St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-06-24
NUMBER 36.

cial position Of those to whom the
mere physical denials and sacrifices
of poverty are the smallest portion of
the suffering which it involves-who
find contact with the coarse, and
vulgar, and, perhaps, dependence up
on those hardest to be borne among
the daily trials and notifications
which these endure.
"God help thee !" for they are the
poor" whom the world knows not Of
Al another time the young girls
heart would have been stronger, and
her lips would have remained scaled
over the story of her suffcrings, but
Jerusha had come in an hour of weak
ness and distress, and her unexpected
kindness and sympathy was too much
for her to bear unmoved
81 can't help it, Rusha," she mur-
INJURED, trying to smile through her
tears, but | supposed you had all
forgotten me, and then have suffered
so much since | saw you last"
"Well, you deserve real scoliing
for having no better opinion of me.
But what have you suffered, dcar?"
And Clarissa told her story briefly.
1t was one that wrung tears from the
bright eyes of Jcrusha Mott, which
her own sufferings did not often do.
After the death of Clarissa's father,
her only brother had sailed to Cali
tornia, and had not been heard from
for the last three years. Then Mrs.
Mead's health had failed, and what
little property they had saved from
the general wreck had slowly dwindled
away; Clarissa had, at last, procured
a few music scholars, and she and her
mother had managed to subsist most
y upon the remuneration afforded by
these. Three months before they had
removed to their present lodgings,
and since that time, Mrs. Mead had
never been able to leave the house.
Jerusha listened with sympathetic
attention to this mournful story.
You should certainly have come to
me, Clarissa. | would have made
any exertion to procure you music
scholars"
Her companion smiled sadly. "Thank
you, Jerusha, you give me more faith
in humanity; but if you knew how
many that loved and trusted had de-
serted us in the day of our misfortune;
if you knew how much had suffered
the scorn of those who had once pro-
fesscd for me the warmest of friend
ship, you would not wonder that had
numbered you among the rest.'
Jcrusha was so much shocked at
this new view of human nature, that
for moment she did not reply.
Il wouldn't mind them, Ctarissa
such contemplate people are not
worthy of Il thought she Indignantly
subjoined. But, goodness, l had no
idea it was so late" looking at her
watch. 81 will secure you a good
class of scholars before the weeks
out-see if | don't. And now re-
member, You must be at my party
Thursday evening without fail. No.
not word,' for Clarissa had opened
her lips to speak, but Jerusha silenced
her with kiss.
And So the two girls parted, but
Jerusha Mott left as she always did,
the light and the music behind her.
"Thcn you will have to take it to
the pawn-brokers, my child 1t seems
very hard, but, then, we must have
bread"
1t was late in the afternoon of the
day of Jcrusha's visit that Mrs. Mead
said these words, while she slipped q
heavy gold ring, her wedding ring,
from her wasted finger. She gazed
at it moment tenderly. "Oh, Claris-
sa, what would your father have said
if he had looked forward to this ?" she
murmurcd, and then burying her face
in her hands the tears rushed through
her fingers.
"Dont, don't, mamma said the
soothing voice Of Clarissa, "Pll sell
my green cashmere dress to the wo-
man who buys old clothes round the
corner
"No, my dear child" Mrs. Mead
regained her composure with the
thought that Clarissa might want the
dress longer than she would the ring,
though she could not force her lips to
say this to her daughter. alt would
pain me more to part with the dress
than with the ring, so we will not
speak about it again, and you can re-
deem it when Miss Mansfield returns,
and you receive your money!
"Wcll, then, mamma, | will write
a note before | go out to Jerusha
Mott, telling her it will be impossible
for me to attend her party. hadn't
the moral courage to say this morning
| had nothing to wear" and sigh
she tried to suppress concluded the
sentence.
"But how in the world, Clarissa
can you get the note conveyed to the
young lady ?"
go, Charley can take it! You
know Mr.. Deal said he would do any
errand for me after | taught him to
read. will hand it to him when l go
down stairs
At that moment there was loud
knock at the door.
An crrand-boy stood there, who
gave note and small basket to the
astonished Clarissa, saying Miss Mott
had sent them, and there was no
answer.
The young girl opened the note
first, while her mother watched her
with curious, bcwildered eyes. a
couple of bank notes were lnciosed'
and the soft, delicate chirograPhy ran
"My DEAR CLAglssA,-l have Sc
cured you six music scholars, and as
thew are of my obtaining hold my
self responsible for their good be-
bau;or and the settlement of all their
debts, So l have concluded to ad-
vance YOU thirty dollars, only be cer-
tain l shall charge you high rate OF