The Shasta courier., 1858-10-30
aHad ANYTHING disturbed him 2" asked Mr.


week. the clerk answered, and Mr. Cart
wright's payments were unusually large. There
is one note not lifted yet, and it is a few min
utes ofthree o'clock"
Ybe clerk pointed to a bank notice lying on
Mr.. Cartwright's book
Mr.. Bancroft leaned over, and saw that it was
a note due to him.
mThis is withdrawn from the bank said he
al am glad to hear it" replied the clerk. al
think it was your note did the harm. He had
taken up the others, and went out two hours
ago, after having been all the morning on the
street to try to get the required to lift this
one, but he failed, and the consequences were
more than he had strength to look at calmly. He
is a Just and kind hearted man, Mr.. Bancroft
We who live with him can bear that testimo-
n.y."
Mr.. Bancroft stood nearly motionless for
long time.
"Where does Mr. Cartwright liver he in
quired at length.
"At No. = Fifteenth street."
To the dwelling of Mr.. Cartwright he went in
all haste He found everything there to confirm
his worst apprehensions. The hemorrhage had
been very profuse. Already so large quantity
of blood had been lost, that the sick man had
been reduced to state Of insensibility, and still
the bleeding continued. The family were, of
course, in the deepest distress. He saw Mrs.
Cartwright for q moment, and in that moment
the impression of her white grief face
was transferred to page in memory's book that
no after event could dim or obliterate. A beauti-
| full daughter, just on the verge of womanhood,
/ gided past him once, and her face of terror re-
mained t. haunt him for life. He saw the phys
ican and to- his inquiries T.csirsa NJ ..op.iu,
answer. ~
When Mr. Bancroft left the house Of sorrow,
he went forth almost stealthily, and with feel
ing of guilt in his heart.
"My work my work !" voice within him
kept repeating, and do what he would he found
it impossible to silence the accusing spirit.
g. can never forgive myself if be should die p
said Mr.. Bancroft to himself. "Ohl what evil
is sometimes wrought by passion in an un-
guarded moment. Why did l not think before
speaking?"
Alas the dreaded evil came. Mr. Bancroft
the next morning.
Have you heard from Mr.. Cartwright? he
inquired anxiously of clerk.
"Yes, sir"
"How is ?"
"Dead |"
! "Deadp ~
! Mr.. Bancroft stepped back pace or two, as
if hand were bearing against him.
Yes, sir. He died at O'Clock last evening;
so the newspaper says"
Mr.. Bancroft sighed heavily and then walked
back to his desk, sat down, and remained in
troubled thought for long time. There was
only single aspect of the case that gave him
any relief, and this was the probable ignorance
of every one but himself of the immediate cause
of Mr.. Cartwright's death. He had not, it was
presumed, mentioned the unfeeling repulse
he had received when, at the eleventh hour, and
as last resort, he had gone to one from whom
he had confidently expected not only kind con-
sideration, but prompt relief, and SO the secret
had died with him.
Mr.. Bancroft did not visit the house of mourn
ing. He could not look upon the distress which
his own conscience charged him with originat-
ing, but his heart was assailed with gloomy
shadows.
There was nc one to represent Mr.. Cartwright
in his business, which had to be closed An
active, hard-working merchant he had succeed
ed, through many disadvantages in establishing
a trade that prosecuted with industry for few
years, would have given his family moderate
fortune. But he was stricken down at an in
auspicous moment. Serious losses occurred in
the settlement of his affairs, and when all his
debts were finally paid there was nothing over
for his family.
"Poor Mary Cartwrightr' said Mrs. Bancroft
to her husband, one day, about six months after
the death of Mr.. Cartwright. ~ saw her at
Mrs. Marvns to-day She gives music lessons
to her daughter Helen. Hoo changed she isp'
Mr. Bancroft made no reply, and his wife was
in some doubt as to whether he had really heard
her remark
4" She says that her mother has never been out
of the house since her fathers DEATH"
Still Mr. Bancroft made no response. But
how the words did smite him All there was
thorn in the memory that time could never
extract.
I" There was not a dollar left for the family
from poor Cartwright's estate T. said fellow
merchant
I" So have heard"
Mr. Bancroft answered with seeming indiffer-
ence, but his heart quivered as if blow had
been given.
1T is said that the failure to raise money to
lit one of his notes killed him |" said another.
"People will say almost anything" replied
Mr. Bancroft, with assumed GOODNESS.
Time moved steadily onward. The seething
spot on the surface of trade where Mr.. Cartwright
went down was obliterated by the onward NOV
ing currents, and he was scarcely remembered
In the business circle where once his busy face
was familiar object
But there was one man who could never thrust
aside his image; one man in whose memory his
presence was ranking thorn. Many times had
he tried to pluck out this thorn by secret acts of
kindness to the family of Mr. Cartwright But
the effort only seemed to make the anguish more
intense for the little he offered by stealth con-
trasted poorly with the all-sustaning life
deeds of a husband and father, that he was
shamed back into impotence.
The case was hopeless. The single act Of un-
kindness, so fatal in its consequences, was done
forever. 1t had gone beyond his utmost reach,
and there was no surgeon skilled enough to ex-
tract the thorn it had left to rankle in his MEM
ory.
Ee2F Non-paying subscribers are thus talked
to by southern editor
Wagons cannot run without wheels, boats |
without steam, bullfrogs jump without legs, or
newspapers be carried on everlastingly without |
money, no more than dog can wag his tail /
when he ain't got none. Our subscribers are al !
good, but what does a mans goodness do when I
it don't do any good. We have no doubt eyery |
one thinks that all have paid except him, and as
we are clever fellow and his is little matter
it will make no difference
Bay An old lady residing not far from Ex-
eter, was perhaps one of the most brilliant er-
amples of conjugal tenderness that the last cen.
tury produced. Her husband had long been dy-
ING. and length tba o..:.l