Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-02-03
HANNIBAL, MO, THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY g. 1853

were ready; then Mrs. Wilkins put on such ar
ticles as she could command, and soon they were
in the road. The moon shonc bright the stars
peeped down upon the earth, and they seemed
TO smile upon the travellers from out their twink
ling eyes Of light. Silently Wilkins led the
way, and silently his wife and children followed.
Several times the wife looked up into her hus-
bands countenanee,l but from the strange ex-
preston that rested there she could make out
nothing that tended 10 satisfy her.
At length slight turn in the road brought
them suddenly upon the pretty white cottage,
where, years ago, they had been SO happy
They approached the spot. The snow in the
front yard had been shoveled away, and path
led to the piazza. wilkins opened the gate
his wife, trembling, followed, but wherefore she
knew not. Then her husband opened the door,
and they were met by the smiling couuten-
ance Of old Captain Walker, who ushered them
into the parlor, where a warm fire gowed in
the CRATE, and where everything looked COM
Portable. Mrs. wilkins turned her gaze upon
her husband. Surely, in that greeting between
the poor man and the rich there was none Of
that constrant which would have been expected.
They met rather as friends and neighbors, What
could il mean?
Hark the clock strikes twelvel The old
year has gone, and new, bright winged
cycle is about 10 commence its flight over the
earth.
Thomas WILKINS took the hand of his wife
within his own, and then drawing from his boz
som paper, he placed it in her hand. remark
ing as he did so:
Lizzie, this is your husbands present fer the
NewYear.'
The wife took the paper and opened 1t. She
realized its contents at glance; but she could
not read it word for word, for the streaming
tears Of wild frantic Joy would not let her
With quick, nervous movement she placed the
priceless pledge next her bosom, and then, with
a low murmur, like the low whispering Of some
heaven-bound angel, she fell into her husbands
arms.
Look up, look up, my own dear wife ut
tered the redeemed man, look up and smile up
on your husband; and you, too, my dear chill
dren, gather about your father; for husband
and father henceforthI will ever be. Look
up, my wife. There! Now, Lizzie, feel proud
with me, for we stand within our house Yes,
this cottage is once more our own; and nothing
but the hand of death shall again take us hence.
Our good, kind friend here will explain il ALL
% Lizzie. if there is happiness on earth, it shall
hencerorth be ours! Let the past be forgotten,
and with this, The dawnng Of a new year, let us
commence to live in the future
Gently the husband and wife sank upon their
knees, Clasped in each others arms; and cling
ing joyrully to them, knelt their conscious, hap
py children. A prayer from the husbands lips
wended its way to the throne Of grace; and, with
the tears trickling down his aged face, old Cap
tain Walker responded heartfelt 'Amen!
l. Five years have passed since that happy mo-
rient Thomas Wilkins has cleared his pretty
fonfall encumbrance, and happier or
more espsoted family does not exist. And Liz
zie-t4M gentle, conhdrg wife-as she takes
that simple paper from the drawer, and gazes
again and again upon the magic pledge it bears,
weeps tears Of Joy anew Were all the wealth
ot the Indies poured out in one glttering, blind
ing pile at her feet and all the honors of the
world added thereto, she would not, for the
whole countless sum, give in exchange one sin
gle word from That pledge which constituted her
Husbands Present.