The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-07-30

| In fact I'd rather not nave MS paper. Anu
yet you were buying the same mans paper
every day, and considered it safe.
/ Only fifteen dollars Of profit was left to the
poor man for two weeks of hard work. You
took the rest Of couse the sick, the failing,
longing child did not get the sea breezes. No,
no. And she died a month later. saw Katy
standing with tear-filled eyes, looking upon
the pale corpse She had brought flowers to
lay in the coffin. Of course she knew nothing
Of your part in the tragedy. The grieving
father would not wound her tender heart by
even a hint at the miserable truth.
''But things are different now" continued
the stranger. ''Katy's inner eyes are opened.
She does not come to you in the outside world
of wells and shadowing curtains Of flesh; but
soul comes to soul-spirit to spirit. If there
lis subterfuge in mind, she sees IT, If hard,
grasping selfishness, that would take from e
sick and dying child the very breath of life
and coin it into goId-she sees that also. Can
she love these? Nay, can she love him who
admits and cherishes them? All, sir! II
YOU would have the heavenly minded child
near YOU, YOU must love what she loves. If
YOU would 90 to her when you die, you must
set your heart on higher and purer things
than treasure that moth corrupts"
The old man was stunned. He sat, with
eyes cast down, still and statue-like. When
he lifted his eyes the stranger was not near.
He had departed, with noiseless steps.
Next day poor man came to the usurer.
He had q note of sixty dollars. @
GLOW much shall take said the usurer to
himself, as he looked greedily at thesignature.
1t was on his lip to offer the poor man forty
five for the note But, thought of Katy
kept the sentence back, she seemed to be
standing close beside him, observing all that
he was thinking and doing.
''This is for work." he said to the man,
speaking as he felt, to two auditors-one VS.
IDLE and theother invisible.
Eyes sir 1t is for work"
'tAll for labor!n
''No, sir, At least half for material"
'Was there a good profit on the work?'
''No, sir It hardly paid for day labor. y
"Ah? Is that that so ?" The usurer sat
in a thoughtful way, holding the little piece
Of paper in his hand. More palpably present
seemed Katy. us that SOP" he replied
''Then the case is slightly altered You can't
afford much discount"
every dollar taken from that note, said
the poor man is 50 much lost from my hard
earning SO much bread taken from my chill
dren."
A brief struggle took place in the usurer's
mind; then he filled up the check for fifty
eight dollars and sixty-three cents.
1--we charged only common interest" he
said as he gave him the check.
'It is very kind in you, sir very kind y
answered the poor man, with feeling. "Ihey
said you'd take the hide off; but I knew it
wasn't in the heart of one 50 full Of riches as
YOU are to rob poor mans children. Eli put
such Islander back into the teeth Of any one
who utters it again in my presence"
And the man went out.
s.Was that right Katy%' Almost aloud
the old man said this as if Katy were in bod,
lily presence beside him. He felt the warmth
Of ler approving sniIe-the sweetness Of a
a new emotion, born of an act which had in it
the germ Of higher and nobler life. New
er before had he denied the lust of gain; new
-. s,fe-- conceded, except to his child, any
thing for anothers 'goou.
In all that days business there was q con-
flict. Greed Of gold prompted to the usual
exactions; but the recurring thought OF
Katy with the impression Of her nearness,
held him away from eXtortion, when the weak
and needy came to him. On large CONNER
cial paper, there were current street rates OF
discount which, though usurious, he made
without scruple But when the artisan and
the small manufacturer came with their sober
faces and small notes, the conscious presence
of Katy restrained him. He dared not rob
them as of old, lest the pure spirit he SO
loved should see it and depart from him.
And in the days that followed he could not
go back to the hard old ways Of grinding the
needy whenever they were forced, through
necessity to seek his aid. Always the hand
Of Katy seemed on his hand, holding it back
from cruel greed, always she seemed close by
his side, observing his act, and looking down
Into his heart. In it new thoughts stirred, land
new questions arose in his mind Glimpses
Of things higher than the mere sensual and
corporeal were given to his unsealing eyes
He began to have dim p ercption OF the
truth, that gold was not satisfying element.
That the more he had the more he coveted.
One day when the old passion Of gain was
strong npon him, he lost his usual sense OF
Katy's presence, and robbed poor man, III
pressing necessity, of twenty-five dollars, that
being the excess Of discount over what was
legal on note of one hundred and twenty
eight dollars Scarcely had the man, with a
sad, discouraged face, gone from his office,
when he became distinctly conscious that
Katy was by his side. She had seen it all !.
This was the thought that flashed into his
mind. Very still, he sat, oppressed with q
feeling of guilt and shame. lie had done this
mean and selfish thing-had taken the poor
mans hard earned profits and added them to
his bursting Golfers and angel-Katy had seen
it all.
Pain and repentance wore in his heart. =
Not SO much for the act as for the dreaded
consequences.
Would not Katy go away from him in
sorrow because he was base sordld and
cruel
Il will end all this !" he said in passion
of fear, lest he should lose his child. 'Dear
KATY. do not leave me-do not go away. 1t
was wrong-all wrong. | didn't reflect. It
was the old bad way but | will not go in it
any more"
So he talked, almost crying, in a weak,
quivering, half childish manner, wringing his
hands.
Il will send him the twenty-five dollars
He shall have it back again"
lie went on talking out aloud. Then he
opened his check book, filled up check for
| the sum mentioned, and enclosing it IN an
envelop, wrote upon it the mans address.
'.Here," he said with deep sigh Of relief
sI've made restitution" And the old man
felt easier in mind after that. Katy, as it
seemed to him, drew closer. He almost felt
her breath on his cheek-her light arms twl-
ming about his neck.
LAY up treasure in heaven" Was that
her voice? How plainly it struck on the
sense Of hearing, as if it had come by an outer
instead Of by an inner way. The old man
started, half turning. What flood OF neW!
and better thoughts came rushing into ms
mind.
Gold perishes in the using, but good a6ides
for ever. Every good deed is com LAID up
| in heaven"
Somewhere he had heard or read these SEN
fences, and they had fixed themselves IN ms
memory. Now, the dust Of years was swept
! 1,-o,,I no them ae