Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-12-25

fcomforters which the people wore, as
sured the merchant that it was very
cold. = ss.,lsuiisi ,-ti ,g'-.,-.,r.,..,
Il The figure led him into large store
on one of the business streets. and only
stopped when they reached the count
ing-room, where several merchants were
collected around the stove. Gideon
fGrindein and his companion paused be-
side. them, but the gentlemen did not
seem conscious of their presence. IL
A"What was that you said about Gid
con Grindem ?' asked ont. a'ii l-ot
Il said he is q heartless brutep' re-
piled another. n l.aIar ss.-. = ...''. -
Il "What new thing has he done pr
"He has killed his daughter, and her
husband, and children. They 'froze to
death yesterday, in miserable howell
near East River. oq Think of ton
Christmas day, too - and old Grindem
rolling in wealth in his sumptuous homel"
H i""He has tough Conscience, said the
first speaker "but I would not like to
be in his place when he comes to die"
10 Gideon Grindem's heart stood still.
at is true," said the figure solemnly.
"In the sight of God you have murdered
your childrenl" a.pairfllA zHr
\ The merchants brairf seemed on fire,
and he shrieked aloud with anguish, for
the. terrible words burnt into his soul
1 like red -hot irons. The figure at his
side was SO stern, SO terrible, that he
A could not bear to look at it. woo s,t-r
iu4ttHaye mercy on me u he groaned.
"My heart is breaking!" .oG8logls
"Your heart. .miserableman !" exclaim-
led the figure sternly, "Would You see
your heart Z" And without waiting for
reply the figure placed its, hand heav-
lily on the merchants head, and bowed
it so that it seemed to turn his eyes in
ward. He could but look, and, to his
horror, he saw in the the place where his
heart should have been a hideoris mass
! of corruption, Sc, foul, SO horrible. that
he shuddered to look at it. a. is.i5i-sJ
'l"It has changed greatly since you
gave it to your dead wife, Gideon Grind
! en-" said the figure, sadly, .t E-t TO 80,
"Have mercy on mel" the merchant
pleaded. .s,s.2. 1.,,r,r7e-..
"Were you merciful to your child 2"
asked Conscience, sternly. "Have you
kept the VOW ) ou made to your dead
wife, to, love. and protect her child al
ways a. ~ 81. a.,ia., ~, n. :.g1'f.a
4 The merchant was silent. He knew
he had been pitiless and cruel. 7'ti
"Come with me" continued the figure,
and l will show you what shall be the
end of all this" ~ sulHl4-, si'- sssvi
1 Again the merchant felt himself borne
swiftly along, and when he opened his
eyes again, he found himself in his own
1 home, III
] He stood in his chamber, and invol,
UNFAIRLY he marked the contrast between
its luxurious comforts and the miserable
garret in which his daughter had frozen
! to death. He saw, too, bis desk, where
ne kept his private papers and consid-
erable sum of money, open, and one of
his servants searching eagerly, among
the contents. He tried to spring forward
1 to stop the man, but he could not move,
and when he endeavored to speak, his
/ voice failed him. The figure pointed
4 silently. to the bed, and Gideon Grindem
looked helplessly in that direction.
:. A man lay on the bed, silent and mo
/ tionless: His hands were clasped mute
ly on his breast, and his eyes were wide
/ open and staring blankly at the ceiling.
/ Gideon Grindem bent over and gazed at
| the countenance, but he shrank back in
] horror and dismay. Never had he seen
such look Of despair as that dead
4 mans face wore. So still, SO terrible
! was it, that it seemed to be something
| supernatural. The merchant shrank
back. with groan; for the face upon
which he looked was his own.z Il II
fae"Is this to be the end ~ he moaned
sThis will be the end,"' said the figure,
solemnly. se-""To die alone. neglected and
unloved. and without hope .hereafter.-
God help you, unhappy man!"'ied 9Nt1
The figure slowly faded, away, and
Gideon Grindem looked, up with a start.
He was sitting ino his library, with the
untasted refreshments on the stand by
| his side, and the embers cold and lifeless
in the CRATE before him.. The gas was
burning in the chandelier with sickly
glare and through the curtained windows
streamed the, broad, full light, Of the
IChristmas sun. The merchant rubbed
his eyes and stared around vacantly.-
Then his gaze rested on the portrait of
his dead wife. over the mantle-piece.-
The golden sunshine fell lovingly upon
her face, and the eyes of the woman who
had been so,dear to him, seemed full of
sweetness and tenderness1as they Ishone
down upon him, carrying light straight
into his heart that had been so dark. =
Inyoluntarily he placed his hand on his
heart, and remembered how be had seen
it, then great SUB burst from him, and
he cried': 77ss 81 ,siEss ss-sz'Taas =
"o,sGod' be thankful! it was but a
dream" =
III Another look into the dear eyes of
the woman who had loved him, and he
sank on his knees and bowed his head
lowly and reverently, Gideon Grindem
was praying. 4aye1 Iiirg JaaI.'a 3 m
IgaIt was still early morning when the
hand some carriage of the merchant drove
fby the Park on its way to East River.
The old apple woman, rejoicing in the
sunlight that had followed the storm, was
spreading her wares on her table, when
she was startled to see the handsome
equipage pause before her stand, and to
hear the same voice that had repulsed
her sorudely thenight before, call her to
approach. She did so tremblingly, and
when the merchant cheerily. bade her hold
out her hand, sheobeye because shefear-
ed to refuse. But hersurprise was redoub-
led when she saw lying in her withered
palm bright golden eagle, which spark
led joyously in the Christmas sunlight.
"What is this for, lsir?" she faltered.