The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-11-22

sad, fragile little woman brough
him the sum of twenty-five dollars
He did not see tho tears in her eye
as he displayed her husbands note
with its dear familiar whiting, ane
jmade thereon, with considerable for
mality, an Endorsement of the sun
paid. She would have given man,
drops of her hearts blood to hav,
been able to clutch the document
from Mr.. Sterling's hands. His pos
session of it seemed like blot on tn,
dear lost ones memory.
"Kate Granger is the queerest lit
tie girl / ever knew" said Flor.
Temple to her mother on the eve
ming of the day on which her frs
lpayment was made. Mr.. Sterling
jhesrd the remark, and: letting hi:
sleyns drop fromthe newspaper he wa:
}resdiBg, turned his ears to listen.
81 think her a nice little GIRL" re
lplied the mother.
$50 she is NICE" returned the
lchild "but then she is queer ~
"What do you mean by queer ?''
',Oh, she isn't like the rest of US
Igirls. She said the oldest thing to.
lday-I almost laughed out, but I am
lglad 1 didn't. Three OF us, Katie,
Lille Lonfield, and were walking
round the square at recess time wher
Uncle Hiram came along. and taking
out three bright ten cent pieces, he
said, Here's dime for each of you
girls, to buy sugar plums.' Lille
end I-screamed out, and were start
ing away for the candy shop in ar
instant; but Katie stood still with
her share Of the money in hel
hand. Come alongr L cried. She
didn't move, but looked strange and
serious. sAin't you going to buy
candy with it p / asked. Then she
shook her head gravely and put the
dime in, her pocket, saying, / DOM
think she meant me to hear the
words, } Its for fathers honor and
leaving US, went back to the school
room. What did she mean by that
mother Oh, she is so strange"
"Her mother is very poor, you
know" replied Mrs: Sterling, laying
Iup Katie singular remark to be pom
ldered over. - .
= "She must be-" said Flora, "fol
Katie has worn the same frock to
school every day for over three
months"
Mr.. Sterling, who did not let a sin.
gle word of this conversation escape
him was far from feeling as comfort
able under the prospects of getting
back his money he had loaned Mr.
Granger as he had felt an hour be.
fore. He understood the meaning ol
Katie's remark-"It's for fathers
Honor ;" the truth flashing, at once
Through his mind.
There was another period of three
months, and Mrs. Granger called Oh
Mr.. Sterling again, and gave hin
twenty five dollars more The. pale
4 thin face made a strong impression
on him. 1t troubled him to take the
money from her small fingers, in
which the blue veins shone through
the transparent skin as 1t was count
ed out. He wished that she had sent
the money instead of calling. 1t was
on his lips to remark: "Do not troub;
lie yotfrpetfro pay .rasser IMAM con
venient, Mrs. Granger" but cupidity
Whispered that she might take advan
Itage of his considerate kindness, and
so he kept silent.
] "No dear, it's for fathers honor
1 can't spend it."
I Mr.. Sterling was passing fruit
shop, where two children were look
ing in at the window, when this sen
ltepoe struck his ears. FFl = +
4 sAaapple don tcost but a penny
Katie, and / want one so badly" ans
wered the younger of the two child
ren, little girl not five years of age
"Come away, Maggie" said the
other, drawing her sister back from
the window, "Don't look at them any
more-don't think about them"
"But l can't help thinking about
them, sister Kate" pleaded the child
|. It was more than Mr. Sterling
lcould stand. Every want of his own
lchildren was supplied. He bough,
fruit by the barrel. And here was 6
little child pleading for an apple
which cost only cent! but the ap
pie was denied, because the penny
\ must be saved to,make good the dead
father honor. Who held that hon
or in pledge? Who took the sun
total of these pennies, saved in self
denial, of this little child, and added
them to his already brimming Golfers
A feeling of shame burned the cheek
of Mr.. Sterling.
"Here, little ones," he called as thu
two children went slowly away from
the fruit shop window. He wa'
touched with the, sober look on theil
sweet young faces as they turned al
his invitation.
"Come in, and Eli get you some
apples" he said.
Kate held back, but Maggie drew
out her hand, eager TO accept the of
fer, for she was longing for the frnit
"Come, repeated Mr.. Sterling
speaking very kindly.
], The children then followed hir
into the shop, and he filled their n
prons with apples and oranges. Theil
thankful eyes and happy faces were
in his memory all day. This was hi:
,Irpwud, aed it was very sweet.
q & Three months afters and again Dir
. Htefling nd q visit from tue pale
young widow This time she had
only twenty dollars. 1t was all sh'
t had been able to save, she said; bu
she made no excuse and uttered NJ
) complaint. Mr.. Sterling took the
5 money and conhtedit over in hesi
r ltating way. The touch thereof wa:
E very pleasant to his fingers, for HI
loved money. But the vision OF SO
ber chlld- faces was before his eyes
s and the sound Of pleading child-voi
: ces in his ears. Through overtaxins
r toll and the denial of herself and lit
sksis ones. the poor widow had gath
J ered this small sum and was nov
: uayfnR ln6oshis hands, to mike goo
RI the honorable contract of her dead
e husband. He hesitated, ruffling in
o halt silent way the edges of a littl'
pile of bills that lay under his fingers
One thing Was clear to him-he new
III -os.s R-r.,