M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-05-01

prompted me to apply to You as a last
resort. This severe weather is very
trying to the poor"
"Hem! Yes, it is-it must be-
| | have already taken the subject into
active consideration, and yesterday l
published in one of our leading jour
mails an earnest appeal to the public
for their sympathy and benevolence
in these affecting times"
"And could l not make q like ap.
peal to you in behalf of my starving,
dying wife,"
.Saguis,g, did you sayl Bless mel.
--Dad-very bad, indeedp
Yes, sir;I am compelled to admit
theterribIe truth. Ny poor wife is
actually dying from want ofthe simple
Inecessaries OF life. ] have not tasted
food for "a hours"
"Dear mel youdon't say sol That
is bad--bad, indeed; | might say dis
tressingI Your case is unfortunate;
but we make it a rule not to notice
these outside applications. That's
the point. ] must refer you to the
benevolent associations. Sorry, SIR
very. Asian quite engaged at pres
ent, must beg ofYou to excuse me-
Good morning.
Harry Ernstine turned away with
a sad heart.
Hesought his little room once more;
but lis chill, cold atmosphere seemed
more genial than the cold, heartless
soul Of the wealthy publisher.
st# &*
Mr.. Scriptor was blessed (l) with
an extratagant, bnt kind,hearted
wife. Oftentimes she had distribu-
ted little necessaries and comforts
amongthe destitute, and now the pres
ent trying times demanded her atten-
tion and sympathy yet the more.
81 couldn't refuse a morsel Of food
or little money to the deserving"
she used often to cay. 1t did not for
a moment occAr to her that $50 of the
$1,000 paid for hershawl would have
procured her one as comfortable and
elegant as she could desire, while the
remaining $3.50 would have made
uiany-Ob, how many miserable
happy, alleviated the pains
ofthe suffering g,and warmed the hearth
stone. A neighbor had that afternoon
called her attention to a very sad but
interesting case which had just come
to her,knowledge, and she had butnow
returned from her errand ofmercy.-
Mr.. Scriptor met her upon the door
step Of his mansion.
my dear husband" said she with
earnestness, spray do be good enough
to come with lie a moment, to see
poor woman"
"Oh, bother" replied he, petulant-
ly, 81 have enough to doto attend to
my own business, without looking
up vagabonds and imposters."
"It is but q STEP" she presisted.-
81 really feel interested in this pita-
BILE case. l am confident they are nei,
ther vagrants nor imposters, but true
objects ofsympathy. Come, do, hus-
band"
Mr.. Scriptor muttered something
about the "trouble," pulled up his
comforter, and buttoned up his over
coat still higher under his chin, and
followed his wife in dogged silence,
with feelings not exactly Christian.
They proceeded a short distance up
the broad avenue. Stately and impo-
sing fronts of marble and freestone
rose maiestically on either side,-
They turned the nearest corner, a
very little way, and entered q small
tenement, low and desolate, where
the faint ray of sunlight that betimes
crept in served but to reveal more dis
tinctly the wretchedness ofthe cheer
less home. 1t was single room, such
as tbs poor only inhabit; yet it was
neat-very neat. A small table, a
single chair, and pallet ofstraw, were
the only funiture. A few leaves Of
manuscript and pen, now idle, lay
upon the table.
No answer was heard in reply to
Mrs. Scriptor's knock atthe door, and
she lifted the latch timidly, and en-
tered. The poor mans wife lay upon
her couch, pale, but beautiful, and her
skin so transparent and delicate that
you could have seen the life blood
coursing through the deep blue veins
with each pulsation of the heart. But
all was still now. The form was
chisled-not animate. The husband
leaned upon the bedside. He did mo-
weep, but his eye gazed vacantly into
those deep blue orbs that seemed
now to stare so wildly at him--sc
soulless-from beneath the long darl
lashes. He did not notice the intru
sion, but dreamed on.
The rich man and his wife stood III
tently gazing at the scene. The face O.
the mourner at the bedside was partial
ly averted, but Scriptor was carefully
scrutinizing the features.
Gracious, goodness !" he exclaimed