Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-04-28
THE STORY TELLER.
THE BAG OF WHEAT.
BY MRS. LYDIA J. PIERsoN.

uement,' remarked Mrs. Green TO company
.ofladies who were assembled around quilt,
each busily plying her needle t5 aao'
-a.I should hope not, said Mrs. Gray, 4 have
never heard Of theft being committed in this
neighborhood, and we are all excessively care
less, leaving our doors unfastened day and
night, and our wash out for days together, and
never once dreaming that anything could be
stolen ...-
That is true,' replied Mrs. Green. we
have never had a lock or bolt upon our door ;
but it becomes us to be little cautious now, ,
What has happened, Mrs. GreenP inquired
Mrs. Lacey. Il think you should tell US what
you mean.'
We'll, then,' said Mrs Green, though they
talk Of keeping quiet as the surest method of
detecting the thief, see no harm in telling it,
for there can be no doubt as to who the wretch
is.
You must know that Mr.. Frost put up six
bags full of wheat, 10 take TO mill, last Satur-
day morning, but something prevented his 60
ing; and when he went to the barn yesterday
to take it away, onebag was missing. So you
see it must have been stolen between Satur-
day and yesterday, which was Monday
But who is suspected of the theft 2 asked
one.
Oh, as to that, you know, as Mrs. Gray
says, we have never had any dishonest people
amongst US; so it must be the poor family that
moved into Mr.. Frost's old house, last month
Mary called on them soon after they moved IN,
and she says they looked miserably ly-having
little or no furniture, and that little out of or
der-that the man sat writing, while his wife
lay on the bed, and a growing girl tricked out
III city fnery, was nursing an infant, and hear
ing two little ragged fellows read. And Mary
noticed that when the boys had done reading,
the youngest whispered to his sister, 'Now,
Alice, am good boy, will you give me
piece of bread!' And the girl whispered,
'Wait awhile, Charley and she kissed him,
Mary, said, to hide the-tears that gushed from
her eyes. Now if they are SO very poor, you
know they might be tempted to steal; for it
must be very hard 10 hea. children cry for
bread and have none TO give them
Yes, put in Mrs. Lacey, 'aud my husband
has often said he wondered if they had any
thing to eat, and we would willingly have Civ
en- them something, only they seemed SO proud
and stuck up like, we were afraid to offer them
anything, for fear they would take it as an in
suit
That's Just the way we have felt about
Them, remarked Ms. Gray; 'and if they
would have come among US, and told us they
were in want, we should not have let them
suffer. But SO it is. The pride that will not
let man work, or ask relief of his neighbor,
often drives him TO dishonest and criminal
practises.'
WELL resumed Mrs. Green, Il hope this
affair will drive such people from our neigh
borhood, for Mr.. Frost intends to find out the
truth Of the business, and then tell them to
make themselves scarce, or abide the decision
of the law
There was in the company of qulters, a
maiden lady of near fifty years of age, who,
during the colloquy, had uttered not a
word but now she turned her head aside,
took of her spectacIes, wiped first her eyes
and somewhat faded cheeks, and then her
glasses; heaved deep sigh, and murmured,
4 fear that we have sinned against these stran-
gers. We have permitted them TO suffer in
our midst, and now impute crime to them
merely because we suppose them to be desti-
tute. Let US at least be charitable in this last
case, they may be worthy people, and there
may be some mistake about the bag Of wheat !;
and even if they have been driven to take what
was not theirs, fear the sin lies at our own
door. We should have visited them, notwth-
standing their gentry airs and city usages.'
As Aunt Sarah was regarded as an oracle,
the whole circle assented TO her verdict, and it
was settled that Mr.. Frost should be persuad-
ed to let this offence rest for the present, and
Aunt Sarah and Mrs. Lacey were deputed as
kind of committee to call on the strange fam
r lily the next day, and reconnoitre. Now a
call in the country, means 10 drop in little
while in the afternoon, lay off your bonnet and
shawl, take out your work, and sit like one of
the family, working and chatting until even
ing, or bedtime, partaking of such fare as the
house affords.
And who were these poor people concern
ing whom such suspicious were afoat
will give you sketch of their history
Mr.. Howard was the son of an independent
farmer, who was owner of superior tract of
land, an elegant and comfortable house, a fine
stock of cattle, and large family of handsome
and intelligent children. These were all, from
childhood, accustomed to healthy labor, plenti-
ful board, comfortable lodging, and substantial
rainent besides many little elegancies Of
dress and furniture. As they arrived at proper
ages, they were well educated, and provided
with situations, in which it was reasonable to
suppose that they might in time make them
selves fortunes. One studied medicine, two
read law, one being piOus, became minister,
aud this one, William Howard, served his sew
en- years as clerk in dry goods store About
the time ne attained his majority. his father
died, and the property that had been riches in
one mans possession, was but small portions
when divided amongst ten children. Howey-
ever. Williams share enabled him to enter into
a respectable mercantile firm. He now
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