Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-06-27

read. This suggested to Tom the way in which
another half dollar might be usefully invested.
The men in the rope-walk were mostly in the
habit of spending their evenings in the tav-
erns. Tom found another lad who was a tol-
e-ably good reader, and paid him half a
dollar weekly to read aloud, two hours each
evening for such of his fellow workmen as he
could induce to assemble for the purpose. He
began with three; soon increased to ten; and
when l last heard of the matter, over twenty
men met nightly to hear the boy read"
Admirable" said l. with enthusiasm. "Ad-
mirabIe! I never heard ola wiser investment.
And he had one dollar left?"
Yes"
"And how was that disposed off"
"In ways innumerable. l cannot recount
them. What the good Tom Peters managed
to do with that dollar is almost fabulous; not
of course as to magnitude, but as to variety.
It seemed to duplicate itself like tine widows
oil and meal, whenever drawn upon. You
were always hearing of some good act in which
a dispensation Of money was involved. OF a
woman helped in making up her rent; of a
dainty sent to a sick Beighbor; of pair Of
shoes to barefooted boy in winter Of book
to child. Why, sir. Tom Peters has left be-
hind him enough good deeds to endow a whole
calendar Of saintsl"
$50 should think, after what you have said
of him."
"And yet, sir, remember he only earned nine
dollars a week"
Il remember that very distictly," answer
ed. Yes, his death is indeed public ealam-
ity. Its no figure of speech to say that his
grave viii be watered by tears"
"None, sir, none. He will be sorrowed for
by hundreds, and his memory viii be greener
aud more fragrant as the years pass by. He
built bis own monument before he left us-of
good Deeds
/ parted from the stranger, and as 1 walked
from the cemetery said to another men who
stood by my side while looked at fine piece
Of embiematic statuary:
'Ihey have been burying rich MANI"
"Yes," be coldly responded.
"What did he Ieave?"
Nothing but money"
They have been burying a poor man al
so?'
Tom Peters A light broke over the
mans face.
But he had not even money to leave, re-
marked.
But something far better" answered the
man in a tone of rebuke
sWhat?"
"Good acts, which, like good seed, will re-
produce themselves thousand fold. Tom Pc
ters earned Just uine dollars a week; Edward
Ellis, Esq.,-tbere was cutting contempt in
his roncs,-was worth, it is said a million, yet
the humble rope maker did, while living, a hun
dred times the most good with his money, and
leaves estate which shall go on increasing
in value through countless years. But the es-
tate Of old Ellis will not pass to the third gen
Grafton. Tom Peters had the tue riches, that
are impcrishabIe. People ask, when man
like Ellis dies. What property has he left be-
hind Lini?' but when one like our good rope
maker passes away, the angels ask, ''Nhat
good deeds has he sent before him?' That is
The difference between the two men. Que, in
giving, made himself rich; the other, iii With
holding, made himself niserablv poor; so poor
that his memory is green in no mans heart7
l turned from the cemetery with some new
impressions stirring in my mind, and the ques-
iion, hat kind Of legacy will you leave?F-
pressing itself home to my thoughts
Let it be good deeds rather than money"
I said hail aloud, in the glow of earnest feeling
and went back again into the living, basy.
stirring world, 20 take up the laboring oar
which had laid down in weariuess for a brief
season, and bend to my work with serener
spirit, and, trust. noble life-purpose.