Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-05-15

child hug and kiss him; while th,
| toll man, with tears Oh his face, lait
his hand on Roberts head and sait
with emotion, and humbled,
Forgive me, young sir, | have
not deserved this! You have hat
your revenge, and heaped Goals o
fire on my head
4 have no need Of thanks. my deal
friend! This child living before me
is reward enough
They insisted he should go in and
get dry clothes, and that then be
should stay to dinner, the tol.-keep
er tried to force upon him ten dollars
but Robert answered firmly, bal
gently,
4 did not save your babe, sir, for
hire! ! cannot receive money, duty
is its own reeompeuse. All | ask is,
if you will allow me to cross the
bridge free until | can pay YOU the
two cents.
Young sir, you will make me sink
through the floor with shame! ]
have been taught lesson that will
make me more civil to foot travellers;
for no man can tell in this world
how soon he may need his neighbor's
aidl Ifyou refuse my gold, cross
the bridge as often as you will, and
may God bless you wherever you
GO
With kind parting from these
grateful people and the child, Rob.
ert was about to resume his way,
when a gig with a restiye horse was
stopped at the toll-gate. The ami
NAL would not stand while change
was being made. 1t contained an
old Quaker lady and a little boy
Robert took the horse by the head,
and kept him still until the change
was made. There happened to be
just two cents over, aud this good
dame handed it to Robert saying,
Thee will please take hat for thy
kind deed, my friend
Robert received it gladly, for he
had earned it as it were, and imme-
diately paid it over TO the toll-gather-
er, who blushed, but was compelled
by the independent boy to take it.
He then went en- with a free step
across the bridge.
III had not kept Sunday, ]
should not have been lere to save
that child from drowning. My keep
ing Sunday, and giving my twelve
and a half cents to the church, has
not made me lose dinner on Mon
day, as ! anticipated. nor stopped me
at the toll bridge III had not CIV
en- all my mousy TO the offertory, ]
should have gone straight over the
bridge without stopping, and the
child probably would have perished.
/ see, as my dear mother taught
me, that Christian will never regret
doing his duty
In an hour and half he came in
sight OF tie other tol-bridge, a mile
off. But a pedlar, with a one horse
cart, at the same moment overlook
him, and invited him to get up and
ride.
The bridge was therefore crossed
with the pedlar, and without any de-
mand made upon him.
1t was sunset when he came in
sight Of the tall spires of the city;
and, entering its busy streets, he
proceeded after much inquiry, and
losing bis way several times, in fnd--
ing the abode of his mothers broth,
er. 1t was half past niue O'Clock
when he rung the bell, and was ush-
cred by a servant into the gas light
ed parlor. He was coldly received
by bis uncle, but soon forgot his fa-
tigues and the incivility of his re-
ception, in a scand sleep in small
servants room in the attic, to which
had been shown the son Of the
rich mans poor sister.
When Robert met his uncle, the
next morning, his independent spir-
it and bones. pride took alarm at
the coldness Of his reception, and
scorning to be a pensioner on unWill-
ing bounty, he took firm but re-
spectful leave Of him, and sought
the address on Mr. Bettertons card,
fsr to no one else in the great city
was he known.
After many Inquiries, he found
II, and the kind face Of the merchant
cheered bis heart, for be bad began
10 feel sirause all loasly among SO
q. - s. !.