Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-03-28
From the Portland Tribune.
THE OLD BUREAU.
BY DC. CoLFsw opruv
CHAPTER |.

| CHAPTER l.
Whorc'er single human lrcos,
l Is crushed BY pain and grief
There would ever he a guest
And sweotly give reliof.
as we were passing down EXCHANGE street SOW
eral years ago, we stopped in front of an aucto,
iooHl TO examine the various articles that were fl
pc sold under the hammer. We had been there
rev moments, when we heard female voice in
curing, is this old bureau to be sold to dav :? q,
looking up we perceived that the question bo,
oeen addressed 10 us, by a young LADY,. who's,
peasant but sad conntenance struck us at once
We 'ePIeu mat all the articles on the side wall
would be disposed of to the highest bidder.
should like this bureau, ic it roes low enongb
she SAID, pointing to an old fashioned article tia
was Standing among the other furniture. but
never bought any thing at auction in my life, anr
as see no woman here, don't know as it wouIc
DC proper for me to bid
= would be perfectly proper we remarked, but
you wishit will bid off the bureau
you will, Sir, shall be greatly oblired +,
YOU s0'''y oO''Eeu u
How nigh are you willing should 90 y
dont know exactly how much il is worth
out If 1t sells for three or four dollars. Won NAV
buy it, ''''' . ''' may
Shall sneak to handcartlnan 10 leave it n,
your house !? " ut
NO, sir; will call at noon and settle for il
to you for your Kindness
90 saying the young lady went away leaving us
10 wonder who she was, and of what use the old
piece of furniture could be TO her. We cxom;nnd
H-,ook out the drawers-but saw thing re.
markablc about it. At eleven o'clock. when the
uuGuon commenced, we were present, and after
waiting nearly an hour the auctioneer remarked
we VIII now sell the bureau.--What will YOU
give gentlemen One man offered two dollars.
another three, and we bid half dollar more. -Four
dollars were bid-four and u half and five dollars.
we were astonshed that the old thing should
Dtrlng so high price. What could we do? See
1t sold and disappoint the lady The thoucht
struck u.s. that it might have BELONGED to some
friend, and she wished to purchase it on that ac-
count, and rather than dsappoint her we resolved
10 DIG again. Six dollars were offered by another
10 our utter establishment; but when our hand is
IN, and we wish for an article we seldom LET an
other outbid us, and so we offered, until the old
bureau was run up to ten dollars we pur.
chased 1t for half dollar more Certainly we
would not have given but four for il 10 usc onr.
sell However, we bought il and had it sent to
GU room, telling the auctioneer, if a lady should
call ior H. TO inform her where it might be founJ
we examined it again and again, and began TO re-
gret our purchase, feeling almost certain that the
young woman would not thank US for what we
hau dome Out we never mourn over bad bargain
Our philosophy will not permit us 10 do so.
A little after dusk, as we were sitting in our
sanctum, the young lady came in with an apology
Tor lnlrndlng, and remarked, You bought the
burean--so the auctioneer informs me-
yes, bought it, but at On extravagant price,
assure you'
How much did you give ?
Ten dollars and half:'
'You astonish me- What can do? had no
idea that 1t would bring three or four dollars,
and am not prepared to pay for it to night
suppose 1t was foolish in me to give so much
for it, but presumed you wanted it very nuch.'
i did, sir, and would not value paying double
the amount for the bureau, if | were able, rather
than not have it,
So | apprehended. Perhaps it NAV have be.
longed to some friend of yours ?
Yes, Sir, that bureau was once nv mothers
and noticed tear come into her eve which she
endeavored to conceal but she is dead now and
wish to keep it in remembrance of her.
Thinking the lady might be poor we told her
she might take the bureau that night, if she wish
ed and pay us Tor II when she found it convenient
/ am greatly obliged to you for your kindness q
for F''N
We urged her to take it, but she refused, saving
j wlll see what | can do, and call in a day or
two, and see you,'-and bidding us good evening,
she left us.
There is something very mysterious about this
woman, thought we 1t may be that she is poor
she shows an excellent heart, and the warmest at.
tachment to deceased mother. Her education
must have been good, and she has evidently seen
better days. And we thought the next time she
called upon rs, we would ascertain something of
her character and circumstance perh,,s her
name-whch we felt deeply anxious 10 learn.
In day or two the young lady called upon us
again, and with tears in her eyes, remarked
don't know what you will think of me, but all the
money have in the world are five dollars; this |
have brought you towards the bureau you we're so
Kind as to purchase for me- So saying she placed
the money before us in silver.
shall not take this money at present. we re-
marked. can do without it. You NAV take the |
bureau, if you want it, and when you are able, at
some future time, you may pay for it,
She expressed great deal of gratitude, and said,
; would rather that you would take what have
and nothing that We could say would induce her to
take the money again.
You appear to have seen ofilictonP we re-
marked, as we saw the tears in her eyes,
Not much, sir | must confess that have not
always been as poor as am at present, for have
seen better dsys. When my parents were living.
never knew what it was to want for any thing
now cannot say So
now long have your parents been dead"
ABOUT SIX years since my father died and il |
was lour years ago last Saturday when my mother
Atmenton Of her mothers name, the tears came
lnstto her eyes-a tender chord was touched--we