North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-05-27

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shelter, for they were well known and their
hard fate was generally ptied but it was
some time before he co1ld speak as ne stood
by their bedside. He was choked with pain
ful emotions first-wth passing emotions af.
terwards for his conscience smote him for
the pain he had occasoned and appIauded
him for the pleasure he had come to bestow.
come" said he at length, while the
sufferers waited in almost angry wonder to
heer his reasons for thus intruding on them
-" come to tell you, from your kind friend
Lady Leslie"
" Then she had not forgotten" screamed
out the poor woman, almost gasping for
No, to be sure not she could not forget
you she was incapable"
Here his voice wholly failed him.
Thank Heaven !" cried she, tears trick
ling down her pale cheeks. 81 can bear
anything now, for that was the bltterest
part of ALL"
MY good woman" said Freeland, it
was owing to my fault, that you did not re-
ceive fifty pound note by the post yester-
day"
Fifty pounds" cried the poor man,
wringing his hands why that would have
more than paid all we owed, and I could
have gone on with my business, and our
lives would not have been risked or disgrac.
| ed"
Freeland now turned away, unable to say
word more; but, recovering himself, he
again drew near them, and throwing his
purse to the agi:ated speaker, said:
"There ! get we'll only get we'll and
whatever you want shall be yours, or 1 shall
never loose this horrible choking again while
live"
l. Freeland took walk after this scene, and
with hasty, rapid strdes-the painful chok
ing being his companion very often during
the course of it--for he was haunted by the
image of those whom he had disgraced and
ne could not help remembering that, howev-
er blamable his negligence might be, it was
nothing, either in sinfulness or mischief to
the lie he told to conceal it; add that, but
for tha! lie of fear, the ef'ectc his nsgli-
gence might have been repaired in time"
But he was resolved that he would not
leave Somerstown till he had seen these poor
people settled in good lodgings. Ee there
fore hired a conveyance for them and super
intended their removal that evening to apart
ments full of every neces sary comfort.
"My good friends" said he I" cannot re-
cali the modification and disgrace which you
have endured through my fault, but trust
that you will gain in the end, by leaving q
cruel landlord, who had no pity for your un-
merited poverty. Lady Leslie's note will, l
trust, reach you tomorrow, but if not, will
make up the loss; therefore be easy, and
when l so away, may have the comfort of
knowing that your removal he's done you no
harm.
He then, but not till then, had the courage
to write to Lady Leslie and tell her the
whole truth, concluding his letter thus
"Ic your interesting proteges have not
suffered in their health, l shall not regret
what has happened because trust it will
be lesson to me through life, and teach me
never to tell even the most apparently triv.
ial white lie again. How unimportant this
violation of truth appeared to me at that mo-
ment, and how sufficiently motived, as it was
to avoid falling in your estimation but it
was, you see, overruled for evil, and agony of
mind, disgrace, and perhaps risk of life, were
the consequences of it to innocent indvidu-
ais. not to mention my own pangs, the pangs
of an upraiding conscience. But forgive me,
my dear Lady Leslie. Now, however, l
trust that this evil, SO deeply repented OF,
will be blessed to US all, but it will be long
before l forgive myself"
Lady Leslie was delighted gith this can
did letter, though grieved by its painful de-
tail, while she viewed with appreciation the
amends which he had made, and his modest
disregard of his own exertions.
The note arrived in safety, and Freelana
left the afflicted couple better in health and
happy mind, as his bounty and Lady Leslie's
had left them nothing to desire in pecunia-
ry point of view.
When Lady Leslie and he met, she praised
his virtue while she blamed his fault, and
they fortified each other in the wise and
moral resolution, never to violate truth again
even on the slightest occasion, a lie, when |
told, however unimportant it may at the
time appear, is like an arrow shot over a
houce, whose course is and may be uninten- |
tionally the cause, to some one, of agony or
* The following extract of recent
Go, Hor r osl;o Tnor,hr nf