The Van Buren press., 1859-07-06

presented ~ very pfet.ire of health and
happiness.5
y breakfast Of dry toast and butter, cof-
fee, and wUm biscuit, was soon en- the
table, and ss,the old man sat down that
shade upongas face grew softer still. After
breakfast, late arose and put her arms
around his tcck and said /:
'' Now, urIe. that yoa have got a female
in the house;you ough. surely to sleek up
a little-enasgh for comfort, at any rate.
In the first fsaet., we want just seven panes
of glass set. Now, go tothe glazier and
have this doas at once, for you know your
own health arl comfort viii be enhanced
thereby
les-we:i--I have been thinking oi
TINS some thae,s Kate but it costs toe
mueh.'
:. Never ms Il th.,.ss - .sssl..cie Absalon,. lie,
us tirst have t-,sss things which are abso-
lntsly neeessassf.a 1ar bealih and comfort
if we are N is Snort, we we can econo-
niize in somess ms, Else
'' So we cam said the oids man ; and
thus speaking1i.e left the house
/ And all tss,,SS forenoon Kate worked
briskly about sne house with mop and soap
and water, so that wher, Absalom came
home, he was sestonished The floor was
clean and wh,se, the fireplace neat, and
the new windows let in such q Quantity oi
light that it Sc sned like a new ROOM Kate
got such a dinia,r as she was able to pick
up, and the afternoon she spent In nlendin.,
some Of her u1ele's old clothes. He came
in towards the middle of the afternoon, and
she told him die was out of -four He
/ proposed getti1sg two pounds, but she finally
made him see sat it was for his interest to
get barrel. came hard for him TO pay
out six dollars sor barrel OF flour, but he
! did it and whle he was about it, he got
"a pound of tea pound OF coffee, dollar IS
worth of sugar, nd some otAer little things
j These he had eent home, and when he
came to sit dowl to his supper of light,
warm biscuit, ], j taste the fragrant tea, he
really confessed, 30 himself that he sv-as a
gamer by the lssssaey-thus far expended.
/ Thus matter;. moved on for week. The
/ old man watchtsi his niece's every move
nent. but he, sqnid see nothing wasted
Every crgmb wss cared for and saved, and
he was surprisee to see what excellent sd;sh-
es she prepared nut Of nothing.
Ole afternoo.. when the wind blew cold
and s:le snow was falling fast, poor girl
raped at the daor, and Kate let her in.
Hsr name was M;irtha lAIlen, and her father
was a poor day 5orer, who had been con-
fined to his bed II seye.el. months. having
been severely injj ed while Blasting rocks
Martha was only ys.@S..t.sen, and was :. mid
blue-eyed, prettj 2 Sne had come 70
see If AIr. Burr css.ti not help her father
Why shos,ia tle send to me % the old
man asked neryof ly.
= oh, sic, hcef > not know that lsa &c
,,so9s out "a nsS ysssr ss.st., .t.:tfne,l tie
girl: g bat could not bear to see him
suffer SO, in body and mind, without trying
20 help him. For three long months he
has lain in his bed, ard now he IS kept back
by the fearful thought Of the debt he will
have uroa his sl-5fiders whe,. he gets up.
But thus far l have not run him in debt,
though he thinks / have, and | dare not
wholly undeceive him, for fear that l must
do So. We have spent every, cent he had
laid up, and | have worked hard, and sold
many of my things; but | have nothing
more to sell, and all my timcanust i,e spent
with him. Oh, sir, for the love OF mercy,
give me something If we ever can repay
you, we will
''But what would you have, Girl o. the
old man asked, moving uneasily in his
chair
"a dollar, sir, NJ two dollars. You
would not miss it, while -
Not miss it !! And do you think am
made Of money -
At this moment Kate left the room. and
in a moment more sh5 opened the door and
called for uncle to cone out
. " hat is Ii % ke asked, as he came
into the back room, leaving the poor girl
alone.
.'Uncle Absaiom, You must not send that
poor child away empty handed - she said,
placing both her hands upon his shoulders
just think of her poor father, and of how
much she suffers for him. You are able,
and as sure as You give in charity TO her.
so sure shall You rewarded be-
'' And who's to reward me. child ~
g ourown thoughts and feelings. uncle
But L haven't the money to spare"
Then give her ten doiiars-''
Ten dollars T! Mercy, Kate, you would
ruin me y
g Hear me out. Give her ten dollars,
and If at the end of six months you want
it back, | will pledge myself to see it paid
lou will sas it pail? Where wiIIlyou
get It -
g have morethan that--money which |
have laid up to bty clothes with. | can go
without clothes easier than can see poor,
honest man suffering, when by any means
he may be blessed. O, ] would rather have
the free, heartfelt blessing of one honest soul.
! than all the dresses IN the world To walk
/ forth and feel that am loved for the good
| do, were better far tian millions of money
piled away in dark torlers. Go and give
her ten dollars, and KEEP me to my promise,
for | will not break it.. But mind vou-my
name must not be meltioned Give it to
her as Your own gift."l
90 But will YOU pay re?
'When you ask for it,
Il think it is fooishlfor YOU to throw
away your money so, andlyet I'll give it to
her. You wont come tonne for dresses.
/ though 90
=" No. SIR
The old man returned, ant having pulled
out his pocket-booll, he drew out ten dollars
and handed it to Martha Allen.
g Here he said. g tals this, and see that
you make good Use of it."
! Ihe poor girl took the money with a