The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-15
- On q 1eeoon.

II -
Itwas stormy ovenine,an he snow "
falling thick ard fase, while he wiad howl'
nut mournfully amoue the etreets and alleys
ito waiting sound like the voice Of homele
Ct ghost The fow foot passengers harrie
ut along, shawled and mufled 10 the very ear
be beggars crouchsd shivering, in doorway
- and under sheds, and - the dawning tw
e light gradually descended, the whole seen
Of wore an aspect Of black and intense gloon
!. Even the wealthy merchant, - he stood ]
" the door Of his magnificent establishment j
!, Broadway, ahuddersd, involuntarily, ~
{. wrapped his far-lined mantle closer abou
= his throat. preparatory to facing the wintr
10 Storm on his homeward way.
" just a. he was about to step from tn
" warm and luxurious atmosphere of the stow
y into the biting air without, his agent cam
6 hurying in with bundle of papers unde
p his arm, and wearing businsss-ike de
= meanor which ct once attracted the attention
Of his employer.
|, 'Well9 interrogatsd the merchant, shortly
for he was impatient to be home
am late, sir, know, said the agent
.. but was unavoidably detained That pool
: woman down on Modden street, cannot az
this quarters rent again. Last quarter she
was deficient ALSO and l see plainly that you
, can expect nothing from her.
Well, said tho merchant, celdly, a. he
drew on his gloves, what is the use Of your
) troubling me with this affair suppose you
know what to do about it,
know, sir responded the agent, who,
although what is termed q hard business
man, was not without CLEAN of latent kind
ness IN his heart, but her situation Is really
PAD Husband dead-children ailing =
neaith miserable-she says she has worked
her fingers 20 the very bone, to raise the rent,
anu believe it to be so from what have
seen
II don't know that I'm to be held respon-
siDle for everybody else's misiortunes, in
.Srropted the merchant, still more sharply.
/ why did she take the house if she could not
pay lor Hf ! can make no exception to my
ordinary rules
but, sir, said the agent, to tnrn one out
sueh weather as this-so sickly, too as they
SEEM
IF once begin, there will be no end to
this sort Of thing, said the merchant, pushing
past the speaker, general rules must bear
nara ON particular cases. / can't afford to
lose my rent in this manner. Let eyerv one
take care of himself say T.
lie nodded hureiedly as he spoke and nass.
out into the open air 1t was no light task
10 breast the storm; 90 the merchant went
al9ng, holding his luxurious wrapper closely
70 @ ms chest he could not Danish one or two
siight tlnges of conscience, respecting his
tate interview with the agent However he
cohtrived to check that still small voice of
the internal monitor, by the reproducing
thrill that sometimes haunts the hardest
heart, but which would shrink into nothing
ness when pleaded before the awful bar of
God ' -
Tiease. SIR, penny moaHed a voice, as
ne struggled onward, and quaint hand was |
Iaid on his arm. Il never begged before, sir,
ana 1t little ask now OF your abundance
The merchant looking down with an angry
irown, as he met the appealing gaze of two
dark hollow eyes. 1t was a mere boy, slen.
der and pale, as he saw by the dim pickering
light of the gas lamp close by
Not a tarthing,' he cried sternlv.' Beg
sars everywhere Can't you leave me a min
ute's peace?'
lie hastened onward with impatient speed
while the boy sank back on the door step.
with low moan bursting from the depths
of a breaking heart
The sound caught the rich mans ear, He
looked around half irresolutely, but in an
instant went on, exciaiming a worthless
mpostor, no doubt-let public authorities
take care Of him. It's none of nv BUSH
ness |!
And little as the reader might suspect
his man could be both kind-hearted and
In the family circle, in the church
'r among his friends, he scattered money;
Ind KIND words with liberal profusion
,ut IN all the little charities of daily, work
lay lite, his heart was closed to the mute
appeal of want-closed by long habit and by
ne iaise law maxims that surround so many
n their intercourse with the world
One or two more blocks were soon passed ,
md he stood in the entrance to his own mag ,
,incent house The soft light, streaming !
nrouSh co'ored glass above the door-the {
aryed marble pillars that supported lofty {
lrches-the rose wood paneling and mosa- a
pavement, all bespoke luxury in the high !
st degree. And when the door was opened. :
What scene of Eastern splendor broke mn 9
n the view
Cleaning statues, leaning from their B
culptured pedestals, along the stately en- a
rance saloon-hot-house flowers throwing E
heir perfume on the warm and fragrant air :
-glittering chandeliers, and sofas and couch
OF velvet and satin-everyth,ng that the
laglcian GOLD could conjure up was there.
Hardly had the merchant entered, when
slight little figure came bounding down n
re flight OF marble stairs at the further end !,
the hall to meet him. A fair, slender o
ing, she vas scarcely eight years old, with I,
ng curis like coils of gold, and deep, serene s.
yes, and as she ran joyously into his arms, G.
3 held her to lis heart, with a tender. low p
g clasp, which showed how dear she was to g
i'm. Il
She was the orphaned only child of his 8
sole heiress to all his princely - -
ealth and the only being upon earth whom \;
: worshipped more than his gold-the lit :. -
3 frail bark which contained all the treas :,
res Of his deepest love. =,
She led him up stairs to the drawing room OF
an apartment even more royalty splendid
an the spacious hall below. The stately pr
indows were draped in silken folds, whose nj
aceful wave swept the floor. Deep, richly al
fled pictures brought from foreign lands pr
ing on the walls; rare birds in gilded cages OF
Fung from silver chains fastened to oc
e frescoed ceiling. Oriental. vases threw tn
eek the gleam of Oriental CRATES from their en- e.,
'lished surfaces, and vast mirrors multi :. "a
led every object in enless succession where -. -
er you might turn. In truth the room =. -
emed more like an enchanter's palace than sn
e abode of mortal man. II
The merchant sat down before the cheer IN
fire, with the little one at his ieet, and laI
tening with loving smile to all he'inno- an
mt childish prattie, for every childish ac- so
Mt was precious to him. and he held her an
y hand close in his own, as if he were fear az
that some fell disease should snatch that pl'
by bloom from her infant cheek, even IN,
lille she was surrounded by every safe sa
ard thatweal and power could give.
So timorous and apprehensive is love. ~
Uncle, what have you been doing o-dayY .io
ked the child ~
Why, little one, you could not understand an
these business affairs-your curly head lat
lst be filled with pleasanter matters liv
We been piling up money for you, Amy ce
ding off ships for the East-and panning as
thousand different schemes RE
The little girl sat looking thoughtfully in mt
the fire for u moment or two mt
But mean, UNCLE she resumed in an in- Gu