Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-06-08
an gutsrrstins Storg.
llTqGg PlOY; ;
OR,
How a Miser Was Reclaimed.

0fall the houses which Martin Ken
drick owned, he used the oldest and
rcanest for his own habitation. II
was an old tumble.d down building on n
mar. ow-street. waIch had already lived
ou. n ole thaa its appointed term OF
service, and was 40 longer III TO "cum-
bee the giourd." But tic owner still
cling 20 it, the moe, perhaps, be-
cause rs IL stood there in its desola-
tiol, uasightly, and weather-beaten,
il was no unfit emblem Of himself.
Martin, the Miserl Years Of volun-
tary priyation, such as in most cases
follow only in the train o. the most ex.
trene penury. IL tmigh. be somewhat
inconsistent with his natural cha ac-
ter that. with the exception of the ore
loom which he occupied, the remain
de- Of the house was left tenantless.--
Aftef ali, it w..s not difficult to account
fo.. He could rot bear the idea Of
having immediate neighbors. Who
kno VS. but tnc y might seize the oppo.-
unity. afforded by his absence, and
lob him o. TIE gains of many years.
which, distressing banks and other
places of deposit, he kept in strong
boz under his own immediate charge,
Martin had rot always been a mis-.
er. No ore cver becomes so at once,
though do ib.le-s the propensity to it's
stronger in sore than in othe.s.-
Years ago-so aiany to him that at
this time the recollection only came
dimly, like the faint sound OF an nj
most forgotten ,une--years ago when
the blood of youth poured its impetu-
Gus current through his veins, no mar
ried a fair girl whose life he had shor-
tened by his dissipated habits, and the
Indifference and even cruelty to which
they led.
The day Of his wife's death, the last
remnant of the operty which he in
beritad from his father, escaped iron,
his grasp. These two events, either
OF which brought its own sorrow,
completely sobered him. The abject
coiditioa to which ia had reduced
himself was biodght vividly TO his
mind, and he formed n sudden resolu-
ton. rushing, US will sometimes hap-
pen, from one extreme TO the other.
that rs prodigal rs his past life had
been, that which succeeded should be
sparing and pcnuriour in the same
degree, uptl, at least, be had recover
ed his losses, and 80 far rs fortune
went, was restored to the same posi-
ton which he had occupied at the
commencement Of his career.
But il is not for man TO say, "Thus
far shalt thou 60, and no farther, ito
give himself up, body ard soul to
one cngrossing pursuit, and at the
end Of a limited time wean himself from
it.
Habit grows by what it feeds on.
II was not long before the passion Of
acquisition acquired controlling in
fluence over the mind of Martin ked-
rick. He reached the point which he
had prescribed for himself, but it stay
cd him rot. Every day, his privations,
self imposed though they were. be-
came more pinching. his craving for
gold more saIiable. Long ago he
had cut himself of. from al friendship
all the pleasu cs and amenities oi
social intercourse. Ho made no Wis
its, save to his tcnants, and those only
on quarter day. Nor were these Wis
its Of an agreeable character, to those
fa, o,ed with them, for Martin was
not me. ciful lardlord. lie invaria-
bly, dei.arded tac uttermost farthing
that was his due, and neither sickness
nor lack Of Unemployment had the power
for n oment TO soften his heart or de-
lay the execution of his purpose. His
mind was drawn into itself, and like
an uncultivated field was left to all
the barrenness Of desolation. Such is
alway- the case, when the man by his
own &C. 81 dts himself out from
his own kind. foregoes their sympa-
thy and kind Offices, and virtually
says,:"I am sufficient unto myself" -
Martin had one child. n girl. named
Florence. AT the death Of her moth
or, she was but six years old. He
had loved her, perhaps, rs much as il
was in his power to love any one. and
as long as she remained with him he
did not withdraw himself so entirely
from human companionship. But nj
the age of seventeen years she became
acquainted with young mana me-
chanic-in whose favor her affections
were enlisted. He proposed for her
hand. but her father. in whom love OF
gold was strong, on account of his pov-
erty. drove him with scorn from his
door.
The young man was not to be baulk-
cd thus. He contrived to meet Flor
ence secretly; and, after while per.
suaded her to forsake her home and
unite her fortunes with his-with the
less difliculty-since that home offer
ed but few attractions to one Of hei
age. Her fathers Indignation was ex
treme. All advances towards recon
ciliation on the part Of the newly
welded pair were received with the
bitterness of scorn. which effectually
prevented their repetition. From tina
time Martin Kendrck settled down in
to the cold, apathetic and solitary ex
istence which has been described above
Gradually the love Of gain blotted ou
from his memory the remembrance o
his children whom he never met
They had removed from the city
though he knew it not, and the tota
want Of interest which he displayed
respecting them. discouraged any ide'
they might have entertained ofinform
ing him.
Its a cold night" quoth Martin t
himself as he sat before the least glim
mering which could be decently calle,
fire in the apartment which he occu
pied. He cast wistful glance towar
a pile of wood which lay beside III
crate. He lifted one, and poised
for a moment and glancing meanwhile