Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-08-13
more, and she had not twenty dollars in

the world towards it.
The next morning, therefore, saw me
at John Wolfe's store; he had but just
returned from business tour South, and
was quite shocked to hear of his book
keepers sudden death. briefly related
to him the situation in which the young
wife had been left, and the arrangements
! had made with creditors. and awaited
his answer.
Call as you go home this evening"
said he, "and will attend to it. | am
very busy now"
When called in the evening he hand
ed me letter for TIE widow. and, beg.
ging me to let him know if he could be
of any service in the future, he started
for home. and did likewise.
left the letter with the widow as
went home, and after supper Mrs. Dick
aud myself walked over to see her, a lit
tie curious, must say, to know the con-
tents of John Wolfc's letter.
confess I had never entertained a
very favorable opinion OF John Wolfe;
he had always seemed to me overbearing
aud prond, and locked, l thought, as
many young men do, who have never
known anything of making living for
themselves. and are very apt to think
that they are made ont of rather superb
or stuff to the rest of us, and must be
looked up to and smiled upon by all the
rest of the world.
But tell you | got new sight into
the human heart, when | read that let
ter. 1t was, without exception. the
kindest, most feeling most consollns
letter ever rcad-so full Of deep SYM
pathy for her sudden loss, so overflow
ing with expressions Of esteem and re-
gard for l.cr husband and winding up
with sentiments of SO divine and heaven
Iva trust in an overruling Providence,
and the sweet consolation of religion,
that declare could scarcely think
the letter could have em4natrd ire IN "A
NAN 50 wholly cngrossed in himscl as
he always seemed to be- The letter.
moreover, contained his individual check
for one thousand dollars to meet. he said.
the expenses in identll t. SO sudden and
unexpected a bcreavment.
We'll John Wolfe.n said /, after
this will never again judge man from
appearance
Il should like 10 know said my cvn-
icai friend, interrupting me, what this
has got to do with John Wolie's rich
wife,"
"cestainly,' said I; ''wo shall proba-
bly, come to all that in due course Of
time Here, take another cigar. and
don't be impatient"
The young widow retained to her
friends in Vermont, and what followed
although | did not get acquainted with
the facts until a very short time ago. |
shall proceed to tell you in the order
they occurred.
Within n week or so after her arrival
a, her old home, John Wolfe received a
letter from her father. returning him the
thousand dollars so kindly Advanced to
his daughter, with p7ofu,ion Of thanks
for his kindness to his bereaved child.
and expressing strong desire to be able
to repay it by any service ii might be
IN his power to perform in return.
Blu, there was another enclosure,
which John, it seems, thought a great
deal more about than the old mans and
the thousand dollars, and this was let
ter from the young widow herself, so
brimful of gratitude that he began to be
almost ashamed to think he had done SO
little for so rich return, and was rath,
er sorry that he had not found time to
have gone personally to comfort her in
her sore afiiiction.
do not know exactly how it came
about, but one letter brought on ano her,
until a pretty regular correspondence
sprang up between them. 1t happened,
also that the widows father who was a re-
tired lawyer, living on the frugal savir g
of frugal life, was able to confer very
conside: :able favor on John Wolfe house,
by saving them from a severe loss by a
dishonest customer who had suddenly
taken il into his head, after lifetime of
honesty, to turn rogue, sell his goods to
a cash customer who presented himself
Just at the right time, and slip otfto Cali
fornia with the proceeds.
4 friend ofthe old lawyer was employ
ed to draw up the bill of sale, who mem
toned to him, casually, that SO and sg
was selling out and going to the new
land of promise; and knowing that this
individual was largely Indebted to Wolfe's
house. he quietly slipped himself off to
New York by the first stage. without
mentioning to any one but his wife and
daughter where he was going Arrived
in New York, he introduced himtelf, per-
sonally, to John Wolf, and then pro-
ceeded to inform him of the important
business which brought him to the city
As the rascal creditor was expected to
take the next California steamer, no time
was lost in getting matters fixed, and
just as the gentleman was depositins
himself. carpet. bag and plumber. on board
the steamer for Aspinwall he found hlm-
self rather Unexpectedly obliged to re-
linquish his journey and pay visit to
John Wolfe's store, where. after paying
over his fall Indebtedness, he was releas'
ed. only to be carefully attended to by
the rest of his rather urgent creditors.
The whole affair proved a most success
full one. and highly creditable to all par.
ties concerned, but most especially to the
young widows father.
''You see. Mr.. Cynic," said I, address
ing my friend, chow one courtesy besets
another -