Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-01-06


in faded bu, cleanIy garments, whose
hollow cheeks and suuken eye told a
painful tale Of sorrow and destruction.
Those sad eyes were fixed anxinusIy and
imploringly upon the stern. grim face Of
a hard featured old man, who. with hat
pul ell over his shaggy eyebrows, was
standing. resting on stout staff, in the
center Of the floor. .... ID d.
so you hav'n, got any money for
mr?' said the old man, in the harshest
nf all possible voices.
"Alas! no! Mr.. Wurm-if I had I
should have brought il To you long age" :"
answered The poor woman. 81 had ra-
ked and scraped a ll,,le ,ogelher-bur the
sickness Of these poor chiIdren--poor
Williams orphan's-swept i. all away
Il ha,'nt got a cent" Err.
$50 much the worse for you, Mrs.
Redman," ans wered The old man harsh.
". 1--WE been easy with you-I have
waited and waiiec-trus,ing your prom
ises. can, wait any longer. want
the money" .us s... ....
"Y"u wan, the money! Is it possi-
BILE! Report saws Won are rich"
..lt's false-false!'' said the old man
bitterly. I'm poor--l'm pinched.-
Ask The towns people how ! live. d, !
look like rich man! No. no. tell YOU
| wan, my dues, and will have EN-"
81 can not pay you" said the woman
sadly. ... ..... ..- ......r....
"rhen you must abide the consequen.
ces!'
"Wha, consequence"
live go, An execution" said the hard
hearted landlord. .... .... ..........
IAN execution! what's ,hai!'' a..
"A warran, to take all the goods you
have" -....
My goods!" said the poor woman.
looking around her with mel ,ncholy
smile. "Why have nothing but what
few things you see in Tins room. You
surely won'i take those"
Ill take all can get."
"And leave me here with these bare
walls alone" -
NO, YOU walk ou, Of this o.mor-
row."
"In The depth Of winter! You can,
be so hard hearted"
Ave shall see about that
81 care no, for my self. but what is to
become OF these poor chlliren!"
'.Send EN- to work in the factory"
"Bu, they are jus, recovering from
sickness. and they are too young To en TO
work. o, where. where can we gu!''
40 the poor. house." said The land
lord. 6ercely.
The poor woman rose, and approach
ing the landlords feet. fell upon her
knees. clasPed her hands and looked up
ward in his hard and unrelen,ing face.
"lsrael Wurta." she said, "has your
heart grown as hard as the neither mill
stone! Have you forgotten the days ot
old laag ne! y, remember lha, We
were once prosperous and happy; re.
member that misfortune and no, s.n has
reduced me and m,ne to the depl,lable
state ia which you find US. Remember
,ha, when he was rich aud you poor. he
gave you from his plenty. freely. b'un.
tifully-nnt gave with lie expectatr n
of return--his gifts were bouniies, not
loans"
therefore l owed him nothing" said
the obdara,e miser. turning away.
You shall hear me OUT said the wo.
man starting To her feet. IL ask yon To
stay the hard hand of the law. You
profess 10 be christian. Idemand JUS
tice and mercy in the name of those
sleeping innocrn,s. my poor grand chh.
dren, whose father is in heaven. You
shall he mercilul."
"Hey day. exclaimed the miser.-
This is fine talk. upon my word. Ynu
demand justice. do you! ell. y"u
shall have it, The law is on my side,
and will carry i, out to The letter"
"Then," said the outraged woman,
stretching forth her trembling hand. ",h-
curse Of The widow and the orphan shall
be upon you. Sleeping or waking, II
shall haun, you, and on your miserable
death bed, when the ugly shapes ,ha,
.hrong about the pillow of The dying sid.
ntr shall close around you, and your
palsied lips shall fail 10 ariiculaie the
,mpolens prayer tor that mercy 10 your.
self which you denied TO others. And
nuw begone. This house is mine to-