Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-07-06

Strength TO love, hadn't sense enough to
appreciate you. Well, you deserve it all ,
and I'm glad of it. wouldn't give pen
ny of the thousands possess to save you
or your wife and child, from starvation -
and the lady brought down her clenched
hand on the table.
No, not on the table, but on the book
that lay there. No wonder the flush and
scorn went out from the lady's face, for
that book was her mothers bible, and the
old days, when she read it on her knee,
came, like far travellers away from her
lifes morning, and stood still and reproach-
fully about her. She bowed down her
fair face on the old brown cover and wept
and the angel in her heart lifted his head
and whispered, Forgive, even as you
would be forgiven" here was a long,
fierce struggle betwixt the good and the
evil in the soul of Alice Reade that night :;
but there was new beauty on her face
the beauty of peace, when at last it was
lifted from the old Bible"
:" Well, Alice, what can | do for YOU
this morning2" Mr.. Reade leisurely
drew en- his glasses as he asked the ques-
tion, glanclng admiringly at the graceful
position of his wife, as she sat in her
easy chair, head cushioned on It's crimson
ed back.
He was a portly, pompous looking man,
with a shrewd, self-satisfed kind OF phys
iognomy-a fine, well-looking. unreserv-
ed elderly gentleman, Oh the whole.
. thank you, don't want anything,
Mr.. Reade, unless"
Well, speak out, my dear"
Didn't you promise me a new dla-
mond pin last week q
She looked up from the figures on the
rug with a smile dimpling her mouth
which but few husbands could have re-
sisted.
9 So l did, dear child, and / see you
want it tonight for the party. Well you
shall have it for two kisses"
NO shan't either, for | have pins
enough already; but crossing her hands
coazingly on his arm, Il want the mon
ey very much for something else. It's
a great secret, so don't please ask me
anything about it, only say | may have
it,"
A thousand dollars to throw away on a
secret Extravegant Alice.
Mr.. Reade drew his breath but there
was a smile lurking in his eyes, and his
wife knew all was right.
Send up the check before eleven, Mr..
Reade, please" were the words that fol-
lowed the millionaire down stairs.
1t was high chamber in dilapdated
brick row, aud miserably destitute. A
few ashes were smouldering on the hearth
and by their side sat a shivering, starving
mother and her child
Mother, mother, won't papa come
home pretty soon and bring me cake g.
asked the boy.
81 hope so, dear little boy. oh, if he
only can sell one of his pictures" Il
was pitiful, the sob in the woman's voice,
the tone half hopeful, half despairing, in
which she spoke this. She was young
and very pretty still, even in her pale
pinched face, and the sorrow that look ed
ont of her large blue eyes.
There was no great force of character
in her face, ii is true You felt it was
not one to meet calmly, defiantly, the
great trial hours of life, but ii was sweet,
womanly, and oh, SO sorrowful This
boy, of some five summers, was not like
his mother. The tone of his face, from
the broad forehead to his small mouth,
was stronger and deeper. Even his large
hazel eyes and brown hair were his IA
theirs.
And then think of the husband and ia
ther, with his sensitive, aesthetic nature,
and his proud, high spirit reduced to this
, Oh Lucius Brante, it might have been
weakness and sin, but it was hardly
strange that you had gone out from the
old chamber that day, with these words
in your heart, Success or suicide -
The boy drew close to his mother, and
, she put her arms tenderly al out him, but
: he did not speak for fear the tears would
come. With oil his rare gifts, the artis
, father had never painted so touching a
picture.
Another hour went bye, and there wa:
, the quick ring of feet on the old staircase
aud something in the sound which gave a
: new spring of hope 10 the hearts that bea
/ low by the dying ashes. The door hurs
/ open, and Lucus Rrante rushed wildly II
and threw havy purse into bis wife:
, lap. Was the man mads For he clasp
! ed her and the frightened child one mo-
ment in his arms and threw them up
: laughing, and shouting, while the tear
ran down his proud face as they woul'
9 down the face of child.
] What does it mean. Luclus2 Speal
to me, gasped the young wife, shaking
:, from head to foot.
e 4 have saved you, Helen Newell =
f Thank God-thank God There IS
thousand dollars in that purse. Oh,
{ seems to me as if | must be dreaming
: as if this great good could not be true"
s "And who was it that bought then
r Lucius g. asked the wife through her gla
tears
: The mans name (blessing on it
: was Watkins. He bought four Of m
e pictures, selecting them from all the 9th
h ers in the collection, and paid me tw
hundred and fifty dollars apiece. He wa
: a plain. ordinary sort of looking mar
e too, apparently no; much Of cnnnoisseu
e in paintinr either But | could have fal