The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-08-10
This. then, was the brokers' secret, and
this was its history .


this was its history: 3
About fifteen years ago, Joe Mappin, al
most an old man even then, was called to
seize the goods of certain Captain Thorn.
ton, living at the West End. The Captain
was one of those gay, reckless, loveable men,
who, by dint of sheer animal magnetism,
live for years on credit, and are then only
brought to account when it becomes q mat
ter of life and death to some of the poorest
creditors-those creditors as sorry for their
debtor as ifit were themselves going to the
Queens Bench, and accusing themselves bit.
terly-the tender-hearted, at least-for the
trouble they are bringing on him. Joe Map
pin, the hardest of his profession, the iron
hearted, grasping broker, who was believed
not to have single human feeling, even he
was touched by the gallant frankness and
gracious mnnner of his victim; and as for
the wite-that noble, patient, glorious wo-
man, with her little one in her arms-some-
thing rose up in in his heart for her which he
had never felt in his life before. 1t was an
'nhnlte yearning worship, such rs he had
read OF In the novels Of the libraries he had
seized, but which he had always thought
Trash, and the mere mouthings of author
TOOLS. lie felt now, and for the first time,
that there was such thing in the human
heart as ioye--the love of beauty, the love
for PHYS sake.
Captain Thornton was carried off to the
Queens Bench, and, after a short term Of
imprisonment, died suddenly of apoplexv'
lie had lived too freely, and taken too little
exercise; and being one of those fair hair
ed men OF sanguine temperament who re-
quire abstinence and work, who love luxu.
ry and ldleness, he had met the fate, any.
medical man would have predicted. His
wife and child were thus left alone in the
world, and penniless. The broker had new
er lost sight of them. Gifts from an un-
known hand, money, clothing, and even food,
had kept Mrs. Thornton from want-all the
more welcome, as by her marriage she had
her relatives, who were perbaps
not sorry now of this excuse, To avoid .p,ain-
Old Joe Mappin came forward openly. He
told her how he had lived an Ishmaelite
life, without pity and without love; he told
her how she had reused feelings in him
feelings Of reverence for humanity, such as
he had never known before; and the old
man bowed himself before her as to
superior being, and besought of her the
privilege of maintaining her and her child.
He wanted nothing, he said, but to know
that they were happy, and sometimes to
hear them say so. He had not relation in
the world to whom he could leave his mon
ey-not one that they would wrong by ta-
king it. He had boarded because it was his
nature to hoard, but never knew for
what end he saved. Now, he should have
saved for Heaven, if she would accept her
life on these easy terms. They were not
hard and if she objected to his going to
see her, he would not. Indeed, indeed, it
was her happiness, and that sweet baby's-
not his own-he cared for, in the offers
What could she do, that gentle women,
without friends or fortune, or the means Of
earning her own subsistence! What could
she do, but look at her child, hold out
both her hands of gratitude, and shame,
knd sorrow, all mixed up together, rs she
ALTERED out Yes,' and took her fate from
Ms hands? She understood the truth of
els feelings, and was herself too truthful and
! 10 noble to assume false dignity, which
Il Puld have been less dignifed than the nc
ii btance of his generosity. She thanked
e b by her tears, and she kissed his with
n hand; and that touch bound old Joe
Q, bpin as her slave for life; the first last
T. only time that woman's lips had ever
j. hed him. And in this manner their
p ~ had been passed for the last fifteen
took beautiful little house for the
y way and her child, aud furnished it with
I'd evquxury and beauty possible. All that
rs camp his way--dress, jewelry, furniture,
W orntnts-whateve it might be that was
rarep expensive, he bought for them. He
"a Laws his money like water, and thought
it nothldear which would call forth smile
no from woman or a joyous exclamation
IN from tchid. Their pleasure repaid him
for eyShing it was his world, his life.
es, Buf time was coming fast, now, when
'er poor ope Mappin, the broker, must face
r the boAry between time and eternity.
in and ieabe great secret. When the win
'ar ter had I'D Margares's flowers, had strip
ped herkniums of their leaves, and had
all frozen u Tngs of her birds, the old man
ses and Deatod face to face. His rheuma-
zen tism andlma had been very bad for a
ost long wind living in his niggard, neg
pin lected wajad not given him the best
,ce chance OF livery. He knew he was dy-
,,,s ;nor but hh .: 2: -. .:.l