The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-06-26

ner nands We're clasped t. wards Hea
ven, and prayed:
"Oh, .Godi be good to "a ' father,
and make his heart warm and peace
full. Make me to love him with all
tenderness, and enable me to do we'll
and truly the duty [ pledged to my
sainted mother! promised I would
love and care for him always. Father
in Heaven, help me! Oh! help me!'
Inc old man crept down stairs and
out of doors, aud, for q whole hour,
he walked alone among the trees. He
thought again of his wife-again of
his child-and then of his gold! And
this was not the first time he had
walked alone there. He did not him
self know how great was the influ-
ence his child was exerting over him.
Agnes, pure, good and beautiful
Agnes, wept long and bitterly in her
little garret, and, when she had be-
come calm, and her cheeks were dry,
she came down and got supper. But
she was not the smiling happy being
that had fitted about the scanty
board heretofore.
A few days after this, rs Noah Bre-
men approached his cot, one morn
ing, he hoard voices from within. He
peeped through rent in the coarse
paper curtain, and saw Walter Adams
with his child. Her head was upon
Walters shoulder, and his arm was
about her.
Walter was an orphan, and had
been Agnes schoolmate, and her fer
vent lover through all the virtuous
man, and loved the gentle girl be-
cause she was so good and gentle,
and so beautiful. And she loved him,
not only because he was, of all her
suitors, the only one whose character
and habits promised JOY and peace
for the future.
"I cannot leave my poor old father,
Walter" the old man heard his
say. 81 must live to love
and care for him. On all the earth I
am the only one left to love him. 1t
is hard! My heart may break-but
the pledge of love 1 gave to my dying
mother must be kept"
"And so the great Joy dream of my
youth must be changed to this sad
reality. [ cannot ask you to leave
your father, sweet Agnes, for the
very truth in you which [ Worship
would be made lie, could you do
50. But [ have prayer. L pray that
God in his mercy may remove the
curse from your fathers bended
form."
"The curse, Walter!''
''Aye, tho Gold Curse" reioined
she youth fervently. 'I hope God
may render him pennyless."
"What? Pennyless?" repeated Ag-
les, with a start.
"Aye, pennyless; for then he would
be far more wealthy than he is now.
Then he would know how to appre-
,iate the priceless blessing of his
sweet Agnes love, and then the crust
might be broken, and his heart grow
luman again. And more than ALL"
Walter continued, winding his arm
more closely about the fair form of
lis companion, and speaking moro
leeply, "then 1 could prove to him
ny love; then / could take YOU to nv
home; and we could both love him
md care for him while we lived"
Noah Bremen stopped to hear no
more, and as he walked away, he
nuttered to himself:
''The rascal! He'd do great things:
ne pennyless, and he paying for it,
he young villain
When the old man gained his ac-
walk among the sycamores,
le wiped something from his eye. He
lcted as thoupb q noota bo6 baan
blown in there.
Two weeks passed, and Agnes grew
pale and thin. She did not sing as
'he used to, nor could she smile AS
lad been her wont. Still, she MUIR
nured not, nor did her kindness TO
ler father grow less.
ooh, God, help me to love my
'ather," she prayed, one night. Get
1ot my grief make me forget my
luty."
And the old man heard it.
One night Noah came home from
.he city, and in his hand he brought
| small trunk. He barred the door,
md drew the tattered curtains close.
"See," he said, rs he opened the
trunk, and piled the bank notes upon
5he table. 'Lool there, Agnes, and
see how have worked in my life
lime. L had no education, but I've
laid up -m0ney-MoNEY. How
many men would sell me all their
brains tonight for this. See! one
Observation-Disclosures Count
them, Agnes. There is $1,000 in
each 5ackaOe "