Maryland free press., 1866-06-28
THE TWO LECACIES.
by MARGARET LYON.

The chamber in which the sick man lay, WIS
small and the furniture poor, though everything
was neat clean, and orderly. There were four
persons in the room; the sick man, his wife, and
two children. The elder Of the children was
boy fifteen years Of age; the Other, girl just
,tering her sixth year. They were standing g.
round the bed, gazing with fearful eyes upon a
beloved face, which, after few more feeble heart
beats Won d be rod and expressionlcss.
Edward" )" said the dying man, taking the
hand of his son, and looking at him with a ten
der, yearning, socitude; edward, my son,
am now about TO leave you. II has not pleased
,pur good Father in Heaven TO make me rich;
have neither houses, nor lands, nor money for
my children-- only the legacy of . good name
which hand over TO you as a sacred trust. Look
we'll tp Ii, that nothing sullies its brightness
Keep II as our family heirloom, and transmit il
,undinmed TO your children. IF you are ever
tempted to do wrong, think Of this high trust and
iforbear. BE honest, virtuons industrious, tenn
perate, and faithful to all trusts that may be
,conhded to you; and If il is best for you to gain
riches in this world, God will pour them into
your lap; and If you remain vrtuous and hon.
,orable, holding them good gifts from above,
they will bless instead of cursing you. You are
only boy, but your hands are already used TO
work, and have acquired some skill. BE faithful
TO your employer as If the business were your
own. leave your mother and sister in your care
Never forget them, my SON.
head, the dying mi NJ with his dim eyes lifted up
wards, said, tfemuIously- = -T '."'.. -
1.-THE Lord bless thee, my son and keep thee,
unspotted, in this tvil world" a.ilItt
An hour afterwards and there was silence and
,desOlation in the house.
In the same street, aud directly opposite the
house in which this scene passed, lowered up the
stately mansion of one who had been more favor
ed in worldly fortune. And his time had come
also. Death Is no respec'e; Of persons. In his
eyes, all are equal rich and poori the lofty
and the humble; the bond and free, ali alike must
20 down with naked feet to the darkly flowing
river. Around his bed were gathered wife, and
,childrea, and friends. But the dying mans leg
acy was not reserved for announcement at this
late moment. Years before, in due legal form
atty, his last will and testament had been writ
ten. His son and daughter would inherit ample
fortunes. And SO, in his last moments, no anx-
ious thoughts for them held him lingering on the
utmost verge of mortality. Gradually bis pulses
grew feeber and feebler, and he died without a
word or sign.
Almost at the same moment O small piece OF
Grape was fastened on dingy bIa 's doorknob, and
sign OF death, falling in ample folds to the very
doorstep, tied to a silver bell handle. From op-
posite sides of the street, these tokens Of death
looked at each other the one f1uttering bravely
IN the wind, the other shrinking against the door,
AS If half ashamed of its office. Three days after
wards, grand funeral cortege, stretching away
lin line of thirty carriages, took up its solmen
march towards fashionable cemetery. An hour
later, and u hearse and two carriages moved
sadly from the little house opposite the one from
which the great company of mourners passed.
Edward Strong and Charles Rlynor, orphaned
by these two deaths, were of nearly the same age.
But how different their lots, and how different
their prospects To each had passed legacy
but of what a different chara"teri
In work. hop leaning over bench sat a
hoy. His clothes were coarse his hands soiled
md - G. l. 4
hut all his movements were quick, and showed
his mind to be active and In earnest There were
Others ut work ar, u ID hi n-boys and men ;soms
active and in earnest, like himself, Others with
slower and less interested movements, and some
idling, or but half employed. The door opened,
and the owner of the shop entered. He had Q
quick eye, and at glance unders0 I'd, from the
movement OF every boy and man, with what de-
gree of earnestneSs he had been employed. To one
he spoke sharp word, to another he gave mild
reproof; and then came and stood by the lad to
whom we have Just referred. The boy did moi
look up, nor quitk m his motions, but Kept on In
his earnest wav. While the man yet stood look
ing at him, he finished the piece of work which
he was engaged. His employer took IL from his
hands and after looking at it carefully for lit.
tile while, said, in kind, approving voice:
every well done, indeed, Edward, and finish
ed in good time. Take it down into the store
there's a job that 7 want done by careful hand
it," %'D '' u0"A III d lew moments 70 'es you A00u
The boy arose from bis bench, with a glow o.
pleasure ruddily cleaning through the soil of his
cheeks, and passed from the shop with An elastic
step. The proprietor came down into the store
Il few minutes afterwards; but before noticing
desk, and said to him:
''How much do We pay Edward Strong?'
The clerk took down the wages. book, and, on
referring to it, he answered, a
"Three dollars a week, SIR"
'sMake IL 6ye."
"Yes, sir;" and the book was closed.
The man, whom we will call Mr.. Campbell,
turned from the del i, md went to where Edward
was standing awaiting his pleasure.
''We took an order this morning, Edward" ;"
said Mr.. Campbell from a very particular Gus
toner, and want it done in the neatest man.
He then gave Edward description ofthe arti-
Gle required, with pattern to work from. There
were certain devations from the pattern, howev-
er, that only an intelligent mind conld compre-
hend, and O skill.d hand execute. After a full
description had been given, Mr.. Campbell said :
"Can you do it EdwardW ...
The 10y lifted his bright intelligent eyes to his
employ er's face, and answered in a confident
tone:
Il can try, SIR"
s'Itis wanted on the day after tomorrow. The
time is short; do you think it can be
dOnef'
"Yes, sir, bv working at night"
Mr.. Campbell stood moment, and then
said:
!'You think II will require night work ?''
81 wouldn't like to risk not getting it done, y
replied Edward; $50 III come back Tonight,
after supper, and get ahead as far as possible
With this start can finish 1t tomorrow, or, at
least tomorrow night. You may depend on it,
Sir, IL | am ally. and we'll"
when Edward went home at the close of that
week, he took the good news TO his mother
that his wages had been raised to FIVE dollars,
and that Mr. Campbell said he was the best and
trrstiest workman among all his apprentices. 1t
was an hour ofjoy to that mother, who sat low
down in the vale of poverty, with the shadow Of
Il great affliction resting upon her.
At his desk sat a boy dressed in fine broad
cloth, leaning over b99k, hHt Galy pretending
to study. A recitation WAS called, and he went
Up with his class. When his turn came to recite,
he was dumb. The teacher prompted him, when
he blundcred over a few sentences, and then came
do full stop. The fact was, be had only preten-
ted to study his lesson. and as a consequence did
not knowi' The teacher reproved him before
the class, and the boy answered impertinent-