Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-07-21

stong' Only week after Mr.. Sterlin
read the news of the young minister
death he received note from the widow
MY husband" she said, Twas able t
go South in hope Of rcgaining his healtl
through your kindness. If he had lived
the money you loaned him would hav
been faithfully returned, for he was
man of honor. Dying, he left that honol
in my keeping, and I will see that tn,
debt is paid. But you will have to be ,
little patient with me-"
"All very fne" muttered Mr.. Stcr.
ling, with slightly curling lip. "rve
heard of such things before. They SOUND
well. People will say of Mrs. Granger
What a noble woman! What fine
sense of honor she has But 1 shall
never see the three hundred dollars was
foolish enough to lend her husband"
Very much to Sterling's surprise and
not little to his pleasure, he discovered
three months afterwards, he was mis-.
taken in his estimate of Mrs. Granger
The pale, sad, fragile, little woman
brought him the sum of twenty-five dol
lars. He did not sec the tears in her ewes
as he displayed her husbands note, with
his dear familiar writing and made there.
on with siderable formality, an in
dorsement of the sum paid. She would
have given many drops of her hearts
blood to have been able to clutch that
document from Mr.. Stcrling's hands 1t
seemed like a blot on the dear lost ones
memory.
"Katic Granger is the quecrest little
girl ever knew" said Flora Temple to
her mother, on the evening of the very
day on which this first payment was
made. Mr.. Sterling heard the remark
and letting his eyes drop from the news
paper he was reading, turned his ears to
listen.
Il think her very nice little girl, )"
replied the mother
80 she is nice" returned the child ;
"but then she'is so queer"
"What do you mean by queer"
"Oh, she isn't like the rest Of US girls.
She said the oldest thing to day.
almost laughed out; but I'm glad didn't
Three of us, Katie, Lille Bonfeld, and
l.. were walking round the square at re-
cess time, when Uncle Hiram came along
and taking out three bright ten cent
pieces, he said, Here's dime for each
of you, girls, to buy sugar plums.' Lille
and | screamed out, and starting away
for the candy shops in an instant bu,
Katie stood still with her share of the
money in her hand. Come along"
cried. She didn't move, but looked
strange and serious. 'Aru't you going
to buy candy with it /" asked. Then
she shook her head gravely and put the
dime in her pocket, saying q don't think
she meant me to hear the words)-It's
for fathers honor; and leaving us, weni
back to the shool-room. What did she
mean by that, mother? Oh, she is SC
strange?
"IIer mother is very poor, you know,
replied Mrs. Sterling, laying up Katie's
singular remark to be pondered over.
"She must be-" said Flora, "Fol
katic's worn the same frock to schoo
every day for most three months"
Mr.. Sterling, who did not let a single
word of this conversation escape him
was far from feeling as comfortable un
der the prospect of getting back tho
money he had loaned Mr.. Granger, as he
had felt an hour before. He understood
the meaning of Katie's remark. Its fol
fathers honor the truth flashing at onct
through his mind.
There was another period Of three
months and then Mrs. Granger called
again on Mr.. Sterling, and gave hin
twenty-five dollars more The pale, thir
face made stronger impression on him
1t troubled him to lift the money he
small fingers, in which the blue vein
shone through the transparent skin, hat
counted out. lie wished that she hat
sent the money instead of calling.
was on his lips to remark, "Do no
trouble or pinch yourself to pay faste
than is convenient, Mrs. Granger" bu
cupidity whispered that she might tax,
advantage of his considcrate kindness
and so he kept silent.
mo dear it's for fathers honor; can
spend it."
Mr. Sterling was passing fruit shop
where two children were looking at til,
windsow, when this sentence struck upor
his ears.
"An apple won't cost but penny
Katie; and l want one so badly" answert
the younger of the two children, littl,
girl Of five years of age.
"Come away, Maggie" said the other
drawing her sister away from the window
Don't look at them any more--don'
think about them"
-" But can't help thinking about them
sister Katie" pleaded the child.
1t was more than Mr.. Sterling coul,
stand. Every want of his own childrel
was supplied. He bought fruit by tn
barrel. And here was a little chill
pleading for an apple, which cost only
cent! but the apple was denied. becaus
the penny must be saved to make goo