The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-04-19
. .MisfellaHfuns.
''roR FATHERS HONOR"

q. ioV IuNCtl HOttCsll y Hu8ut INso NAsovN
how il would le!" said M. Sterling, look.
ing up ,frorn, the morning paper, with q
most unpleasant expression upon his face.
sWhut Is gomez" nsked his wife. y
aMy money Is gone," answered Mr.
Sterling frrtfuliy. ..'.' '..'.r. ''.
'.NVhat moneyf''r1' r- -r.1nI'
THAT money, I was foolish enough to
lend Mr.. Granger" ,I..,....,t.- -
"Why do you say thai?"
80 Giles dead" replied Mr. Sterling coldly.
,aDead?" Tho wifs's voice wss full Of
surprise and PAIN, Sorrow ovsnhadowe'
her face. .,a. s.l ..,ai,. ...,,.,
Here's a notice OF his death. was sutu
when I saw him 10 away thatrhs'd move.
come back, except In hls cofin. Why w,ll
doctors send their patients from home t'
'Mpoor Mnl Granger. Poor liule or.
phaasl' aighod Mis. Sterling. "Whst will
they dor" r,.a.g., gli b., ......,l lr
"As we'll without him as with him, was
the unfaelng answer OF her husband, who
wns only thinking ofihe three hundred dol.
lars hs had been over ,,crs,ndcd to loan the
sick clergyman. IN order that no might 20
South during the winter. "ile been mora
ofa burden than support to them these
twO years {" ....,..... .,-t.,..-... q.
.Ob, Harry! how can you speak sor' ro-
monstrntrd Mrs. Sterling. ~ kinder man
In his family WINS never seen. Poor Mrs
Granger! She win be heart broken."
@Kindness Is cheap and easily dispens-
etl,n coldly replied Mr.. Sterling. .tie
would been OF more use to his fafnily if I've
bad fed and clothed them better. reckon
they can do without him. lf ] had my
three. hundred dollars / wouldn't"
But he checked for shame, not for any
better feeling, tho almost brutal worls his
heart sent up to his tongue.
Not many yards away frotn Mr.. S,erl.
ing's handsome residence stood q small
plain cottage, with gutien IN front neatly
laid out In box boniered walks, and filIr'l
with shrubbery. A honeysackle, twipcd
With o running rose.bush, covered the log.
ticed portico and looked in III the chamber
windows, giving beauty and sweetness
Tho hnnd Of taste was seen everywhere
not lavish hut discriminating taste. Two
years before there was not a happier homo
tlioH this 10 all The pleasant town OF c..
Now the hand Of death was upon It. ..
Poor Mrs, Granger! Poor little or.
phans!" Well might Mrs. Sterling pity
them. When her mcrcenary husband was
siglIing over the loss Of three hundred dol
lar, the young widow lay senseless, with
her two little ones weeping over her in
rhihlletS terror. Tho news Of death found
her unprepared. Only week before she
had received q letter from Mr.. Granger, in
which ,e talked hopefully Of his recovery.
"l am stronger" he saidj "my appetite is
better; have gained five pounds in flesh
since left home" Three days afler writ.
ing this letter there came a sudden change
of temperature; he took cold, which wa
followed by congestion OF tho lungs, and
no medical skill wns sufficient Tor the case
llis b0dy was not sent home Cor intern'ent.
When the husband aud father went awny,
two or three months before, his beloved
ones looked upon his face for the last time in
this world. .....
Love and honor made tie heart strong.
Ms. Gnnger was a gentle. retiring woman,
woman. She had Famed upon her husband
very heavily; she had clung TO him az
vino. Those WIN knew her hest felt mos,
anxious about l,er.i "Sl,e had no mental
s,a,ninn," they said, "she cannot stand
alone" ..,..l.. .ag..,.
But they were mistaken. As we have
Just said love and honor made her hear
strong. Only week after Mr. Sterling
read The news Of the young ministers dcatl,
he rrccivcd note from The willow.
my husband" she said, "war al'|o u
no South, in tho hope OF regaming hii
health, through your kindness. 1.-The hat
lived, the money you loaned him wo''b
have he n faithfully returned, for he was q
man of honor. Dying, he lett that honor
In my keeping, aud will see that The deb
is paid. But yml will have TO bo listI'
patient with me-"
"AIT very Sne," mittcred Mr.. Sterling,
with a rlighily curling lip. .l've heard oI
such things before -tl,ey sound well. Poo
pls will say of Mr. Granger, sWhat . no.
bic woman! What fine senss Of honor
she has," HIT l shall never see the three
hundred doll rs ! was foolish enough 10
lend her husband" %
Very much to Mr.. Sterling's surprise, not
little to his pleasure, he discovered about
three months Afterwards, that he was mis-.
taken iri his estimate Of Mrs. Granger. The
pale, sad, fragile litile woman brought him
the sum oftwcniy.fye dollars. lie did not
zee the tears In her eyes as he displayed l,cr
husband note, with It's dear familiar writ.
Ing. and made thereon, with considerable
fornality, an endorsement Of the sum paid!
She would have riycn many drops Of her
hearts blood 10 have l,een able TO clutch
,hu, document from Mr.. Sterling's hands.
Ills possession of II seemed like blot on
the ,lcar, lost ones memory. -.
"Katie Gmnger 10 the ,q,lrerest little girl
] ever knew" said Flora Temple 10 the
mother, OF tn. evening ofthc day on which
his tir,l payment was made. NJ. Sterling
heard iha remark, and letting his eyes drop
from the newspaper he was reading, turned
his cam to listen.
~ think her very nice little girl" re.
piled the mother. ~
"so she is nice" returned tho child,
''iMn then she 10 queer" -,,,.. a.......
sOh, she isu't ike the rest Of us Eirls,
She said tho oddea thing to-day--l almost
uebed oat, hM I'm glad didnt. Three
Of iis, Ka,ie, Lille Ron6eh and I,werc
walking r,unh the SQUARE at recess time.
when Unole Hiram came houg, aud taking
out three bright ten cent picc' p he sail.
here's dime for cacl, Of you girls 10 hay
uignr plufns' Lllie and sreans ouf, and
were stirring awsy for tho eapdy. chop in an
instant; hut Katie stood still, with her share
OF tl,c money In her hand. Come along !!
I cried. Shc didn't move, but looked
strange anal serious. Amt You going 70
hay candy with it7" ! asked. Then she
shook her head sra,sly, and Put the dime
In her pocket, snying ( donf think sue
mean, for me to hear the word III; Tor
faibcr's honor; and leaving =: went Osck
20 the school room. What did she mean
by that mother Oh, sbs % stfsnec.' ~.
sIIer mother b vey poor, you know,"
replied Mn Sterliuf, laying up Katie s SIN.
rular remark to he pondered over.
.Shc must br, said FIon, for Katic
has worn tia san,o frock to school every
| sl.