Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-07-23
SMALL DEBTS.
WHAT FIVE DOLLARS PAID.

"Tell Mr.. Grant that l will settle thi
soon 1T isn't convenient to-day" The bo
retired
Now, Mr.. Herriott had fve-dollar bill il
his pocket but he felt as if he couldn t par
with it. He didn't like to be entirely out O
money. So acting from this impulse, he ha,
sent the boy away. Very still! sat Mr.. II
tor the next five minutes yet his thought
were busy. He was not altogether satisfied
with himself The shoemaker was BOO
man, and needed his money as soon as earned
he was not unadvised of this fact.
. | almost wish l had sent him the five
dollars" said Mr.. Ilcrrott, at length, hal
audibly.
Il g He wants it worse than ! do
He unused still further.
I" The fact is,'' he at length exclaimed
starting up, " it's Grants money and what
is more, he shall have it,
So saying, Herrott took his hat and left
the Office
" Did you get the money, Charles" said
Grant, as the boy entered the shop. There
was good deal of earne ,tness in the shoe
makers tones.
No, sir" replied the lad.
:" Didn't get the money?'
"No, SIR
w deIl Z IhI. IlcTIlOlu III
Yes, sir; but he said it wasn't convenient
to-day
80 dear l am sorry ~ came from the
shoemaker, in depressed voice.
a woman was sitting in Grants shop when
the boy came in -; she had now risen and was
leaning on the counter; look of disappoint-
ment in her face.
g 1t can't be helped, Mrs. Lee" said Mr..
Grant '' | was sure of getting the money
from him. He never disappointed me before
Call in tomorrow and will have it for you. ~
The woman locked troubled as well as dis
appointed. Slowly she turned away and left
the shop. A few minutes after her depart
ure Herriott came in, and after some words
OF apology paid the bill.
Run and get this bill changed into silver
for me, said the shoemaker to his boy, the
moment the customer departed
Now" said he, as soon as the silver was
placed in his hands, :" take two dollars to
Mrs. Lee, and three to Mr.. Weaver, across
the street. Tell Mr.. Weaver that am obli-
ged to him for having loaned it to me this
morning, and sorry that had not as much
in the house, when he sent for it an hour
ago."
81 wish had it, Mrs Eden. But as
sure you that have not" said Mr.. Weaver,
the tailor. 81 paid out the last dollar Just
before you came in, But call in to-morrow,
ana you shall have the money to certainty" ;"
" But what am | to do to-day? | havn't
a cent to bless myself with; and l owe SO
much at the grocer's where l deal, that
he won't trust me for anything more.'
The tailor looked troubled, and the woman
fingered. just at that moment the shoe
makers boy entered.
Here are three dollars Mr.. Grant bor-
rowed of you this morning." said the lad
- He says he is sorry he hadn't the money
when you sent for it a while ago"
How the faces of the tailor and his needle
woman frightened instantly, as if a gleam of
sunshine had penetrated the room.
Here is just the money | owe you, )" said
the former in cheerful voice, and he handed
her the three dollars he had received A
moment after and he was alone, but the glad
face OF the poor woman, whose need he had
been able to supply, was distinctly before
him.
Of the three dollars received by the needl j..
woman, two went to the grocer on account
Of her debt to him, half dollar was paid to
an old needy colorcd woman who had earned
it by scrubbng, and who was waiting for
Mrs. Elden's return from the tailor's to get
her due, and thus be able to provide an even
ing and mornings meal for herself and
children. The other half dollar was paid to
the baker when he called towards evening to
leave the accustomed loaf. Thus, the poor
needle woman had been able to discharge four
debts, and at the same time re-established her
credit with the grocer and baker, from whom
came the largest portion of food consumed in
her little family
And now let us follow Mrs. Lee. On her
arrival at home, empty handed, from her
visit to the shoemaker, who owed her two
dollars for work, she found IL young gri, in
whose pale face were many marks of suffering
and care awaiting her return.
The girls countenance frightened as she
came in ; but there was no answering bright
ness in the countenance of Mrs. Lee, who i'm
mediately said
"Tm very sorry, Harriet, but Mr.. Grant
put me off until tomorrow. He said he
hadn't dollar in the house"
The girls disappointment was very great,
for the smile she had forced into life instant
ly faded and was succeeded by a look of deep
distress.
Do you want the money very badly?"
asked Mrs. Lee, in low half choked voice,
for the sudden change in the girls manner
had affected her.
so, yes, ma am, very badly. left Mary
wrapped up in thick shawl, anu "A blanket
wound all around her feet to keep them warm;
but she was coughing dreadfully from the
cold air of the room. -
Havn't you fire ?" asked Mrs Lee, in
quick, surprised tone.
We have no coal 1t was to buy coal
that wanted the money.
Mrs. Lee struck her hands together, and
the shoemaker's boy came in.
Here arc two dollars. Mr. Grant sent
t en-"
"God bless Mr., Grant" The cxclama-
tion from Mrs. Lee was involuntary.
On the part of Harriet to whom one dol
lar was due, a gush of silent tears marked
the effect this timely supply of money pro-
duced. She received her portion, and with
out trusting her voice with words, hurried
away to supply the pressing want at home.
few doors from the residence of Mrs
Lee, lived man who, some few months be-
fore, had become involved in trouble with
an evil disposed person, and had been forced
TO defend himself by means of the law. He
had employed Mr.. Herriot to do what was
requisite in the case, for which service the
charge was five dollars, The bill had been
rendered a few days before, and the man
who was poor, felt very anxious to pay it,.
He had the money all made up within a
dollar That dollar Mrs. Lee owed him,
and she had promised to give him during the
! day.-For hours he had waited, expecting
her to come I'M but now he had nearly given
her up. There was another little bill of
three dollars which had been sent to him,
and he had just concluded to go and pay
that, when Mrs. Lee called with the baf-
lance of the money, one dollar, which she
had received from the shoemaker, Grant.
Half an hour later, and the pocket book
of Mr., Herriot was no longer empty.-dis
client had called and paid his bill.-The
five dollars had come back to him.