Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1847-09-24


face. His eyes were full of tears and his
fps quIvered. He tried to speak. bat he
could not utter a word.
Is any one sick al home 2 asked the
teacher.
No ma'am, the Ta;i family replied.
The young girl. for the teacher was
quite young, stood silent a moment She
knew that the mother Of the boy was poor
and from the peculiar way in which he
was distressed, she Immediately suspected
that something was wrong at home.
Is anything the matter at home that
you would like 10 tell me ? she asked.
By this time most of the children had
left the room, and the teacher and the lad
stood quite alone. The tears which had
been binding the eyes of the latter ever
since the teacher had spoken to him, now
fell over his cheeks freely. But in a little
while he was able to restrain them. and
! he told Of the distress his mother was in.
and how, if her rent was not paid in the
morning, her things would all be taken
away from her, and they be turned out of
doors. lie also related in most artless
and earnest manner, how he had called
upon Mr.. Percivai, without saying any
thing to his mother, hoping that he would
lend them money to pay their rent
| When he told of the cruel and uncXpcct-
ed repulse with which he met, his tears
| flowed out again.
But the man certainly vii uot DO as
he has threatened, said the teacher.
'Oh, yes he will replied Charles. lie
sold every thing Mrs. Ellis had, this win
ter, because she didn't pay him his rent !;
aud size lad TO take little George and
Mary and go to the poor house. Oh yes !!
| he will DO it,
How much rent does your mother owe
! him 2
Seven dollars
The young teacher was once more silent
and thoughtful. If she had possessed the
sum required, how gladly would she have
placed it in the hands OF the boy, and sent
him home with glad tidings to his moth
er! But it took all her salary 70 support
widowed mother, in bad health, and she
had therefore nothing 80 spare.
Go home, Charles she at ,crgth said,
and tell your mother that viii come
and see her tonight Something must
Do done to prevent this man distressing
her.
The boy turned and walked quickly
away. Ills step was much lighter than il
was when he came to school, for nov
there was hope again III his young heart.
The night that succeeded to this day
was very cold. The wind swept round 10
the northeast towards evening, anI bro ::
a heavy snow-storm that thinnud the roads
Of passengers. After an early tea, the
young teacher, with two dollars IN her
pocket, one received lrcm the principal OF
the school and the other her own cOntri-
button. Set forth on the GRAND Of mercy
she had proposed 10 herself, which was to
Oh ain from such persons as She knew,
and felt free to call upon, Il sum suiiicil Mt
TO pay the poor widows rent. One or
two upon whom she called declined giving
anything, saying that if the woman was
not able 10 pay her rent, she had better
90, with her children, TO the aims house
where she and they would be taken care
of. They disapproyed, from principle, Of
private charities = they did more harm
than good. Others gave her small sums,
such as quarter and half dollars and one
/ poor widow put in dollar from her store.
Those who were the most able, gave the
least. 1t was past nine in the evening
before the sum needed was made Up.
With a light heart the undetermined
girl started for the humble abode of the
distressed widow. On her way thither
bending before the gusts of wind and oil
snow, she passed the splendid dwelling OF
Benedict percival, Esq, the benevolent
merchant. He sat in his luxurious plrlor
with his family around him, mu,inS upor
the act that had for some days engrossec
most of his thougts, more than half in
clined TO think that the public did no
fully appreciate what he had done, and
in an inciPient stage Of repentance fol
having thrown such a large sum Of money
tawav, when a thousand dollars woul,