanced uneasily up and down the cell
and looked into the fire in silence he
was tired, harrasscd and drowsy, his
head began 10 swim-and his eyes clos
ed--he was asleep. La his sleep he
thought he heard tap at the door, he
opened it and there stood plain, poor
looking man, who ip voice sioyuIarIy
low and sweet, asked for few momenis
COMPENSATION with him. Mr.. A. asked
him into the parlor, and drew him a
chair near the fire. The stranger look
ed alleniivcly around, and then turning
To Mr.. A. presented him "A paper.
"lt is your las, years subscription to
Missions" said he, "ynn know all the
wants OF that cause that can be told
YOU ] called Ia see if you had any
thing more to add to it,"
This was said IN the same low and
quiet voice as bciorc, hut Tor some rea-
sou uDaccouniable to himself, Sir. A.
was more embarrassed by the PLAN,
poor, unpretending gan, than he had
ever been IN the presence Of any one
before. lie was for some moments 81
lent before he could reply at all, and
IN a hurried and embarrassed manner
he began the same excuses which had
so satisfactory to him the after
noon before. The hardness OF The times,
the difficulty Of collecting money, fami-
iy expenses, SC.
The strapger quietly surveyed the
spactous apartment, with its many elo.
gancies and Injuries, and without any
comment took from the merchant the pa.
per he had given, but Immediately pre-
sented him with another.
"This is your subscription 10 the Tract
Society, have ou.anyihing to add 10 il
you know how much il has been do
ing, and how much more il desires To do,
# christians would only furnish means
do you not feel called upon 10 add
TO il Z" Mr., A. was very
uneasy under his appeal, but there was
in the still, mild manner Of
he stranger that restrained him bm
he answered that although he regretted
il, exceedingly, his circumstances were
such that he could DIT this year conve-
nien,ly add TO any Of has charities.
The stranger received back the pa
per without any reply, but immediately
presented in its place the subscription of.
The Bible Socie;Y, and in lew clear
aud iorcible words, seninded him Of
its well known claims, and again request
ed him TO add something 10 lis donation.
Mr.. A. became impatient.
"Hsye | not said," he replied, "ha,
can do nothing more for any charity
than ] did last year l-Thcre seems to
be no end 10 Tue calls upon US in these
days. Al first there were only thee or
four objects presented and the sums re-
quiicd were moderate how the objects
increase every day, all cal upon US for
money, and all after we give once, want
us 10 double and 1eble and eupdruplc
our subscription /; there is no end To
The thing we may us well stop in one
place as another"
The stranger took the paper, rose
and fixing his eyes upon his companion
said in voice that thrilled his soul
"!One year ago tonight you thought
that your daughter lay dying-you
could not sleep for agony-upon whom
did you call that night r.
The merchant started and looked up
there seemed a change TO have passed
over the whole farm of his visitor, whose
eyes were fixed upon him. he drew back,
covered his face aud made no reply.
Five years ago" snid the stranger,
"whrn you lay at thn brink Of the grave
aud that if you died then you should
leave family Of helpless children en-
iirely unprovlded for, do you remember
how you praycd--who saved YOU !"
The stranger paused for an answer,
but there was dead silence. The
merchant only bent lorward nj once en-
iIrcly overcome, aud rested his head on
the sea, bcfme him
The strange drew yet nearer, aud