The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1864-03-18
She was right. It was a servant.

She was right. 1t was a servant.
Here's letter for you that the post
boy just brought, Miss Morris"
"a letter for mol" repeated Helen
Morris, in surprise, taking it from the SER
me?"
"Maybe it's valentine, Miss" said the
girl, laughing. You know this is VAL
entine's day. More, by token, I've got
two myself this morning. Ones karak-
ter (caricature), SO mistress calls it. Just
look at it,"
Bridget exhibited highly embellished
pictorial representation of female hard
at work at the washtub, the cast of beauty
being decidedly Hibernian.
Helen Morris laughed absently, but did
not open her letter while Bridget remained
"a little to the disappointment of the Gu :
rious damsel.
Helen slowly opened the envelope. A
banknote for ten dollars dropped from it
to the floor.
She eagerly read the few words on the
paper" From St. Valentine!
"Heaven he praised!" " she said, folding
her hands gratefully. This sum will
enable me to carry out the plan l had in
view."
Eight years passed away. Eight years
with their lights and shadows, their joys
and sorrows. They brought with them the
merry voices of children-they brought
with them new-made graves-happiness to
some and grief to others.
Towards the last they brought the great
commercial crisis of 81, when houses that
seemed built upon rock tottered all at
once to their fall. Do not many remem-
Der that time all too well, when merchants,
with anxious faces, ran from one to an
other to solicit help, and met only aver:ed
faces and distrustful looks?
| And how was it in that time of universal
famine with our friends-Stacy and Will
bur?
Up to 1857 they had been doing an ex-
cellent business. They had gradually en-
larged the sphere of their operations, and
wore rapidly growing rich, when this crash
| came
They Immediately took in sail. Both
were prudent, and both felt that this was
the time when this quality was urgently
needed
By great efforts they had succeeded in
keeping up till the 14th of February, 1858.
On that morning note of two thousand
dollars came due. This was their last
/ peril. That surmOunted, they would be
able to 60 on with assured confidence.
But, alas! this was the rcck of which
they had the most apprehension. They
had taxed their resources to the utmost.
They had called upon their friends, but
their friends were employed in taking care
of themselves, and the selfish policy was
the one required then.
"Look out for number one superseded
the golden rule for the time being
As l have said, two thousand dollars
were due on the 1st of February
Chow much have you got towards it %
asked Wilbur, as Stacy came in at half
past eleven.
"Three hundred and seventy-tive dol
lars" was the dispirited reply
"Was that all you could raise >" in
quired his partner, turing pale.
call"
care you sure you thought of every
body?"
Il have been everywhere. I'm tagged
to death, was the weary reply of Stacy,
as he sank exhausted into chair.
"Then the crash must come,' said Will
bur, with gloomy resignation.
81 suppose it must"
There was q silence. Neither felt in
c,ined to say anything. For six months
they had been struggling with the tide.
They could see shore, bat in sight of it
they must 60 down.
At this moment note was brought in
by boy. There was no postmark. Evil
dently he was special messenger.
1t was opened at once by Mr.. Wilbur,
to whom it was directed. 1t contained
these few words only:
eff Mr.. John Wilbur will call imme-
diately at No. =, Fifth Avenue, he will
learn something to his great advantage. y
There was no signature
John Wilbur read it with surprise and
passed it to his partner.
"What does it mean, do you think ?"
~ don't know" was the reply, "but
ADVISE you to 60 at once"
1T seems to be in feminine hand
writing" said Wilbur, thoughtfully.
Yes. Don't you know any lady on
Fifth Avenue?"
"None."
well, it is worth noticing. We have
met with SO little to our advantage lately,
that it will be a refreshing variety"
In i've minutes John Wilbur jumped in.
to horse car, and was on his Way to No
=, Fifth Avenue.
He walked up to the door of A maonif.
cent brown stone house and rang the hall
He was instantly admitted, and shown in.
to the drawing-room, superbly furnished
He did not have to wait long. An ela.
gantly dressed lady, scarcely thirty. en-.
tered, and bowing, said, You do not re-
member me, Mr.. Wilbur"
! "No, madam, said he, in perplszity.