The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-09-19
ter's shoulder and his arm was about

her.
Walter was an orphan, and had been
Agnes schoolmate, and her fervent
lover through all the years of opening
youth. He was an honorable, virtuous
man, and loved the gentle girl because
she was so good, and so gentle, and 60
beautiful. And she loved him, not on
ly because he had captured her heart
in the time agoue, but because he was
of all her suitors, the only one whose
character and habits promised joy and
peace for the future.
| cannot leave my poor old father
Wa!tor.' TIE old man heard his daugh-
ter. I must live to love and care
for him. On all the earth I am the
only one loft to love him. 1t is hard,
Ny hoart may break But the pledgo
Of love ! gave to my dying mother must
DO kept
And so the great Joy dream Of my
youth must be changed to this reality !
exclaimed Walter, sorrowiBgly. Il
con not ask you to leave your father,
sweet Agnes, for the very truth in you
which I worship would be made lie
could you do go. But I have prayer
IAN earnest sincere prayer. I pray
that God, in his mercy, may remove
the curse from your fathers bended
f1rm
The curse, Walter !
Aye, the Gold Curse :! rejoined he
fervently, I hope God may render
him penniless
What Penniless ? repeated Agnes
with a stare.
sAye--penniless {! for then he would
far more wealthy than he is now
Then he would know how to appreci-
ate the princeless blessing of his sweet
Agnes love, and the crust might be
broken, aud his heart grow human
again. And more than ALL Walter
continued, winding his arm around the
fair form Of his companion, and speak.
ing more deeply. then 1 could prove
to him my love. Then could take
you to my homeland I could take
your father to my homo-and We could
both love him and care for him while
we lived
Noah Brennan stopped to here no
moro, and as he walked away, m1tter.
cd to himself
The rascal He'd do great things.
Me ponnilo:s ) ard he praying for it.
The villain
When the old man gained his acOus.
toned walk among the great syca'
mores he wiped something very much
like tear from bis eye, He acted as
though mote had been blown in
there.
Two weeks passed on, and Agnes
grew pale and thin. She did not sing
as she used to, nor could she smile as
had been her wont. Still she murmur.
ed not, nor did her kindness to he:
father grow less.
God help me to love my father,
she prayed one night. Let not my
great sorrow make me to forget my
duty
And the old mau heard it.
One night Noah came home from the
city, and in his hand he carried small
trunk. He barred the door, and drew
the tattered curtain close.
See he said, as he opened the
trunk and piled the new bank notes on
the table. Look there, Agnes, and
see how I have worked in my lifetime
had no education. but I've laid up
money !--n1oney-money! How many
men would sell me all their brains for
this See one--thousand-tWo-three
iour-fve, count 'em Agnes. There S
thousand good dollars in each pack
age
Agnes counted them over because
her father wished it, and she made ff.
ty packages.
Why, have you taken it from the
bank father?'
To let my child, to let-at round
interest, Agnes. [ shall double it dar-
iing-doublo it-double it =
And while the old mans eyes spark
led with evident satisfaction, his child's
wore a sad sorrowful look. And after
that she sat and looked at the working
features Of her old father, and prayed
that the Gold-fend would soon set him
free.
When Agnes retired she left her
father up but ere long she heard him
put his little trunk away, and then go
to his own bed. And then she fell
asleep.
Hark What sound is that 7 Agnes
starts up in alright, and listened. But
see A bright light CLEANS out en- the
night, and thick volumes of smoke
pour into the garret.
Fire Fire ! sounded voice from
the entry, and she hears the sharp
cracking aud feels the heat.
Agnes, my child > IL another mo-
ment she meets her father upon the
stairs. He is dressed, but she is not.
'Take all your clothing, Agnes.
and you can put it on in the entry.
Tba hnuaa ia m nm fsa