Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-01-21
FOUND A HEART;
worth BETTER than wealth.

The fellow wants my money, Iknow him
IL know him-I know him. know all
these dandiaed jimcracks. They hang
around bag of gold as crows do around
carrion. I won't have any such thing.
Now you know"
"Father, you judge Walter too harshly.
He is good man-honest and industri-
Gus, and"
industrious, say you? I'd like to
know what he's got to show foS,his in
dustry."
''He has superior education, father"
"Education Fiddlesticks! Can he live
on his education2 Can he make money
of it2"
ayes, he can live on it. He has al
ready obtained good situation as clerk" +"
"And will earn just about enough to
keep him in the fine clothes he wears
Iuknowi these fellows. But there's an.
end ont. If you choose him rather than
your poor old father, you can do So I
can live alone--I shan't live long-you
can"
"Stop-stop, father. You have no right
to talk so. You know l could not leave
you" And Agnes Brennan threw her
arms about the old mans ne,k, and kissed
him, and then she left the room.
"It's curious how these young folks
act, " the miser muttered to himself, after
he had watched his child depart. "There's
been twenty of the sharks after that girl
I twenty of 'em lowering around her, like
man eaters after dead body Don't l
know what they want? Can't see
Aha can't l, though? It's my money !
But Agnes has never loved one of 'em till
this Adams came along The jackanapes
And now she wants to get married at once
Nonsense y
The old man bowed his head as he spoke
and he saw drop upon the back of his
hand It was a bright drop, and the rays
of the setting sun were playing in it.
"She cried when she kissed me-" he
whispered, wiping the tear from his hard
, hand ~ don't see what makes her so ten
der hearted. She never took it from me.
, But she may have taken it from"
The old man stopped, and cloud came
over his wrinkled brow, for there was a
pang in his heart. He remembered the
gentle, accomplishing being who had once
been his companion-the mother of his
child. He remembered how she became
!. his wife, even when the bloom of manhood
had passed from him; how she loved him
and nursed him, and cared for him, and
how she taught her child to love and care
for him, too. And he remembered how
she had never complained, even while suf-
fering, and how she had died, with smile
[ and blessing upon her lips, though the
gold of her husband brought her no COM
forts.
. Noah Brennan bowed his frosted head
a more low and in his heart he wished that
, he could forget all but the few feetine
ljoys of his wife. But he could not forget
He could not ferget that it had been whs
4 peped how his wife might have lived longer
if she had had proper clothing and proper
medical attention..
b. it would have cost so much.
saved money -
Ah-the reflection would not remove
the pang. The other memory was upper
. most,
Noah Brennan had passed the allotted
; age Of man, being over threescore- an d ten
= and all his life had been devoted to accu
" mulating money. He had denied himsel
every comfort, and his heart had been al
y most as hard as the gold he boarded. Blu
as his hair grew more white and spare, an,
" the years came more heavily upon him
) he thought more-refectcd more Tn
g sweet smile of his dead wife was doing it
G. mission now; and the pure love of hi
Is gentle child was a continual remembrance
y to him that there were better hearts tha
- his own,
At length the miser arose, and passe
~ out from the room. He would have LEI
~ the hut but as he reached the little entry
way, he heard voice from the garret.
~ was his child's. He crept up the ricket
y stairs, and looked through crack in th
~ door, He saw Agnes upon her knee
II, Tears were rolling down her cheeks, an
~ her hands were clasped towards heayel
nc And she prayed
,le 90, God be good to my father, an
10 make his heart warm and peaceful! Nal
n, me to love him with all tenderness, al
l. enable me to do we'll and truly the duty
le- pledged to my sainted mother promi