The Shasta courier., 1861-02-02

The fattery pleased me- but did not show any
vanity to lead me into betraying myself
Through third party | received larger COM
pensation for my labors, certainly, than should
have done had my wise father-in-law had the
least suspicion who his correspondent was.
studied hard, and had at length the mex
pressible satisfaction of being admitted to the
Suffolk bar; took an Office with another young
lawyer, in order to reduce orr expenses, and /
waited anxlously for the brief period what
should be offered.
Poor Susan My heart aches at the remem-
brance of certain privations to which, with an
gel sweetness, she submitted at this period, in
order that might appear respectable. My con-
tributi ,ns to various literary journals barely
gave us the means of sustenance, and had so
nearly offended Mr.. Russell by sighting his ad-
vice, that l did not dare to apply to him for
assistance.
One day in passing from our suburban resi-
dence to the city, l met my old landlady, Mrs.
Jones. She looked at me hard, and returned
it. There was no mstaking that good, honest
countenance and expansive form, and even
when dressed as it was in deepest mourning.
widows ample veil hung over the back OF
her head, and nearly swept the street. The re-
cognition was mutual, and the old lady's rap
lures at finding me was almost too strong for out
door exhibition. She told me of poor Jones'
death of their removing to the country when
the old house in Howard street was torn down.
Sand now" she said, :" am alone in the
world'
"Come and live with me-" were my first
words. sYou gave me home when l was
lone childp e esk1
] stopped, for the thought passed back upon
me that | was poor, and unable to maintain
even my own family. A strange smile fitted
over the face of my friend while she inquired of
my situation. | told her, and described my wife
and children.
81 will go with you, for | can help your wife
enough to pay my board"
was almost displeased at what had done
when considered the immense appetite which
| had inconsiderately offered to supply, and
which well remembered of old. But clung
to my bargain, and begged her to come with me
Immediately.
" You will find me in rather close quarters"
said, ' but you shall come and be welcome"
We agreed that she should BIZ there Monday,
and went home to Susan, whom | met with
rather an embarrassed air. She looked at the
matter more philosophically than had expect
ed, and prepared her best chamber for Mrs.
Jones reception, heroically carrying in many
little conyenier cies of which we had no dupli-
Gates.
My relation of Mrs. Jones' former kindness
to me, and my description of her present lonely
and widowed state, made Susan shed tears. She
promised to do everything in her power for the
forlorn woman, who she thought would now be
thrown upon me for maintenance, and herself
for companionship.
Mrs. Jones arrived on Monday morning, car
pet bag in hand, and followed by hand cart,
bearing her old fashioned and somewhat delap-
idated hair trunk. We received her kindly,
and she seemed pleased and happy when she sat
down to Susan's simple, but excellent dinner
The children were attentive, and kept passing
the food for the new guest
A fortnight passed away, and we began to
feel that we could scarcely do without Mrs.
Jones. She was invaluable as an assistant to
Susan, and in marketing for US, her services
were beyond all praise. We gave her our slen-
der purse every morning, as she thought she
could do better with it than we could, and it
was perfectly amazing to see the loads of pro-
visions and the superior quality of the same
which she obtained.
Susan and began to think that we had been
grievously cheated in our former purchases. So
when our wardrobe imperatvely called for ad-
ditions, Mrs. Jones would 60 out with the money
for sixpenny print, and return with some
thing really handsome and valuable for my
wife, and nice remnant for Katy, and then she
would sit down and make them both up with
dil Tue shiil vi du cApcIieuCtu iuuuluuiilhhCf.
Susan handed me some bills one day, that
she said were left there by the collector includ-
ing one for our rent, and one for the last suit of
clothes which had been unwillingy forced to
buy, in order to keep up respectable appear
ance. My countenance fell some degrees, fam
cy, for had no money to pay them.
Mrs. Jones was bustling around the dinner
table, and she said rather sadly, that she felt
that she ought not to be living upon US, and
perhaps she had better go away.
"Never mind, my good friend p said l, and
Never" uttered Susy.
assured her that would not listen to her
leaving as-that trusted very soon to get busi-
ness, and that come to what would she should
share our last loaf. The good old soul hugged
both at once, and then setting her cap and wip
ing her eyes, she went quietly back to her work
After dinner she went out, but we reiterated the
injunction that she should not seek another
home as long as she could put up with ours.
/ called around in the evening at the various
places from whence had received the bills. To
my utter surprise the answer was that they had
all been settled. l inquired by whom, but no
one could recollect. They were all cancelled
on the VI rious books. ! was thoroughly amazed,
for knew no one but Mr.. Russell who could do
it for me, and hardly believed it of him. Susy
was as surprised as myself, but she rather in
clined to the belief that it was her father, so l
qaieily let her indulge in the pleasant belief.
We got through the summer, but the winter
was coming on and | actually trembled at its
approach Industrious as | was-prudent as
Susy had ever beehive could not hope to go
through the cold season without both suffering
and toll, and with debt superadded.
had been in the Office all day on one gloomy
day in November anxiously doubling whether
should 60 back to printing again. consider
ed all the why's and wherefores, counting the
cost again and again, and by the most careful
arithmetic could not find that the change would
benefit me a single sou. | was toiling unremit-
tingly now, and should have to do so if turn
ek to printing, and with scarcely so much us
now. became heartily discouraged at the
prospect before me; had | been aloue in the
world | could have patiently borne it. Suffering
and privation brought no terrors to me individ-
ually, but the thought of those who were dear
to me at home unnamed me and the darker
the prospect the more | shrunk from allowing
Mrs. Jones to feel that she was burden upon
us. No, come what might, the good old soul
should not be removed from the circle in which
she seemed to have placed all her happiness
She should live with us as long as she lived at
all, and if we were reduced to beggary, we
would beg for her too.
| started up and paced the Office with an i'm
patient step. 1t may seem strange that a strong
healthy man should be so powerless as was to
procure living; but so it was. 1t wa. grow
ing dusk, and felt it was time to go home.
had intended sending some fuel home, but |
was disappointed in some money a certain pub-