The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-01-30

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4 I.gdsslsia ]. VI Z. 2sa-s zsa II
NCIIs BLUFFS, SATUR
srtkink \ q focaish 10 throw away your
money 80, and yet l'll give il to her. You
won't como to ne for dresses thoughP
The old man rssssnsd, snd having psllsd
outAis. .pocket-book, he drew out ten dollass
anaFs handed IL to Martha Allen. asea ~
sHere,' said he, stake thiss and sec that
you make good use Of IT, lss.ifs'
1 The poor girl took the money with =
trembling hand, and % she looked at the
bills-two ives she was startled. .ia.
sYou have made mistake sir, she said.
tHow sop iz - asssl sfiss fssia.s fa't'si
] you have given me ten dollars.' g h5si
/ SO meant. girl.' sss e s2a'
IA moment the. child gssed into fhe old
mans face, and then she burst into 9teaYs.
SO, sirl. she uttered, catching his hnnd and
pressing her lips upon them. God bless
you for this! You know not what joy will
illume nv poor father heart when he hears
of this! taod bless you, now and forever
When Martha Allen was gone, Absolom
Burr wiped a tear from his eye. Kate look
ed I'D through her own tears and saw him.
She moved quietly to his side, and putting
her soft arms around his neck, she kissed
him on the cheek; but she did not speak.
eAn excellent supper was partaken OF, and
In the evening, Kate sang someefstlfe sweet
est songs to her uncle, and more than once,
while she sang she saw tears in his eyes. u
That night, when Absolom Burr laid his
head on his pillow, he had a new emotion,
and it vas a strange one to him-yet it was
sweet and blessed one. He had done a
deed of charity. and the blessings Of that
poor but noble girl rung in his ears and
dropped upon his soul; and be imagined he
could hear the prayers of Mark Allen for an
honest, industrious, hard working man, and
he felt sure that Mark would pray for him.
Surely the thought was blessed one.
But stop! Who gave that saving gift?-
Who did that deed Of charity9 ~ pts"ih o
BY the saints .murmured the old man,
starting up in bed, 'Idid it! Kate shan't
pay me one cent? She shan't, bless me if
she shall!' . 81 y 7aal@a5 alaI3s2 fts
And Absolom lay back upon his pillow,
and in the night he dreamed that Martha
Allen was an angel, ana that she came to
u
Two days afterwards, Kate proposed tnat
they should 60 and visit Mark Allen. 'For,
said she, sour presence may cheer him. as'
And the old man finally consented to 60.
They reached the humble cot, and were
welcomed in by Martha. They found old
Mark sitting in great stuffed chair which
a neighbor had sent in, and though he look-
ed pale and wan, yet a warm smile suffused
his face as he saw the visitors. ~ $50
.sMr. Burr, he said, while big tears stood
in his eyes, Il can never pay you for the
noble kindness you have shown me. I'may
as some time pay you the money, but ! cam
not pay you all, for the bare money Is moth.
ing compared with the knowledge that ihave
such generous friend to stretch ont his
saving hand in the hour of gloom and mise
ry.' @' Sa 7 4 Al
Talk not of money, to me- returned I'm
Gle Absolom. earnestly and warmly. elf it
served you, lam already more than repaid.
The blessings of man are cheaply purchas-
ed when SO slight . sum can do it; and.
moreover, have been more than repaid in
the very knowledge that i have been OF
service to suffering fellow ma1I ezess7r
Even Kate was surprised by this; but she
knew that it was real, and che was glad.
When they rose to depart, at the end of
| an hour, Martha followed them to the door,
and there she blessed the old man again.
He was moved by generous impulse, and he
took a golden half agile from his pocket and
handed it her. 4 t-fll q ess y' 81 E-
gsNo SIR she said, drawing her hand back,
swhat You have already given us, will suf-
fee until father gets out. But there is one
who would be blessed with the gift, and il
you will permit me, will relinquish the gift
in her behalf. The widow Wildredge il
very low, and her daughter is sick, carried
them over some food this morning, and
found them quite destItue.' '. ss5
But Uncle Absolom was stubborn man.
and he would have his own way.
Take this,' he said, 'and we may find
another for Mrs. Wildredge. Your father
will not be able to work for some time vet
| If you will, will call on the widow--but il
you refuse me, won't move a step, only
| towards home.' " 5- g.. Z e.
Martha took the money with fearful eyes,
and Mr.. Burr heard more blessings as he
turned away. Widow Wildredge's dwell
| ing was not far of, and thither the uncle
and neice turned their steps. They found
the mother, widow Of some Fifty years, SIT
| ting by the bedside of her sick daughter
| She arose as the visitors came in, and her
countenance plainly showed that she won.
dered why sAbsolom Burr called. But she
saw an angel in Kate's mild blue eyes.
Absolom and the widow were playmates
once, and the ice was soon broken. Gradu-
ally, the uncle and neice drew forth the sto-
ry of the woman's sufferings, and then the
old man took out his pocket book and took
| therefrom, fifteen dollars. a. 4.l a. l..a
sHere,' he said, rs he handed it to the
widow, this may serve to tighten your bur-
den some. L am able while you are needy.
| Take it, and remember that you may look
| to me again when need comes upon you.'
Mechanically the woman took the money,
and having gazed first upon the charmed
notes, and then upon the donor, she bowed
her head and thanked God for the blessing.
And then, while the tears gushed forth, she
caught the old man by tho hand and poured
forth her thanks. sr .a3rs asss- 4s4sasg .,q
When Absolom Burr sat down to his sup-
per that night, that shade upon his face was
as soft as the radiance Of the setting SUM-
His food was eaten with keen relish, and
he could now return Kate's smile. And ON
that night, too, his dreams were more pleas
ant than ever. .s hs& 5assFsrs q ya-st
Sometime during the next day Kate came
up from the cellar, and asked her uncle
what that dark vault was for, s. 5s,~,,.y, M
slow did you find it?' he cried, in quick
srhe door was partly open.' .saq vsEgrs
Il did forget to lock it. lrcmember now.
sBut what is it, uncle?' gs,a siss geel,E
The old man finally confessed to Kate
that he had over twenty thousand dollars
slowed away there. s,s!. .sqsg.a .g-ssy.,s,s4 i
eWhy, uncle! Is it possible? And you
let it lie there in the dark, without use.' ~
sBut if the assessors knew it, they'd make
me pay taxes on it, gli .aF Bei5rs g N
Kate was about to give utterance to very
indignant response; but she held it back,
and went and sat down BY the old mans
side. stszs1.sge IL; zssssey
snow, look here, uncle Absolom, how
much would you be, taxed on that money p
ssOyer . hundred dollars year. Just think
of it, sn 4,s,ei ~, ,,,y. - 80 s.5t !
Eyes. and think Of this: Here is the rail-
road company just advertised for a loan Of
twenty-five thousand dollars ut Eve per cent.
You can mako up the twenty-five thousand
and let them have it. Have syou not Eve
thousand more lying idle somewheres' ss,
Z sDarh,ns seo ! aaid tho old man than uht.