Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-01-03
Written for the American.
THE POWER OF KINDNESS.
By J. n. CLOUD.

just one more week, if you please, and
then we will try aud do some way"
"One more week, girl how often are
you going TO come to mo with that cryi
1 have already granted you one more
week, and now you come to me for still
another. can no longer indulge your
indoleaca. I tell you positively you can't
stay another week nor another day either.
You must and shall 90 TO night or I'll
help you to go I; 40 just be ready to travel
in one hour. or you will End your goods
in the street and yourselves with them,
without further warning"
"Oh, Mr.. Langdon T. The timid form
of Mary Evcrton drew involuntarily near.
or the hsartless tyrant she was addressing,
and bent upon him look full of entreaty,
as if TO impIore his leuieucy by the utter
despair that was depicted on her eounte.
nance. "How eau we 20 10 nigh,2 Moth.
or is sick, and Il Is 20 storm and cold II
will kill her. know Il will. II she has 10
10 out into the street such n night ms this.
We have done all we could do TO get n
place. but have failed. II you will not
permit us to remain another week, then
cant We stay day os tive? aud promise
you We will 20 then, LEI the c usequenees
DO what they may" Aid fresh 2ush OF
tears rolled down the poor girl'a cheeks
while the look Of hopeless sorrow visible
In her handsome face told, better than
words could tell Of her mental suffering
That's just the way with such indolent
do nothings ~ you; either mother II sick
or if IL isn't that It's something else.
tell you. girl shall hear no moro such
stuff ~ ills. have teld you that anolh.
CT family will occupy the house Tomorrow.
You already owe ise ten dollars. Unless
you pay that Ia Que hour, will have you
thrown into the street, DO you hear
that?''
The above conversation took place one
cold, bleak. stormy evening In Noyeinbcr,
between Wallace Langdon, y merchant In
. country town Of some Importance, aud
Mary Eycrton, delicate but handsome
pitl not more than sixteen. Langdon
was man Of aflluenee, aud, II might be
said, of considerable influence in the town
in which he lived strictly honest iu all
bis dealings, but stern and innexble. To
the poor hc was cruel and uuieelng lie
never had an ear 10 lend to the tale OF woe, i,
nor hand TO help the suffering. lie had
never known what IL was 10 want, aud he
regarded those who did rs being lndoleni.
careess or lazy, never stopping TO inquire
whelhef misfortune. siekuvss or failure
might not have bad something TO do with
<heir <sfFofinR To him misfortune had
never come he bad never Incurred a loss
OF suffered failure 10 amount TO anything
10 for - dollars aud cents were concerned,
while In reality bis whole life thus far had
been failure. Yet he didn't recognize
the fact. In short. he was a hard. hearted,
mcrciless iyrant To those whose inferior
circumstances brought them under his
hand, while 10 persons In siilaent circum-
stances he was ahablo, modest, aud gener.
ally much esteemed.
Mary Eserton was the daughter Of
poor but intelligent aud respectable wild
ow; whose husband. once man Of bus.
ness aud OF considerable wealth, had, lew
Years previous 10 the incidents with which
this lIltle narrative begins, failed aud Ii
nally died leaving bis vile with two small
children in obscure poverty, without, in
deed, any visible means OF support. With
her needle she had managed To procure n
living for herself aud family, year after
year, until Mary was old enough to assist
her Even then, the little her daughter
could earn was barely sufficient to enable
her TO appear respectable IN society. Her
other chIld-a boy sumo tour years young
er than Mary--was barely old enough to
begin to render his mother some assist
ance, when an accident entirely disabled
him. While at the depot, whittier he bad
been sent on some trihlDg errand, his foot
was 50 badly crushed by u ear wheel MS to
render II doubtful IL he would ever De able
to walk again. Mrs. Eyerton had kept
few boarders part Of the time OF late, but
becoming sick herself and Willie, her
boy, being no longer able to assist her.
aud the whole responsibility having de-
volyed upon Mary, together with the ex-
cesslve lsbor she was obliged to perform,
II soon became evident that her hail con
siitulion would not long bear up under it,
aud they were compelled to dismiss them.
She had lived tar three or four years in
a neat cottage belonging TO Wallace Lang
don. Hitherto she had never tailed to
pay up her rent bill in due time; but now,
frustrated by sickness, and none but Mary
left to procure living for the family, pay
the rent and doctors bills, aud purchase
the necessary clothing for the approaching
winter, want in its direst form began to
stare her in the face. Her rent bills re.
mained unpaid, aud the heartsss owner
was about to eject her into the street re-
gardless Of her sickness or suffering.
One week before the above incident oc-
Cured, Mary had gone to Mr.. Langdon to
inform him that il would be impossible for
them to pay their rent bill for short
time, promising to use every exertion to
get the money for him soon. He replied
by informing her that unless immediate
syment was made they must quit the
premises at once, and il was with difficulty
that she finally prevailed upon him TO per-
nit them TO remain another week; and
when another week had worn away they
we're no Dearer ready to pay than before;
and Mary, trembling with fear, again
sought the stern man to ask his leniency
fer still longer time-with what success
we have already seen.
The day had been bleak and cold, and
q stormy night was setting in. Only one
hour remained until they would in all
probability be turned into the street,
Mary could hardly realize the fact. She
was about to turn her steps homeward.