The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-04-25
VERY POOR.

son. had returned to my native
place after an absence Of several
years, Payson looked grave.
"Nothing wrong with them,
hope. Wightmsn was . clever
man and he had q pleasant family
My friend shook his head omin.
ously.
"He was doing very we'll when
I left" said l.
"All broken up now was answer
ei. "He failed several years ago."
"Ahl I'm sorry 10 hear this.--
What has become OF him?"
IL see him now and then, but
don't know what he is doing"
"And his family2"
"They live somewhere in Old
Town. | haven't met any OF them
Tor long time. Some one told me
that they were poor"
This intelligence caused feeling
of sadness to pervade my mind
The tone and manner Of Payson, ss
he used the words "very poor" gave
to them a more than ordinary mean.
ing. saw in imagination, my old
friend reduced from comfort and re.
spectability, to a condition Of ex'
treme poverty, with all its sufferinge
and humiliations. While my mind
was occupied with these unpleasant
thoughts, my friend said:
you mnst dine with me to.mor.
row. Mrs. Payson will be glad to
to see you, and want to have a long
talk about old times. We diro al
three"
l promised to be with them, il
agreement with the invitation; and
then we parted. 1t was during bus
iness hours, and as my riend's man
ner was somewhat occupied and hur
iied, | did not think it righi to ires'
pass on his time. What had learn
ed OF the Wightmans troubled my
thoughts. could not get them on,
Of my mind. They were eslimable
people. ! had priced them above
ordinary acquaintances; and it did
seem peculiarly hard that they
should have suffered misfortune. -
"Very poor"--I could not get the
words out of my ears. The way in
which they were spoken involved
more than the words themselves ex.
presses, or rather, gave broad lat
itude to their. meaning. "Very
poorl" The sigh was deep and in
voluntary.
- inquired of several old acquaint.
ances whom l met during the day
Tor the Whightmans; but all the sat
isfaction | received was. Wightman
had failed in business several yeari
before, and was now living some.
where in Old Town in a very poor
way. "They are miserably poor, ,
said one, IL see Wightman occasion
ally" said another-"he looks seed :
enough" Ills girls take in sow
ing, | have heard" said third, who
spoke with slight air of contempt
as If there we're something digrace
iul attached to needle work. when
pursued as q means Of livelihood. -
| wonld have called, during the day
upon Wightman, but failed to ascer
tain his place OF residence.
"Glad to see you!" Psyson ex
tended his hand with q show OF cor
dislity as entered the store between
two and three o'clock on the mex
day. "Sit down AMI look over th'
papers for a little while," he added
"I'll be with you in moment
j ust finishing up my bank business.
Business frat" was my ans wer
as / took the proffered newspaper
Stand upon no ceremony with me.
As Payson turned partly from hi
desk at which he was sitting,
could not but remark the suddennes
with which the smile my appear
ance had awakened faded from hi
countenance. Before him was q pill
of bank bills, several checks, an,
quite q formidable array OF bank no
tices. Ho counted the bills au'
checks, snd after recording tn
amount upon slip of paper glanc
ed uneasily at his watch, sighed, an
then looked anxiously towards th
door. At this moment a clerk en-
tered hastily, and made some cou
munication in an under tone, whic
brought from my friend q dissppoin
ed and impatient expression.
"Go to Wilson," said he hurried
ly' "and tell him to send me q chec
Tor five hundred without fail. S,
that | am so much short in my ban
payments, and that it is now too la
to get the money anywhere else.-
Don't linger moment, it is twent.
five minutes to three now"
| He departed. He was gone IN
ten minutes, during which peric
Psysou remained at his desk, silen
but showing many signs of uneaa
ness. On returning, he brought Il
desired check, and was then despatc
ed to lift the notes for which this la
provision was made.
| "What life for a man to lead
said my friend, turning to me wi
a contracted brow and a sober fac
II sometimes wish myself on I
island in mid ocean. You remen
ber C-~