Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-09-06

III procuring him a seat for a few miles on
his journey. AT least. The faint and wea-
~ man had travelled all night without
food. and when the good farmer had given
the last crtI,nb from the remaining con-
tents Of his travelling box. he thought Of
his fruits. and drew them from their saf;.
place under the seat. KNOWN. that the
empty basket would be more pleasant
gift 10 his wife with the knowledge that its
fruits had cheered the fanting stranger.
than all together. hearing Of his want.
Nay. nay. my good friend. | will not
taste them. This is something you have
bought at market for your children - ic
cannot take this
Not at all. friend. | carried it with me.
and no; finding ready sale. chose TO keep
il. but my dear sir. | viii tell YOU a thing
of it that vii! make the fruit all the sweet
err
The hungry man was too much tempted
by the cariiesint ;, of the offer. and the
rlch SAVIOR Of the fruit itself, 10 refuse long
CT. 50 he took one fat plum tcnderly from
rs green bed. as if he almost pitied tC.rc
move il. and put its purple check t" his
parched lips, as John began TO tell him the
history of the fruit-baskct.
In the small village whence | came.
and where have lived these four years
past. there is little invalid boy. the young
IS; son. Of a widow. She has two child
rem beside and then he went on to tell
how the good woman had lost her nus
band. and bow She had struggled against
poverty, and how the little one, had help
cd her---even the little SICK bov. and
how all the village children helped them.
and then the private history OF that little
bask et-'a.id never, concluded the hon
est chroniclcr. was Il more blessed crea-
furc in this world. or woman with more
blessed helpers for children than poor Wild
ow Downlae. Of Grcenyalc.'
What 50 strangely unpalatablc was there
II that last sweet plum. that it should fall
back with the falling hand So suddenly
from the half satiated-lip of the stranger,
What in words or look of the good farmer
that they should draw so inquiring Il gaze
from the eye Of the pilgrim. The driver
OPPORTUNITY noted it not. and the stranger
resumed his untenancc again. but the
eagerneSs Of his questions, and his earn
est attention 10 their answers. showed that
an unwonted interest had been kindleI:
tear rolling in the strangers eye, as the
did. told of the patient. suffering, happy
little Charlie.
VI length the big mark ct wagon OF neigh
Dor John halted before the gate Of the poor
widow. I'd t,r pleasant boy saw one at
tor another Of the little treasures their ar
ticcs had procured handed out to their
smiling mother. and then he laughed with
il quiet little gIec, as the good neighbor
Il. Il Ii.
saying. and this is for Charles moss bas
ket, aud now, mother Downlee. if guess
right. he stepped aside to let the impatient
stranger come forward from the back part
of the wagon. and in a moment more
with a shrichipf recognition. the ,stonlshed
wife was in the arms of her husband.
When he saw them safely through their
first wild transport. neighbor John drove
To his home, man trlcc blessed for his
Kindness.
Robert Downlcc knelt by the chair of
his Invalid son. X pressed him to his heart
The boy showed no frantic demonstra-
tons. but all intense JOY stohe in his sPir-
itual eve. as he locked his thin arms a.
round his fathers neck.
! knew it would be 50! \ sweet Dream.
a pale. tlin-winged creature. with beauti-
ful eyes, told me YOU was not dead, and
that we should see YOU again. and then |
should 90 away and BE- an angel. and YOU.
and mother. and Bob, and Ellen. would
be happy and dwell together, and feel my
Joy among YOU at all times. . father,
knew and told mother. but she was SO sad
to think it all, she would not believe any
of it.
~ ay. darling. half believed it or this
meeting would have been too sudden .
10Y: and for the sadness of one part Of
that tale | was reader TO believe the 9th
er.
Fail us it woul, to tel,the iov and silent
blcSscdncss of that meeting. mingled as
they were with sad prophecy of bereave-
ment. we can only catch from the deep
words and more deep looks. the simple
story of the husbands return. which told
lat the shot which wounded him, threw
him into the sea. that he iloated on silver
of their vessel. till the British picked him
up.-hc recovered.-was.in imprisoned. and
constrained three years. when. beggared ,
and weak he was let loose in the wilder
ness of London. and without friends or
money. he sought pass age for America:
was disappointed and reduced TO the low
est need; he toilcd on the wharves. and
bee anne porter. and strayed on till he got
the money necessary for his passage. and
landed but. week before in New York,
from whence he had labored on. till the
good farmer found him pennylesS and eN-
hau>ted bv the roadside. His letters had
never reached their destination. and the
first CLEAN of any knowledge of his exis
fence came with his presence-lf indeed
the DrpmonitiouS of the cen -nerVeu mar !
lie were not magnetic consciousness of
his approach
When school was done. Bob. and nim-
bleiooted Ellen came tripping home, eager
10 see the product of their toll. Little Ell
len ran first into the room where all were
mute. and seeing stranger. shrunk to
her mothers side abaShed. Bob halted
moment with the sudden surprise. and
slancing at the stranger and at his mother
In quick alienation, his lips moved with
y L