Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-12-12
Choiff Wtisfftlany.
FOR FATHERS HONOR.
A Domestic sketch.

wy HloHet 10 Bone, ahSWeieu nr'
Sterling, fretfully.
"Wbat money?o
"The money was foolish enough to
lend Mr.. Granger"
"Why do you say that?"
I" He 3 dead,' replied Mr.. Sterling,
cool y.
"Dead!" The wife's voice was full of
SURF rise and pain. SO. row overshadowed
her face.
Eyes. gone, and my money with him.
Hers's -notire nf his death. i was sure
when / saw him 20 away that he'd never
come back except in his coffin. Why
will doctorssend their patients from home
to die." ..
poor Mrs. Granger! Poor little or
phans!" sighed Mrs. Sterling. what
will they do?"
"As well without him as with him."
was the unfeeling answer other husband,
who was only thinking ofthe three hun
dred dollars he had been over-persuaded
to loan the sick clergyman. in order that
he might 80 South during the winter
He IS been more of a burden than a
support to them these two years"
"Oh, Harry! how can you speak SOP"
demonstrated Mrs. Sterling. A kinder
man in his family was never seen. Poor
Mrs. Granger. she will be heart broken"
Kindness is cheap and easily dispens-
ed" cOldly replied Mr.. Sterling. He
lily if he had fed and clothed them bet
ter. l reckon they can do without him.
If had my three hundred dollars, l
would n't-"
But he checked for shame, not for any
hetter feeling, the almost brutal words
his heart sent up to his tongue.
Not many yards away from Mr.. Ster-
ling's handsome residence stood a small,
plain cottage, with q garden in front,
neatly laid out i'm box ordered walks, and
filled with shruhbery. A honeysuckle,
twined with a running rosebush, cover
ell the latticed portion, and looked in at
the chamber windows, giving beauty
and sweetness. The hand of taste was
seen everywhere, not lavish but discrim-
mating tgste. Two years before there
was not a happier home than this in all
the pleasant town OF G. Now the
hand of death was upon it.
"Poor Mrs. Granger! Poor little Or
phansW Well might Mrs. Sterling pity
Il EN-. When her mercenary husband
was sighing over the loss of three hun
dred dollars, the Young widow lay sense
less. with her two little children whis-
pering over her in childish terror. The
news of her death found her unprepared.
Only week before she received a let
ter from Mr.. Granger in which he talk
ed hopefully of his recovery. ~ am
stronger" he said; "my appetite is bet
ter; / have gained five pounds in flesh
since ! left home" Three days after
writing this letter there came II sudden
change of temperature, lie took cold
wEi.h was fOllI wed by congestion OF the
lungs, and no medical skill was sufficient
for the case. His body was not sent home
for interment. When the husband and
father went away, two or three months
before, his beloved ones looked upon his
face for the last time in the world
Love and honor make the heart strong.
Mrs. Granger was gentle, retiring wo-
man. She had leaned upon her husband
very heavily; she had clung to him as
vine. Those who knew her best felt
most anxious about her. "She has no
mental stamina they said; she cam
not stand alone" -
But they were mistaken. AS we have
just said, love and honor made her heart
strong. Only week after Mr.. Sterling
read the news of the young minister's
death, he received note from the wild
ow. ....... .,.......-t .
"My husband" she said, twas able to
go South, i'm the hope of regaining his
health, through your Kindness. If he
had lived, the money you loaned him
would have been faithfully returned, for
that honor in my keeping, and will see
that the debt is paid. But you will have
to be little patient with me-"
"All very fine" muttered Mr.. Ster7
ling, with slightly curling lip. 81 we
heard such things befOre-they sound
well. People will say of Mrs. Granger,
What noble woman! What y fine
sense of homer she hasn But / shall
never see my three hundred dollars ]
was zoo ish enough to lenl her husband.
Very much to Mr.. Sterling's surprise,
not little to his pleasure, he discovered
about three months afterward that he
was mistaken in his, estimate of Mrs.
Granger. The pale. sad, fragile little
brought him the sum of twenty
five dollars. lie did not see the tears in
her eyes rs he displayed her husbands
note, with its dear familiar writing, and
made thereon, with considerable for
mality. an Endorsement of the sum paid.
She would have given many drops of her
hearts blood to have been able to clutch
the document from Mr.. Sterling's hands.
II lis possession of it seemed like blot on
the dear lost ones memory. at
"Kate Granger Ia the queerest little
girl ever knew" said Flora Sterling to
her mother on the evening of the day
Dn which her first payment was made
Mr.. Sterling heard the remark, and let
ting his eyes drop from the newspaper
be was reading, turned his ears to listen.
II think her nice little girl, I" replied
the mother. 'H.. ivf 500 -. i'ru..
$50 she is nice" returned the child;
but then she is queer!" ~ '- . o.
"What do you mean by queer?"
"Oh, she is mt like the rest Of us girls.
She said the oldest thing to-day--I al
most laughed out, but am glad i did |
NJ. Three OF us, Katie, Lille Lonfield,
md l were walking round the square at /
recess time when Uncle Hiram. came |
along, and taking out three bright ten
cent pieces, he said,' Here 3 q dime for !
Zach of you girls, to buy sugar piums. -
Lille and screamed out, and were start
ng away for the candy shop In All in
Itant; but Katie stood still with her share |
If the money-in her hand. Come along!'
cried. She did Mt move, but looked I
strange and serious. 'Ain't you going to
,uy candy with it?' Iasked. Then she !
hook her head gravely and put the dime
n her pocket, saying, II don't think she
meant me to hear the words,) 1T g for (
ather's honor and leaving Us, went
,ack to the school room. What did she
mean by that, mother? Oh, she is so
TRANCE" ~ 'rH"p 7j lsl
aHer mother IA very moor, YOU know ., r.