The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-09-29

to the sad position of forsaken old age
and upon the comfort of an affectionat
nurse amidst sickness and in6rmities
But Herr Kraft replied that he coul,
never be forsaken in his declining years
for he had son, 'tthe heir of his house;
and as far as concerned illness and in
| hrmities, the best attendant was som,
hired sick nurse, for she thought onl,
of the good wages she was to get, an,
it never entered her head to speculat,
upon what he might leave. He did no
put any faith in all the babbling abou
affection and love, and such nonsense, il
was self interest and money that peopl,
thought Of in this world, and those wht
bad wealth would always get plenty o
attention.
"But you might lose your fortune
you might become as poor as many 9th.
ers are, and then you would stand in
need of affection and learn to know it.
value" said Herr Warner.
The rich merchant stared at him with
eontemptuous surprise =; then, with 6
scornful laugh, he said:
ayes to be sure; the moon might
fall down from the heavens, but it would
not be necessary on that account to put
up an umbrella. Don't tease me any
more with ouch nonsense. Enough oi
it-Basta!" ..- ..--
Herr Kraft got better and he resumed
his accustomed rich mans life-the
constant yearning and busy schemes to
become richer; but in his cupidity he
never thought of Providence.
The moon certainly did not fall from
heaven, but within the space of three
years, one fine morning. as Herr Kraft
was lounging over his breakfast table,
and coDgratulating himself on being
worth very considera BILE sum of money,
the postman brought him large packet
of letters. His spirits fell the MON lent
he had read them, for they conveyed
the startling and affecting Intelligence
of a commercial crisis in foreign coun-
try, which had caused the failure of
many houses Of old standing; and their
failure had brought down several others
Among these sufferers was Herr Kraft
himself Yes, the wealthy Kraft, drag
ged down by others, was now a bank
rupt! At that time bankruptcy was
more serious matter than it is nowadays;
a bankrupt never raised himself to for
tune second time, and there were then
no instances of man having failed sew
eral times, and yet being able t. live on
the fat of the land. However credit, in
those days, was very different matter
from what it sinaW---------
Herr Kraft had faifed--the honorable,
ancient, commercial house was ruined,
it's riches and is lustre annihilated in
What during a century, and
by the jealous labor of several genera
tions. had been gathered, had been de
stroyed by single storm, and scattered
like chaff before the wiud The cash
keeper suggested--and it was true what
he said-that the ready money which
Was lying in the iron chest might be
easily removed and placed somewhere
else in security, and that 1t alone would
be sufficient 10 yield competency to
any mau for life. But Herr Kraft was
1 rigidly honest man, and had not the
fall of the house thrown the cash keeper
also out Of bread, he would have dis.
charged him for advising such fraudu-
ent measure Everything was given
up, and rs an honorable and respected,
but poor aud ruined man, the lately
so wealthy and SO euvied Herr Kraft
look his departure from his forefather's
abode.
Herr Warner showed the warmest
in his misfortunes. He i'm
nediately proposed that his cousin
should come to his house, although he
knew that he would have also to receive
Aunt Regime and her pet Mops. But
Herr Kra Lad already accepted his
,on's invitation to spend some time with
him. This invitation to his house was
perhaps not more than was due to
'ather who placed him 10 so independ.
snt position that he was now in easy
and had not lost any
hing by the failure of the house. But
yes, he had lost the expected rich 10
1eritance, the succession to the firm,
etc., ETC., and as he was his fathers sen,
md brought up in his ways, he was very
we'll versed in the calculation of the in,
terest of money, aud in book keeping
BY single and double entry, but knew
little about humanity and kind feeling,
which, from his earliest infancy, he had
heard his father ridicule.
His failure was cruel trial to old
Herr Kraft; his pride was severely
but his heart was not at all
During these sorrowful days,
l letter was brought to him by the post,
but, as he recognized his daughters
writing, he laid it aside, aud when Gun
lie Warner" came, he handed it to him
saying: "If you know where
The writer lives, be so good as to see
hat this is returned; and herewith
Bastai"
His residence in his sons house was
destined to be another heavy trial. The
on's wife was the ruler there, aud she
vas far from amiable. Aunt Regime |
lad always been an eyesore to her,
Her long winded pressing was now cut |
hort and ridiculed, and her Mops dared |
put his nose outside of the good
ady's petticoats, under the shelter of
which he lay snoring from morning till
light. The endless talking about what
avery thing cost, and the eternal refer
nee to the advantage Of having money,
which formerly hadnever annoyed Herr
Kraft, were now exceedingly disagreea-
lie to him, aud drew many a sigh from
lis oppressed heart. 1t was given out
hat every thing was done to please him,
nd he heard several times o day these
words: "Whatever papa likes-our on
y desire is that papa may be comfofra-
lie in our house," But he felt as often
hat these were empty phrases, and that
lis wishes. in reality, were meyer con-
ulted. Had he known What heart was,
Ie would have deplored their want of
t; as it was, he only grieyed for the