The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-11-22

been brOught-they were OF the nneSt
wax, you may be sure-a peculiar ex-
preston of tenderness on his mastiff face,
as he was reading sweet chapter loving
ly, listening to a noble song admirincly.
And then when he had come, and hob
bled automatically when he came near
his quarters.
This, then, was the brokers' secret, and
this was its history.
About fifteen years ago Joe Mappiu,
almost an old man even then. was called
to seize the goods of a certain Captain
Thornton living at the West End. The
captain was one of those gay, reckless,
loveable men, who, by dint Of sheer ami
NAL magnetism, live for wears on credit,
and are only brought to account when it
becomes matter of life aud death to some
Of the poorer credtors-those creditors
are sorry for their debtor as if it were
themselves going to the Queens Bench,
and accusing themselves bitterly-the
tender hearted at least-for the trouble
they are bringing on him. Jce Mappn
the hardest Of his profession, the iron
hearted, grasping broker, who was beliey-
ed not to have single human feeling,
even be was touched by the gallant frank
ness, and gracious manner of his victim,
and as for his wife, that noble, patient,
glorious woman, with her little one in her
arms-something rose up in his heart for
her which he had never felt in his
! life before. 1t was an infinite yearning
worship, such as he had read of in the
novels of the Libraries he had seized, but
which he always thought trash, and the
mere mouthings of other fools. He felt
now, for the first time, that there was
such thing in the human heart as love
the love of beauty, the love Of virtue,
love for PHYS sake.
Captain Thornton was carried off to-
| Queens Bench, and after a short impris-
onment, died suddenly of apoplexy. He
had lived too freely and taken too little
exercise and being one Of those fair hair
ed men of sanguine temperament, who re-
quire abstinence and work, who love idle
ness and luxury, he met the fate any
medical man would have predicted. His
wife and child were thus left alone in the
world and penniless. The broker had
never lost sight of them. Gifts from an
unknown hand, money, clothing, and even
food, had kept Mrs Thornton from want
and all the more welcome, as by her
marriage she had displeased her relatives,
who were perhaps not sorry now Of this
excuse to avoid maintaining her. When
the Captain died, then Joe Mappin came
forward openly Ge told her he had lived
an lshmaelte life, without pity, and with
out love; he told her how she had reused
feeling in him-feelings of reverence for
humanity, such as he had never known
before; aud the old man bowed himself
before her as to superior being and be-
sought of her the privilege of maintaining
her and her child. He wanted nothing
he said, but to know that they were hap
py, and sometimes to hear them say So
He had not a relation in the world to
whom he could leave his money-not one
that they would wrong by taking it; he
had boarded because it was his nature TO
hoard; but he never knew for what end
he saved. Now he should have saved for
Heaven, if she would accept her life on
these easy terms / hey were not hard
and if she objected to his going to sec
her, he would not. Indeed, indeed, it
was her happiness, and that sweet baby's
rot his own--he cared for, in the offers!
What could she do, that centlewoman
without friends or fortune, or the means
of earning her own subsistence! What
could she DO, but look at her child, hold
out Doth her hands to that strange old
man, and burst into tears Of gratitude and
sorrow, mixed up together, as she faitered
out Yes" and took her fate from his
hands. She understood the truth of his
feelings, and was herself too noble to as
sume false dignity which would have
been less dignifed than the acceptance of
his generosity. She thanked him by her
tears, and she kissed his wthered hand
and that touch bound old Joe Mappin
her slave for life; the first, last and only {
time that woman's lips had ever touch
ed him /; and in this manner their lives
had passed for the last fifteen years.
He took beautiful little house for the {
widow and her child, and furnished it
with every luxury and beauty possible {
All that came in his way-dress, jewelry, {
furniture, Observation-Disclosures it was
that was rare and expensive he bought {
them. He lavished his money like wa ,
tersnd thought nothing dear which would |
call forth smile from the woman or a '
joyous expression from the child. Their
pleasure repaid him everything; it was $
his heaven, his life. i
But the time was coming fast, now,
when poor old Joe Mappin, the broker, /
must face the boundary lines between t
time and eternity, and learn the great Sc
crat When the winter had killed AIar .