Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1859-04-23
The Lost Purse.

y
worth telling over. The parties of
whom we spoke were near by, and it
was the presence of the hero that call
ed the circumstance to mind.
Abel Morton was youth of about
seventeen His mother was a widow,
and he an only child. They lived in
a part Of hut in the outskirts of the
village and were very poor. During
the long cold winter, the widow had
been qnite sick, SO that Abel had been
obliged to spend much of his time with
her. The youth had never learned any
trade, as various circumstances had
combined to prevent his leaving home.
He worked whenever he got work to
do, and thus far managed to find food
enough to keep himself and mother
alive, though they suffered much with
cold.
As the spring opened, Abel tried to
find work, but was not successful
lie picked up few jobs now and then,
but the proceeds were barely sufficient
to purchase enough of the coarsest and
cheapest food Clothing they could
not buy, and poor Abel he began to
fear he must beg a suit of clothes, or
what was worse, leave his mother
But this latter he could not do.
One afternoon he went into the vii
lage, and spent several hours IN hunt
ing for work, but found nothing to do.
Some seemed to turn him away be-
cause he looked so ragged, while 9th
ers said they never employed any one
outside of their own households. Faint
and sick at heart, Abel bent his steps
homeward. He had left the village,
and was turning into the narrow lane
that led to his humble home, when he
detected something peculiar on the
roadside. He picked it up, and found
it TO be small knit purse. 1t was
quite heavy, and the jingle of the con-
tents was too sharp and clear for cop
per.
The poor youth did not stop to open
it then, for it was already dusk, and
he knew that his mother would be anx
ious. So with a strangely beating
heart he hurried homeward. lie en-
tered the little room where his moth
=er WIS sitting and sank down into q
chair
'Alas! no work." the widow mur-
INJURED as she saw the cloud upon the
boys face.
NO." he replied, 81 tried all around
but it was no use"
'Never mind, Abel, God is good
We shall not suffer as those do who
have no trust in Him"
8. ''But does he help us mother?" ask
ed Abel, in faltering voice.
''In many ways, my son. He has
preserved us through many trials, and
has given us hope and courage. lie
hsas preserved me a true and virtuous
child, and has held us clear from many
sufferings which affiict our fellows
Look at Mrs Tyndai; see her with all
her wealth suffering tortures that L
would not suffer for worlds. See her
only son, poor, miserable inebrate,
and in prison for drunken crime
For what would we exchange our no.
bic consciousness of right or honor?"
Abel made no reply. There had
been something bearing down heavily
upon his soul-something which lay in
his rocket and sent forth a serpent
song of plenty. But the load was re-
moved. He drew the purse from his
pocket and laid it on the table by his
side.
"What is that ?" said the widow,
as she heard the sharp clink of the coin.
"A purse-I found it on the road"
"Found it? Oh, did you find it %
eyes, my mother. In the road just
at the turn of our lane. 1t lay in the
foot-path"
A candle was lighted and the purse
emptied. 1t contained twenty silver
half-dollars.
s'Ten dollars" whispered Abel
oPerbaps we can fir d who lost it.
sIsn't there some name on the
nurse I? asked his mother.
She took it as she spoke, and upon
the inside of the clasp, which was lined
with red morocco, she read: John
Thompson.
John Thompson was one of the
,wealth1est men in the place. He own
ed a very large farm; and besides sup
nlying large amount of milk to Gus
toners, he raised large quantities of
earden sauce and fine fruit, which he
Gent to a neighboring city.
"Oh, how easy he could spare it, :"
uh;snered Abel. "It would be no
los, to him." :.
"That is so, in a measure my son, :"
s.;d the widow solen,nly, "His would
z,o+ h. the loss: but we should lose
oh, how much ~
1--WE. mother: