The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-10-05
The Fathers Curse.
BY MINNIGREY.

The night was clear and cold; tho north
wind went wailing round the street corners
with a hollow checrless sound, piling up,
here and there, huge snow banks in the 81.
lent streets. Silent and deserted save now
and then thc jinglina Of sleigh bells told Of
some late returner from party, bali, or
theatre, or the shril cry Of the watchman
proclaimng the hour Of night.
Twas past midnig when a female
form, but slightly protected from the pier
cling cold, pa scd with rapid but uneven
gait through an oBoouc street in the Inv
or part Of IL. city of Memphis, and entered
n dilapidatel building at the extreme end
Of tho street. Poverty. guant poverty
rcigned wit in. The fire had long since
gone out, aii tho wind came whistlng
down the chimney and beneath the door,
scattering the ashes around the room.
There was broken chair; box, hold.
ing few plates, bunch Of straw, covered
with some carpet and an old shawl. Yet,
among all this poverty and misery. lived
one to whom sorrow and care were un-
known. Upon that miserable bed of straw,
carefully covered, lay sleeping a beautiful
child; aud, as it slept, it dreamed, and q
smile beautiful as an angels caused the
dimplcs to play around its mouth.
%, God! | never thought fathers
curse would be so hard to bear, exclaimed
the woman, as she bent above the sleeping
child. Il never thought, when | left - y
fathers ho' Sc in anger, that n child Of
mine would ever want for bread, God in
heaven, hear my prayer! give me bread
bread for my child Let me not bo his
murderer
'Twould he but Just, julia exclaimed a
man who had entered unobserved; and
stood closely muffled beside her.
who are you, that tells of justice 2
asked she, slowly rising and turning to.
wards the stranger. Sho had been very
beautiful, but care and want had made
deep inrods upon her beauty.
'Ah 7 said the man, slowly, meditating-
ly, you have changed since we last met.
|, too have CHI nged. There, does your
memory serve you nowf and he dropped
his cloak upon the floor.
james Clever exclaimed tho woman,
bitterally. what would you have Have
you come to exult over the misery you
have madel You have always haunted
my pathway like phantom of evil. What
new cal nifty awaits met Speak and she
folded her arms, and haughtily conformed
him.
Julia, said he, three years ago | met
you at your fathers homo, blessed with
every comfort fathers love could suggest
surrounded by many loving friends and
perfectly happy. loved you, and | sought
yours in return; you said you scorned the
love Of such as me, that my money was al
that made me; and more, to my most in
veterate enemy. to one whom / had sworn
to hate through all eternity, you committed
the treasure had asked for, your wealth
of love. i told you Of my vow, and warn
ed you not to share my hate--a hate tha
would haunt you through life, and afte
death could so will it. You listened Il
all / said in silent scorn, much rs you lis
ten now and when / finished, you vowed
come what would, none other than Charlie
Benton should call you wife. You kep
your vow, aud married him. Now sec
/ have not mine. You married, and you
father, in anger, refused evcrmore TO lool
upon his child. ], his friend and couns
lor, upheld him in his determination. Ben
ton was poor, compared with your fathe
and myself; and, disappointed at receiving
portionless bride, and CALLED by your fath
er's contemptuous treatment he left the cit
and sought employment elsewhere. 'Twa
useless; had been there before him, an
gold Is powerful. Maddened BY his ]
success, he sought the gaming table. H
lost, through another, i lent him money
| and again be lost; and then he won littl'