Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-04-21

his wrinkled yet venerable countenanee, she
took up pitcher, which stood by the cradle,
and, with the kindness which the very poor so
often show to each other and a remark upon
the heat of the day, offered him small cupful
of the milk which formed the contents of the
jug. He took it with a trembling hand, and
thanked her with all emotion which our readers
will comprehend, but which at once surprised
and interested its object
Your name is Leslie ?" asked he, as, after
returning the cup with thanks and blessings,
he made room for her beside him on the thymy
bank. Your name is Leslie ~
Margaret Leslie 1t is So
The wife Of William Leslie ~
His widow All, me his widow !" re-
piled she, with sigh. 1.-The widowed mother
of those children Michael added she, as the
boy came near them take some milk yourself,
and carry cupfnl to your sister, and bring
what wheat ears she and you have gathered to
my little heap.
Michael !" echoed the old man, "your hus-
bands name was William How came you to
call his son Michael? But the name belongs to
your family perhaps ; your father, or some fa-
yorite brother 2"
"No" replied the widow, cit was for a diff
ferent reason. A very dear kinsman of my
husbands bore that name, and in token Of
love and gratitude to him, and in fulilmcnt
ofan old promise, so our only son was chriStened"
g I remember" muttcrcd the cripple to him
self. :" | remember William SAID that his first
boy should bear nv NAME and think he wrote
to that effect after the child was born but
the letter must have arrived at that time of
misery" Then rousing himself, and turning to
the gentle creature, whom a feeling of unusual
interest still detained at his side, he added
aloud, Il do remember now that William Les
lie had an uncle called Michael Norris, but
what peculiar cause of gratitude"
What cause = interrupted Mrs Leslie a
thousand causes from a mere infant when |
have heard my husband say that he gave him
the first shilling he ever possessed, that kind
uncle absent or present was his good genius.
He insisted upon his being sent to Beford
School paid himself for masters, whom his
guardians thought superfluous rescued him
from the frantic frenzy of his Step-father saw
ed his life at the utmost peril Of his own, from
the furious assaults of that wretched madman;
placed him in the paper MILL which, but for the
rash speculation of his partner, would have been
not merely comfortable income for himself,
but an afllucnt provision for his family and,
last and dearest kindness, when William with
his characteristic generosity loved poor girl,
the portonless orphan of naval officer, when
interested connections and of1icious friends all
opposed the union, did not he, from across the
wide ocean, send himself not merely his appro-
baton of the destined marriage, but portion
for the destitute bride :" Il never saw him.
continued Mrs. Leslie, in a lower tone than that
which had been dictated by her enthusiastic
recollection Of her benefactor's goodness but
night and morning | have prayed for him, and
night and morning do my poor children join in
those prayers and my dear husband, amongst
his latest words-'
did he pray for the uncle who seemed to
have forgotten him ?" asked the old man. his
voice half stfed with emotion. Look, Mar
garet," added he, stripping up his sleeves and
showing deep scar extended dagonaly across
his left arm this scar was received from the
knife with which his furious and frantic step
father was pursuing William Leslie am Mi
chael Norris You do not disdain to acknow-
ledge the cripple who comes to your door hun
CRY and ragged Here, too" said he, taking
from his pocket bundle Of papers, are char
acters that you well know"
Tearfully, yet joyfully, the warm-hcarted and
grateful Margaret returned the embraces of
her venerable klnsman--preSented her three
little children to him one by one, and replied
TO his questions as to their change of circum-
stances.
It needed few words to tell the story No
thing is more rapid than descent, The roll
ing of stone down hill is true type of
falling fortune Taking advantage OF a long
illness with which William Leslie was afflicted,
his partner engaged in desperate spcculations.
They failed. The rash spcculator absconded,
and William remained bankrupt, without a
friend or resource. Honest to the last, his
wife resigned her small settlement to satisfy the
creditors His debts being paid, he tried eve
ry means of living, and whilst he retained his
health had supported his family by the most
persevering industry; but a fever, occasoned
by oycr-exertion, had come on his conStitu-
ton, impaired by anxiety and labor, had been
unable to resist the attack, and since that pc
riod the wife who had been the faithful part
ner of his cares and his tolls had at least so far
succeeded as to maintain her children without
the assistance Of charity, whether public or
private.
"Why not have written to me when this
bankruptcy took place :" inquired the uncle,
las. dear sir we had before heard OF
that terrible hurricane, in which
"In which," said the old man, filing up with
stern eomposTe, the sudden pause that trom
mixture Of delicacy and sympathy had arrest
cd Margaret Lesiie's words" in which the
plantation where ! resided was laid waste, my
house leveled with the ground, and my wife
with four helpless children in the ruins In
striving to rescue them, this thigh, striking
the withered limb with hazel twig-" this
thigh was broken owe my preservation to
the gratitude of an emancipated negro but
for months, for years, all my life, all nature
was blank before me / have sometimes won
dered how could have survived such blow
for what purpose I was spared The doubt
was sinful, and finds It's 7ebnke, its thrice mer
L. !. -. -. 2. -