White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-04-26
CHAPTER VIII.
A CHILD WITH SOUL, But WITHOUT !
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CHILD WITH SOUL, But WITHOUT 4
About one hundred miles from the
city, nearly in the centre of the populous
village of L., stood large white man
sion, and by its side brick store. The
ownerof these buildings sat one evening in
his handsomely furnished drawing room.
in comfortable cushioned arm -chair,
with bis feet upon the brass mountings Of
g highly polished stove. He was dimi-
nutive in stature, intellect, in moral de-
velopment, and in every respect q copy.
list. There were but two things that
he knew or leved-money and popu-
lsrity. ...--
His face was small and withered, while
over a low brow-rendered still mesner
in appearance by the enormous width of
the head-fell mass of coarse straight
black hair. His eyes were gray, sunken
and wholly inexpensive of an in dwell
ing soul. The ordinary expression Of
countenance when alone was hard, dull
and uninteresting, but when in the pres
ence of others q sickening, servile and
cringing smile constantly dwelt upon it ;
the quality of the smile always remaining
the ssme-the quantity graduated accord
ing to the position in the scale of wealth
or popularity which the person occupied
with whom he had to deal.
Never was there a character so totally
devoid of benevolence and goodness of
heart. Had the clergyman of the place
requested him to head a subscription for
some popular charity, Eleazer Marble
would Immediately have written his name
opposite fifty or one hundred dollars, and
nearly starved his family for weeks after
wards. Mr.. Marble had therefore acquir-
ed the reputation Of being liberal man,
and his large subscriptions were every
where spoken Of In business matters.
be- was the hero of misers. Was rag
ged child of poverty to enter his shop
with single penny. for some slight arti-
cles, he never received more than half the
quantity which the well.dressed child Of
q wealthy man would have done. The
half.cents and the quarters he always re-
tanned, and it was settled principle with
him that the poorer the buyer, the higher
the price. However, such as he was. he
sat by the stove with one of the only three
expressions which ever amin sted his dull,
livid countenance-grati6ed acquisitive-
ness.
Opposite to him, sewing by a small
night-lamp, sat his help-meet, and faith
fully she helped him on in the grovelling,
earthly course he always pursued. She
was large, bold and masculine, and the
object of her life, though the same as her
husbands, was pursued through different
channels.
Coarse. ugly. vulgar and domineering
in domestic matters, she could so smooth
the rough exterior when sufficient motive
existed, that the elegance of her dress and
the rich entertainments she gave. caused
her to be tolerably well received among
the aristocrats of the village.
1t was bitter cold night, following a
stormy day. Mrs. Marble was dressed
in a coarse wooden garment, without cap
or ornament of any kind, to relieve the
exceeding harshness of her features. She
knew that the storm would prevent the
arrival of company. and having no self
respect, was therefore negligent OF her
person.
"Well." said she, in reply to some pre-
vious remark of her obsequious spouse,
'.you have disposed of the child at last.
! am glad Of it. She has been a bill OF
expense to US long enough, and I could