Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-04-23
ALESS0H FOR THE TIMES.
BY KATE SUTHERLAND.
4 letter for YOU. sir

c "a letter for you, sir"
Mr.. Hardrup took the missive, and tn
servant Withdrew. There was a Sigh
nervousness of manner, as he broke tn
seal, which was soon followed by worC
. and gesture Of displeasure, as he tosseC
the open sheet of paper from his hand.
'.What is it, dear?"
J The gentle face of Mrs. Hardrup wa
turned towards her husband A quiet sc
riousness had come over it.
"a note from one of my tenants"
wants his rent reduced?"
"'Of course. That's the cry on al
hands. If this goes at the present rate
for a year longer, / shall be charged fol
the privilege of letting people live in my
houses"
"Who is the tenant" asked Mrs. Hard
rup, without seeming to notice her hus
bands petulant remark.
Edward Spring. He occupies the house
on Murray street."
! from the remit"
There was a sympathetic tone in Mrs.
Hardrup's voice.
"He's been paying four hundred dollars,
but has the cnolness to ask the reduction
of one-half! OF course, I'll be liberal, and
grant his very liberal request. Hal ha"'
And Mr.. Hardrup affected to laugh, but
in disagreeable way.
What reason does he assign"
''Oh! there's no lack of reasons. They
, are as plenty as blackberries Anybody
can pick them up. Loss of trade; had
general depression IN business; any OF
these will answer"
care they not sufficient"
Mrs. Hardrup looked soberly at her
husband, and there was about her spirit
that disconnected him.
Perhaps so. and perhaps not, he re-
piled. "A truly honest man will not fall
back upon these arguments against pay
ing his debts, or meeting his contracts,
unless actual disability exist"
''What does Mr.. Spring say?"
''You can read for yourself" And Mr..
Hardrup tossed the tenants letter across
the table, to his wife. She read:
81 feel myself unable longer to pay four
hundred year rent. am doing no busi-
ness at all, so to speak, and other resour-
ces, which / have depended on, are cut
off entirely. Nor the next year, two hum
dred will be as much as | can possibly
pay. After that, if times change for the
better, / hope to be in less straitened
condition. have no wish to leave your
house; but, as things are, / cannot pay
the price you ask for it. You may think
it best for me to remain for the present,
as houses are not easily rented; and ]
should prefer remaining TO meeting the
trouble and expense of moving. Perhaps
at the end of the year, may find myself
able to pay the old price"
THAT is straightforward and honest, }"
said Mrs. Hardrup.
Its straightforward enough. As to
the honesty, | am not competent TO de-
eide. Words are cheap, and as easily con-
structed into falsehoods as truth. Where
two hundred dollars can be made by writ
ing a short letter like that, few men are
proof against the temptation"
Mrs. Hardrup dropped her eyes away
from her husbands face, and sighed, as
she looked down at the floor.
Already" said Mr.. Hardrup, knitting
his brows, and speaking in tone of COM
plant, my income has been diminished
over two thousand dollars through the re-
duction of rents alone. This is frightful.
Where is it to end?''
''Shall we not bear our part of this ma
tional calamity, John-our part of the
loss and suffering?"
Mrs. Hardrup's face warmed, and there
was tremor of feeling in her voice.
1--WE shall have to bear, whether we
are willing or not, answered her husband, |
coldly.
"Thus far, John. we have really suffered |
nothing-nothing, said Mrs. Hardrup.-i
while fortunes have been wrecked, and !
homes desolated in thousands of instances, |
the storm has not torn a vine from our
nor broken a flower in our gar
den. So far as this home is concerned, |
not comfort has been abated-not pri- |
Vation endured"
Mr.. Hardrup lifted his brows in half
as he turned to look into his
wife's animated face.
''And shall we fret and murmur because
in the natural effort at adjustment, when
things are disturbed, something of our
abundance goes to supply the lack in
others? Our case is very much better
han that of Mr.. Spring. Some comforts
nave not only been touched with him;
put his most precious things are taken"
"What precious things?"
The voice of Mr.. Hardrup, though still
cold, was slightly touched with Interest.
"His children"
"Oh!"
The tone was softer.
Three sons are in the army. l saw
Mrs. Spring few minutes to-day. As
you suggested, called at Goydyear's to
order garden hose, and met her there.
What do You think she was buying?-
fhree India rubber blankets to send to
Ter bows in camp. Tears stood in bar
Eyes as she talked with me about them.
Her Joseph, she said, Vas so young-not
much over seventeen-and never a very
trong boy But when his brother enlist
ID, he could not be held back. we could
lave prevented it, she said, but l had not
he heart to do so. And then, you know,
he country must be saved; only through
'attle can that now be done. have CIV
N my children to God and their country,
nd may never see them this side of heav-