The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1852-11-11
THE FOOLS PENCE.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.


sat its mistress, the gardily dressed Mrs.
Crowder, conversiDg with an obsequious
neighbor.
"Why, Mrs. Crowder. l really must say
you have things IN the frat stylel What el-
egaat pspering! what noble chaissi what
pair ofire screens! all 30 bright and fresh!
Then, the elegant stone coping TO your win
dows, and those beautiful French window
frames! And you have been sending your
daughters to the goEtsslesi boarding school;
your shop is the best atted in all this part
Of London. Where can you find the need
fol for these thingsl Dear Mrs. Crowder,
how DO Won manage?"
Grs. Cfowder simpered, and cast a look
OF smiling contempt through the half-open
door into the shop, filled with drOughty Gus
toners. ''The fools pence-'GS the fools
pence that does il for u.s." she said-and her
voice rose more shrill and louder than usual,
with the triumph she felt.
Her words reached the ear Of one custom
er. George Manley, the carpenter, who
stood near the counter. Turning his eyes
upon those around him, he saw pale, sunken
cheeks, inGsmed eyes, and ragged garments.
He then tIFced upan the stately apartment,
he looked through the door into the parlor.
and saw looking-glGsses and pictures, and
gliding, and hne furniture and rich carpet,
nd Hiss Lucy in silk gown, st her piano;
and he thought TO himself, how strange 1t is!
how curious it is, that ell this wTetchedness
on Lly left haad should be made to turn into
all this rich finery on my right.
swell, sir--and what's for youl" said
shrll voice which made the fools pence"
ring in lis ears.
"a glass of gin, ma'em, is what | am
waiting for; but think I've paid the last
jo1Ps pence tbat shall put down on the
counter for many long day"
Manley hasteaed home. His wife and
two l,tlo girls were seated at work. They
were tain and pale, really in want of food.
: The room looked very cheeIless, and their
FIRE wss so small as hardly TO be felt, yet the
dullest observer would be; struck with the
Deatness ihst reigGed
il ives joyfll surprise to them, his re-
turning 50 early that night, aud returning
sober and in good hOmor.
'YOur eyes are weak tonight, WIFE," said
{ George, "or else you have been cryiEg. Tm
afraid you work too much by candlehght."
His wife smiled and said, "woIking does
not affect ny eyes," and she beckoned to
her little boy, who was standing apart in i
corner--eyidently as q culprit.
"Why, John, what's this seep SAID ms
father. "Come and tell me what you have
oeeu doing"
"The baker came for his money tonight,
: and would not leave the rolls without it; but
: though he was cross and rough, he said
mother was not to blame, and that he was
sure you had been drinking away all the
money; and when he was gone, mother cried
: over her work, but she did not say anything.
! did not know she was crying till saw her
= tears dropping on her hand; and then | said
:, bad words, and mother put me in the cor
. ner."
: "Tell me what your bad words were J Ohm"
{ said his father, "not swearing, hope!"
! NO." said John cOloriDg, 81 said you
were had maE--I said, bad father"
"Antthey were bad words, sure" said
: hiG mother; "but you are forgiven; SO now
. bring me some coal from the box"
George looked at the face OF his wife, and
as he met the tender gaze Of her mild blue
= eyes now turned to him, he felt the tears
Z rise to his own. He rose up, and putting
> money into her hands, he saiA There are
$ my weeks wages. Come, come, hold out
: both hands, for you have not got all yet
:. Law it out for the best, as you always do
hope this will be beginning for better
doings on ms part, and happier days on
u yours"
20 had gone to bed, that when he saw what the
&c pence of the poor boy could do towards
W keeping up fine house and dressing out the
as landlords wife and daughters, and when he
Us thought of his own hard-working, uncom.
de planning Susan, and his children in want
ia and almost in rags, while he was sitting
y drinking night after night, destroying hit
d health and strength, he was 80 struck with
le sorrow and shame, that be seemed to come
o. TO himself, at last. He determined from
10 that hour never again to put the intoxica'
- ting glass to his lips.
e. More than year afterwards, on Sunday
D. afternoon, as Mrs. Crowder of the "Punch
g Bowl" was walking with her daughters tc
rs the tea gardens, they were overtaken by 8
n violent shower OF rain, and had become a
y least half drenched, when they entered 1
comfortable looking house, distinguished By
its comforts and tidiness from all others nea
a. il. Its good natuTed mistress and her tive
n girls did all they could to try and wipe ava.
81 the rain drops and splashes from the ladies
81 fine silk dresses and persons.
FL When all had been done that could b
n done, and as Miss Lucy said "they began t
ne look like themselves again." Mrs. Crowder
he who was lolling in huge arm chair, an
te' amusing herself by stare at every one an
everything IN Tile room, suuueHiy stottSu N'
raj ward and addressing herself 10 the master
y the house, whose face had just caught ne
rye, "Why, my good man, VIC are oid friends
know your face, I'm certain; stlii tnere u
en- change in yvu, though | cant exactly sa!
lle what it is"
iys ~ used to be in ragged clothes and out o
n1s' health" said George Manley, smiiingly
nu. "now. thank God, I am comfortably clad AM
~ in excellent health"
'er "But how is it, said Mrs. Crowder, 'tha
be ye never get sight of you"
ny MADAM" said he, IL am sure wish yo'
eel we'll; nay, have reason to thank you, to
words of yours first opened my eyes to m,
own foolish and wicked course. My wifi
IA and children were half-naked and half-starV
~ ed, only this time last year. Look at them
- If YOU please, now-for sweet contente
ise Looks. and decent clothes, I'll match then
with nny mans wife and children. And nov
Lnnss madam, tell you, as you told a friend Q
IT," yours one day last year-'tis the FOOL
u. II PENCE that have dore all this for US.
az az, ought rather to say the pence earned
:" honest industry. and spent so that we ca
ask the blessing of God upon the. pence"
>. Mrs. Crowder never recovered the GUST
l't. mer she had lest.
,ck pRAtEIEs ON FIRE.--During the last fe