The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-03-05

L
turned towards her husband defantly. Mr..
Ashland was silent for moment, and return
ed her gaze sorrowfully, as she stood before
him with flashing eyes, her tall, queenly fig
ue clothed in rich robes, in keeping with the
splendid appointments of the drawing-room,
in which the above dialogue had taken place
| At length he answered mildly
"My dear wife, when you have time to re-
| fec. coolly upon what that has been said, you
will see that you have met my kind remon-
| STRANGE both unreasonably and unkindly. You
are angry now, and we will not pursue the
subject farther at this time" and he approach
| ed his wife, holding out his hand in a friendly
manner. .,...- - I'D
But the lady turned from him with gesture
Of repulsion, and swept from the room, her
beautiful eyes full of angry tears.
! Mr.. Ashland sat down before the nple
CRATE. The heaped up Goals glowed brightly
aud shed Redeemed ligh' through the apart
| ment, now growing dim with the fall Of early
winter twilight. He thought of the scene
just past, of the superb figure of his wife
cleaning IN the silks and jewels with which it
was his pleasure that she should adorn herself
from his abundance And he gazed upon the
gorgeous furnishing OF his mansion-French
mirrors, velvet carpets, inlaid cabinets, couch
es cleaning with rich brocades; the marble
and the rosewood, rich carved woods anG gilt
tering crystal-the profusion Of ornament,
the perfection Of luxury that wealth and taste
had hsaped around him.
Then, in spite of himself. uprose before
him the pale, attenuated, and tear r-stained face
! that had met him upon his threshold that even
| ing. He remembered the seanty garments
drawn closely about the shivering form, the
unsteady walk, and the bowed, hopeless
air.
And, in contrast to his own home, ina gina
tion pictured to him the poor home to which
the widow was now wending her way-the
two neat, but scantily- furnished rooms the
small fire in tiny stove, the cheap and coarse
food, the insufficient garments which was all
that uhremitting but ill-Paid toll could win for
| the lone woman aud her little ones. He had
just arrived at the conclusion that, as soon as
dinner was over, he would go aud visit her
and provide at once for her more pressing
wants, when the door opened, and the servant
ushered in Mrs. Thornton.
The new conner advanced TO meet Mr.. Ash
land, as he arose to receive her, with great
cordially. s ~ .a-
"My dear George, am delighted to find
you at home. In the first place, it is nearly an
ape sine. haya saon ,,n, anI l., Al. 49,,
have come to draw upon your purse for a good
round sum towards refurnishing our church.
! have been out canvassing the entire morning,
and have only raised one thousand dollars, to
which shall expect a large addition before
leave this house.n
MIR. Ashland did not answer until Mrs
Thornton paused, breathless, and sunk into
the velvet-lined easy-chair in front of the
glowing CRATE. 80
II am very willing to aid you, Sarah, if you
think new furniture is required for the church
But it strikes me that il is barely two years
| since it was furnished at immense expense
In Ihe meantime there is charity which ap-
peals more nearly TO US, as family, and
which had determined to bring to your no.
tiee at the first opportunity. allude to the
condition and Necessity or poor Ann and her
family"
Mr.. Ashland glanced at his sister-in-law
but she only yawned behind her muff. and ST.
lently approached her little feet, encased in
CATERS of quilted silk, fur-trimmed and cork
soled, nearer the fire. Aftera moment he re-
sumed -s.r, g zfs s s-f sft .rrr .
81 met Ann at the door, this evening, as
came home. She looks very poor and i'll, and
have been talking with Margaret about the
necessity Of doing something for her"
| Still Mrs. Thornton made no reply, save
by an impatient movement, and he went on
again.
"MaIgaret informs me, Sarah, that you have
both decided not to Encourage your sister to
apply to you for aid. do not understand
this. Though only now my wife's sister,
consider Ann Stanleyhas claims upon me for
the aid and sympathy Of brother. have
no doubt that Thornton feels the same, though
we have hitherto left the details to you and
Margaret: satisfied that you would amply and
freely provide from our abundant wealth for
all the material wants of your sister. and also
bestow upon her that sympathy which is TO
the afflicted as ssthe vine of life.n
s.Margaret is quite right, George,n Mrs
Thor nton at length replied. 81 give Ann all
my plain sewing, and pay her the full price for
doing it, while it would be great deal more
convenient and perhaps cheaper to have a
seamstress in the house. And give her a
deal besides. But won't have her coming to
the house in her old faded dresses and bonnets,
and asking the servants for her sister, Nor
won't have Clarance and Augusta mortified by
her children calling them cousin in .he streets,
before their playmates. And SO told Ann
| the last time she came.
"SaraL! Sarah! can believe my own senses,
and do you really tell me that you said that TO
your sister, your elder sister, who was a
mother 10 YOU, Cor long years after you were
left an orphan" .-tz,s.r.s s.....
''Yes, MI. Ashland, ! do tell you SO, and
did tell her SO, and meant II, too,o piled the
lady, her eyes flashing and her lips quivering
with anger at this reproof. "Thornton has no
relatives at all, and, as he leaves everything to
me, am not going to have him bored by my