The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-02-09
OHIO, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1866.
Che s;aatcsk ssftsrsuniam
A Pair Of Gloves.

had been married three years,
and was located in small county
town in the upper or northern part
of the State of New York, My call
ing Is that OF minister of the gos.
!pel. | married, on receiving my
first call TO preach, the daughter OF a
gentleman well-to-do ia the world
a proud, austere man, who consoled
himself for his daughters mistake in
marrying ga poor parson" with the
reflection that she was fit for nothing
else, always so plain in her looks and
demure in her ways; but since she
has made her choice she must abide
by it, and expect nothing from him,
meaning, of fcourse, her father. Alas,
poor, short sighted mani he was en-
ti1ely ignorant of the depths of true
womanliness which lay beneath that
lplain eXterior--so it seemed to him,
at least
Dear, good Ruth-how did he ever
come to give her that name, won
der, or was it her mothers choice?
either was it fitted her precisely she
had always been reared in luxury;
what sacrifice she made in marry
ing me! My heart misgave me some
what wi en- | cane to look for the
first time on our poor and humble
home, in the depth of winter, in that
bleak climate; but had formed but
slight conception ofmy wife char
acter, of her devotion, her self.sac.
rillce, her patient endurance; | knew
little Of these then.
My congregation was neither d
small nor large one 1t comprised
farmers, mechanics and tradespcople
with very slight sprinkling Of the
learned professions OF law and med.
licine, and one or two wealthy fami.
lies who resided in the neighborhood
lsaing tAS ouin'isSt S~.--,.., . NJ,t 81
difficult audience to preach TO, anC
one that paid u very moderate sum
indeed, Tor instruction.
This latter fact was very serious
objection to me at the time Vf accept
ing the call; but then young minis
tcrs, rs you may be aware, are MOI
called every day OF their lives, ant
this seemed, ut least, like an opening
besides we could manage to live Oh
the salary Ruth and |, and with O
strict economy lay by something ev.
cry quarter towards the payment OI
my la,her debts, which had bound
myself by agreement to liquidate.-
Yes, Ruth had not only married ;
poor parson; she had married the sol
OF Il bankrupt rs well. There wa.
consolation, however, in the reflect
ion that these debts were not large
and might be paid in few years.
Three OF these, as 1 have already
said, had gone by, and much ha,
been done in the matter, still th
work was unfinished; two Or NOR,
years must pass before it could bt
made complete.
In the meantime our family haC
increased its numbers, or rather
doubled them, Tor instead of two
there were four. Two little lamb,
mad been added to our fold; the frs
was called Alice, after Ruth's moth
er; the second bore Ruth own ne me
Alice was entering her third year II
The time Of which | now write, whci
the sixth and largest payment wa
about to fall due-her birthday wa
early in December, and the money
was owing in the latter part Of j an
uary; indeed, it had been owing foI
these eight years, but then / hat
given my written promise that i
should be paid ut the time. By care
,ul saving We had managed to lay b,
two thirds of the amount; there wa
yet one hundred dollars wanting, anI
where that was TO come from neithe
Ruth nor knew, as my salary woulC
not be due till some time alter thu
f day fixed for the payment Of til,
note; and even though it were, i
would be impossible to spare tha
} amount from it,
This reflection, bitter as it was
tended very naturally to encroacl
upon my thoughts even at times whel
| should have kept 1t aloof from me
although | stroye hard against il ant
endeayored as much as possible Il
ketp up courage, come what might
There was one thing certain that tn,
money must be paid or my wore
wogld be forfeited, and how was thi'
to be prevented il the means were
not at hand? We thought over it /
great deal, and talked OF it betweer
us. Poor Ruth, hers had been a lii,
denial ever since she married me; its
cares had already begun to tell upon
her outwardly ut least, but within
she was the same cheerful soul, lul
of hope and belief in better things
She did not trust blindly TO the III
ture-that was not her nature; she
believed in effort, but she Away
/ said she felt sure way would bC
opened, no matter how shadowy ano
uncertain was the prospect. From
her words gathered strength, anc
as the days went by, and the tim'
drew nearer. / felt encouraged tC
hope, though with good reason, tina
way would be opened TO us by
which this difficulty might be me
= and overcome.
Would it not avail something u
see the holder OF the note, and get Al
extension of time upon it? This wa
/, Ruths suggestion. No. L kney
d Noah Crostree too well to suppos
for a moment that he would gran
Al such. There was no harder man il
, roonoy mattprs than ne. none NOR