South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1867-12-06

To lit the latch. to force the way
But better had they ne or been born
v no read 10 doubt OF read TO scOrn."
The dame WIS poor, and yet She was rich
ID yon tell me that this /, u paradox?
can only explain it as the wise maui has done
before me. There Is who ma,icth him &c {
rich, AMI yet hath nothing; there Is who
makcth himself poor, and yet hath great
riches" DO not imagine that the latter
parsonage here spoken of by the sacred wri-
ter had many dollars and cents to cxpcnd
or hoard up-ncither hal the dame Ia
silver aud gnd she was poor, but in those
rich affections which bless the firesile and
ishborhooi; in those gentle charities
which shed light and checrfuncss around
the sick aud afflicted; in those calm and
peaceful thoughts and feelings which dwell
oniy with the good and generous, the dame
WAS wealthy, blessed to overaowing'
She was all alone in the world Ii.r hus-
band and her ony child had slept so long
in the churchyard at Greytou that the rank
grass WAS matted together on their graves
aud hang in such Il manner rs to quite hide
the hcaI>toncs. Her little cottage, which
Ind just been bulit at the time of her hus-
baud death, was now gray and weather.
beaten, and the shingles on the roof were
NJ in several places. She had but one rel
Miye in the world, and that was a nephew
"a poor man who lived in the valley with
u wife and eight children TO support. She
herself made livelihood by means of her
lax wheel and loom, both of which she had
piled diligently all her life. She spun for
the vicsr's lady, who paid her very liber
niiy; she spun for many Of the ncghbor-
IpI gentry, aud now and then the ffrcn,y-
SIMS helped her trit, in consideration of
the honorable Office which her late worthy
husband hal he'll among them. Onc gen
tlrman (nOw also deceased nal, AZ the time
of her husbands funeral, given her u TWEEN
~ dollar biIl This money the old lady
GOT changed into silver, and the silver she
deposited in an old stocking !eg, aud care
fully placed it at the bottom Of chest -
Nothing bad ever tempted her tousc n dime
Of il, or to hazard its safety by placing IL
ouf at interest The sum was just the same
hich che bad received from the Mason
twenty dollars-no more and no less. Som
times she got her hoard out, and counted
over the precious pieces; the sum IN her
eyes looked large she wondered that John
O'Crcul the donor, had found il in his
heart to be 50 liberal. But then he was at
the time Of that donation wealthy Mason,
though times had changed sadly in his ia
mily. Within short period after her hus-
band demise the Mason died, leaving his
affairs in very unsettled state, aud Jcm-
my O'Crcal, his only son, had run, and was
s'ili running a wild and desolate career
Ills property bad vanished away. The o.
Crcals now were scarcely richer than Dame
Stephens herself But more Of this anon.
As we were saying, on ibis particular at
teruoou, Dame Stephens sat at work, but
she was destined 10 be interrupted. \ hca-
W foot was heard upon the sand, aud soon
a roueh-l0okiug young man, with gun up
on bis shoulder aud shot-pouch dtngllng
by bis side, came up 90 the door and sunk
down unccremoniou.ly upon the threshold.
His face was red aud somewhat blOated /;
his clothes had once been fine, but they
were torn and worn thrcadbarc now; his
hat was slouchcd down over his forehead, as
If be feared there might be a Cainish sort
of mark upon his brow, which II would BE-
best to- conceal, If possible He scarcely
modified to the dame by way Of salutation,
while taking his seat, but she seemed TO un-
derstand his mood, and did not act as if she
expected or cared for many tokens Of rccog-
milton She did not arise from her spin
ming wheel, but kept up with her foot the
same monotonous ham.
and so, J,emos,' she said, q hear there