Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-08-20

A good Deed pays in this life.

| SOOu Dtou pays iii llliS ult.
| A gentleman having lost his property, left his
lovely wife and six children, the Oldest of whom
but thirteen retrieve his fortune in Calfor-
MIA The resources which he had provided for
them during his absence failed and the piteons
cries of her children, shiverng with cold and with
out bread drove her to the store of her husbands
| friend Mr.. Henry F., to seek relief which he
| kindly promised
She had scarcely reached home before load of
wood was thrown down at her door; and directly
afterwards. Mr. p himself came with draw
load of -four, coffee. sugar, and other provisions
for the family. When he entered the humble
dwelling. he found an almost emberless hearth
stone; the children were wrapped in blankets TO
keep them from perishing with cold and an air of
poverty and suffering met his eye that he was hard
ly prepared to witness. His heart was affected
when the little and the mother, with tears OF
gratitude, gathered around him. and returned him
thousand thanks and pronounced thousand
blessings ON him, tor his kindness to them in their
extremity of want. lie felt thousand times re-
warded for his charity. He told them that be
| would take care of them until the gentleman re-
/ turned from California; il he made money and
came back fullhanded, he knew that he would re-
pay him; " If not said he, " l shall not lose my
! reward
A few weeks had passed when Mr. p was
informed that the Oldest of this ady's children,
little girl about thirteen was lying ct the point CT
death She suffering from an attack of pneu-
monia, or inflammation of the lungs contracted,
no doubt, in the cold weather which forced her
r,o+bar 70 coal for assistance Of +bo
F.. Some of the members Of his family visit
ed the sick girl during the day, and reported to
Mr. F. at night, on his return from his store,
that she coEld hardly live till morning. which led
him Immediately TO set off TO see the poor dying
girl. As he passed along the streets, he saw the
lights glancing from the gorgeously curtained win
dows, and heard the voice Of music and the merry
tread Of the dancers, in some Of the mansions of
the sons Of fortune not far from the humble home
of the child of afliction he was now seeking in
the dark. He passed down an obscure alley. and
not many doors from fashionable street, and in
the immediate vicinity Of some of the wealthiest
citizens, reached thedwelling he sought He push
ed open the door he found the room nearly in
darkness A faint light was burning on a plain
pine table in the corner of the room. The mother
and some of the children were standing at the bed
side of the suffering girl. Her breathing WIS
quick and labored. He passed up to the bedside.
The mother spoke in tears and directed his atten-
ton to her dying daughter. She was young, bat
she was well instructed in religion and her mind
was finely developed for one of her age. Her
mother was deeply pious, and her poverty had
served to brighten the Iustre of her religion Her
children were taught to pray and to fear God.
AS they stood around the bed, waiting to wit
ness the last struggle of the rapidly sinking girl
the mother spoke to her, Ellen, my dear - and
she opened her eyes and looked upon the group
around her bed. DO you know this gentleman.
Ellen I? f" inquired the mother. She looked upon
him for moment and her eye grew bright, and
struuge smile ilumed her paIid face ;" know hint
said She "yes, know him. never saw him Bat
once, but never could forget him; ;" and then
painting for breath fora moment, and gathering up
a little strength, she said, but for his kindness,
YOU. uIy dear mother, and all your children might
ba,e persisted laor hiDl2 yes DO, and may God
bIss, Aia f,rtre," These were her last words
have olteu heard Mr.. p say that was one Of
the happie5t moments Of his life that he valued
the blessing of that poor dying girl more highly
than all his possessions besides To DO good S 70
make ovrelros LoP2g.
Tvvrup-po Y,