Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-05-04

kTounu ioF IcJViVinS ol ihtcr
II will fructlfyl
All homage to the good seedl-all
homage to the good sower!
And who sowed the good seed in
the heart OF Mathew Hownley? Truly,
1t would be hard to tell Perhaps
some sower intention doing his Mas.
ter's business-perhaps some hand
unconscious Of the wealth il dropped
perhaps n young child. brimful Of
love. and faith, and trust in the bright
world around-perhaps somo gentle
woman. whose knowledge was an in
spration rather than nm requirement.
perhaps bold, true preacher Of TIE
WORD. stripping the sinner of the robe
that covered his deformity, and hold
ing up his cherished sins as warnings
to the world-perhaps il was ono Of
Watts hymns. learned at his nurses
knee (for Mathew and Martha had
endured the unsympathizing neglect
Of n motherless childhood. little
liae. never to be forgotten--a whisper,
soft. low, and enduring-a com fort in
trouble. n stronghold in danger. a ref
uge from despair. o what a worlds
wealth is there in simple line Of
Of childhood's poetry! Martha her.
self often quoted the Busy Bee; but
her bee had no wings;it could muck
in the wax. but not fly for the honey.
AS to Mathew. wherever the seed had
come from, there, at all events. it was
struggling. but existing-bidding its
time to burst forth, TO bud. and to
blossom, and to bear fruitl
The exposure concerning the spoons
and sugar-tongs made Mathew so an
cry, that Martha wished she had nev.
er had any thing to do with them;
but instead Of avoiding the fault, she
simply resolved in her own mind never
again to let Mathew know any Of her
little transactions in the way Of buying
or barter-that was all
| Mathew, all that day, continued
more thoughtful and silent than usual,
( which his sister considered bad sign,
he was reserved to his customers--nay
worse--he told woman she should
not give gin 10 her infant at his bar,
and positively refused. the following
Sunday. to open his house at all, Mar
tha asked him "if he was mad" He
replied, "No;" he was "regaining his
senses" Then Martha thought it
best to let him alone; he had been
'Nworso"--that is. according to her
reading Of the word "worse." before
taken from the dumps in the same
way. but recovered, and gone back to
his business, like man,"
Peter Croft. unable to pay up his
score, managed, nevertheless. to pay
for what he drank. For a whole week
Martha would not listen to his propo-
, sails for payment "in kind" even hi.
wife's last shawl could not tempt her
though Martha confessed il was q
beauty; and what possible use could
Mrs. Peters have for it now?--it was
so out Of character with her destitution
F, She heard no more Of IL. so probably
the wretched husband disposed Of i
elsewhere; this disappointed her. She
might ar well have had it; she would
not be such fool again; Mathew wa,
so seldom in the bar that he could no
! know what she did Time passed on
Martha thought she saw one or two
: symptoms ofwhat she considered al
J amendment in her brother. OF course,
she argued. 'he VII come to himsel
in duo time
, In ths twilight which followed tha
!, day. Peter Croft, pale. bent. and dir
! ty. the drunkard's redness in his eyes
tie drunkard's fever on his lips. tap
. ped at the door of the room Of tn,
: bar. which was more particularly Mar
; tha's room-it was. in fact her watch
. tower-the door hal,-glazed. and th,
. green curtain about an inch from tn
middle division, over this the sharp
observant woman might see whateve
occurred no one could 30 in or on
y without her knowledge.
: She did not say, Come in, at once
u she longed to know what new tempta
. ton he had brought her, for she fcl
!. assured he had nethermoney nor cred
y il left.
And yet she feared-'Mathew mad
= such worry out ofevery little thing.
!, The next time he tapped at the windo,
of the door. her eyes met his over tn
curtain and then she said, Com
in." in a penetrating sharp voice
= which was any thing but AN invitation
n Il have brought you something now
= = Miss Hownley, that know you won
= = refuse to Tend me trifle on said tn
:, ruined tradesman; i am sure you won
= refuse, Miss Hownly. Bad AS wan
T the money. l could not take 1t to
pawn broker: and If tie woman ask
! for il, can say lent It, Miss IIown
y ley; you know can say that
. Peter Croft laid BIBLE on the Ia
= bic, and folding back the pages wit
~ - his trembling fingers. showed that
>. - was abundantly illustrated by fine en-
i cravings. Martha loved pictures
~ ~ She had taken to pieces n Piyrins'
Il Progress, and varying the devotion'
- - engravings il had contained with abur
" dant cuttings cut omillustrated new:
papers, and a few colored caricature'
= had covered one side ola screen, whic
e ;e when finished she considered would b
N once the comfort and amusement {
!" - her old age. After the drunkard ha
- =, partially exhibited its contents, h
" stood by with stolid Indifference, Will
:" she measured the engravings with he
- - eye, looking ever and anon toward h
y r. screen. Very WE'LL she said, uttel
is ,s ing a deliberate untruth with her lip
~ 'Is while her mind was made up what |
= = do--'very well, what did you say yo
= wanted for it?' He repeated the sun
i, she took out exactly half, and laid tn
~ ~ shining temptation on the table befoI
=. him.
is Have YOU the heart, Miss Hownly
% he said while lingering. rather tina
Us counting the money; have you tf
heart 10 offer me such little for sue