The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-08-15
THE FAITHFUL son.
My tale is simple, and of humble birth,
A tribute of respect 10 real worth.

N uiuule VI IespeCI W real worth.
you are too parsimonious, said Mr.. Dana to
one OF his clerks as they were together in the
counting house one morning, " give me leave
to say that you do not dress sufficiently genteel
to appear as clerk in fashionable store
Henry's cheek was suffused with deep blush
and tear trembled ON his manly cheek
"Dd not know that your salary was sufficient
to provide more genteel habiliments" )" continued
Mr.. Dana, would increase it,"
my salary is sufficient, amply sufficient, SIR"
replied Henry, in voice choaked with that proud
independence of feeling which poverty had not
been able to divest him of His employer noticed
the agitation, and Immediately changed the SUBJ
ject.
Mr.. Dana was man of immense wealth and
ample benevoence; he was a widower and had
but one child, a daughter who was the pride of
his declining years. She was not as beautiful az
an angel, or as perfect as Venus but the good.
ness, the innocence, the intelligence of her mind
shone in her countenance, and you had but TO be-
come acquainted with her to admire and love her.
Such was Caroline Dana, when Henry became an
inmate of her fathers abode.
No wonder, then, that he soon loved her with
deep and devoted affection; and reader, had you
known him, you would not have wondered that
love was soon returned, for their souls we're con.
genial; they we're cast in virtues purest mould
to what they felt, yet the language of their eyes
told too plainly to be mistaken Henry was ti't
soul Of honor, and although he perceived that he
was not Indifferent to Caroline the passion In his
bosom was stifled. Il must not endeavor TO win
her young and artless heart. | am penniless. and
cannot expect her father will ever consent to her
union with me; he has ever treated me with kind
ness, and / will not be ungrateful" Thus he
reasoned, and thus he heroically endeavored to
rl.ot H.. Il
Caroline had many suitors, and some who were
fully worthy of her, but she refused all their over
lures with a gentle but decisive frnness Her
father wondered at her conduct, yet would not
thwart her inclinatons
He was in the decline of life, and wished to see
her happily settled before he quit the stage of
existence. 1t was long ere he suspected that
young Henry was the cause Of her indifference to
others, The evident pleasure she took in hearing
him praised, the blush on her check whenever
their eyes met, all served to convince the old
gentleman, who had not forgotten that he was
once young man himself, that they took more
than common interest In each others welfare
Thus satisfied he iorbore making any remarks
upon the subject but was not as displeased at the
supposition as the penniess Henry would have inn
sgined.
Henry had now been about d year in his en-
ploy. Mr.. Dana knew nothing of his family, but
his strict integrity, his irreproachabe morals his
pleasing manners, all conspired to make them cs-
TEEN him highly He was proud of Henry, and
wished him TO appear in dress, as well az manners
as respectable as any one. lie had often wondered
at the scantiness Of his wardrobe, for though he
dressed with the most scrupulous regard to neat
ness, his clothes were almost thread bare Mr.
Dana did not think this proceeded from niggardly
disposition, and he determined to broach the sub.
ject and if possible ascertain the real cause, this
he did in the manner we have related.
Soon after this conversation took place Mr..
Dana left home on business. As he was returning,
and riding through beautiful village he alighted
at the door Of cottage and requested drink.
The mistress, with the case and politeness that
convinced him that she had not always been the.
humble cottager, invited him to walk in.. lie ac-
cepted her invitation; and here a scene Of poverty
and neatness presented ITSELF such as he had never
before witnessed. The furniture, which consisted
Of no more than was absolutely necessary, was so
exquisitely clean, that it gave charms to poverty,
and cast an air of comfort all around A venera-
BILE looking old man, who had not seemed to no.
tce the entrance Of Mr., Dana, sat leaning on his
staai his clothes we're clean and whole, but so