The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-10-06

+ j DO kRoE IT. said Mr. Marshall
quietly And while | appreciate YOU
Kindness, must leg that tho question
be not opened
Whal Do you proposo ?" asked n,
/ gentleman who. ia virtue of holding
the largest demand, acted As Chairman
Of the melancholy committee.
Nothing. said Marshall, except
that you take nv books and Asscts. di
vide the proceeds anon nv creditors
and, II you are satisfied Of my hoaesty,
I give me q release Whatever deficit
there may be give my word TO make
up i my life is spared. and am it any
I degree prosperous. after this storm has
blown over
I Many bear felt and sincere compli.
ments we're paid TO the unfortunate
merchant by bis creditors. and 30 end
ed their FIRST meeting The next pro-
cseding would bo held without the pres
ence of Mr. Marshall. aud Of the result
u their deliberations he could not have
high hopes. He felt that he VAS right;
and a celebrated statesman but spoke
the feeling n every honest man. when
be said, 4 had rather be right than Be
President
But Marshalrs heart did fail, not
wiibstauding, as he turned toward the
home which he felt would soon be his
home no longer His wife was wait
ing bis return to dinner. She was anx-
laus, bat not impatient, She was anx-
ious because she had been properly APP
prised Of the difficulty in her husbands
business But she was not impatient.
for she knew that she had greater
troubles TO meet than the mere cooling
81 dinner And she wished her aus
band 10 receive that cordial welcome
home which should remove, in some de
gree, the pressure Of troubles without
The children, on the other hand, were
not anxious, but impatient WHAT
could they know of the troubles Of life
and business ? But they did know
that they were hungry; and that they
heard the cook say everything was
spoiled SO they bounded with clam
orous complaints though not ill-na-
turedt 10 meet their father He stopp-
ed their voices with kiss apiece and
answered their mothers look Of enaui-
~ in the same manner He turned
his head moment, and though be
made great noise in his handkerchief,
] am sure that il the eyes, and nose"
could have been called, the "eyes" had
it'll
Dinner went off in sad composure.
Marshall tried some ordinary topics,
but conversation Jagged. TIE child
rem tried TO be chatty, and their poor
father jumped at the relief which they
gave his thoughts as if grateful for it.
The mother caught his wishes and did
her best; but il must be owned, not
withstanding, that it was doleful din
ner The climax was reached when,
after duh pause, the smartest child6f
the three, terrible infant" broke Che
silence with the exclamation, "What is
the matter, father lis anbody dead 2"
The mother and father could not for
bear gaunt smile. The puzzled look
of the children ripened the smile into
a laugh; and the dear little wretches
hustled out. Mrs. Marshall turned to
her husband
"All is over, Mary, and we are ruin
ed"
"Not quite so bad, Henry. Ny little
legacy which you would make me invest
Tor pin money, will maintain us almost.
We can keep house upon that, as many
people do upon less. j"
THE house. Mary That is ours no
longer"
Mrs. Marshall paled under the shock
OF these tidings. But she commanded
herself and neither cried out or faint
ed. The loss Of which she had never
dreamed. Al her visions Of self-deni-
al and heroism faded away. The cas-
ties which she had built, in which she,
the devoted wife, was the central fig
ure all toppled down, and she saw now
only poverty and distress.
There was nothing to say. Silence
comforted them. They had touched
the depths. and, ANONYMOUSLY 10 them
selves, were ready to rise again. The
servant brought IN note In defiance
to It's injunctions Mrs Marshall placed
it IA her husbands hands as soon as
she had read it, 1t read thus:--
Ny husband says that your husband
IS romantically honest A very good !
fanlt, and You may be proud OF him.
You must say nothing to him or to any
one else, but demand proper consid-
sration of the creditors before you re-
lease that house from your right OF
dover. / would look in upon you, but
think you would rather not see even
your best friends this evening l am |
sure ] should wish to see none.
Mr. Marshall handed the note back |
without word Of comment just nov
the children came bounding in, fresh
rom their run which was miscalled
walk. And SO closed the day on which
Henry Marshall fnced the worst, and |
confessed TO that misfortune which,
common as il is, must ever grieve the
sensitive. Bankrupt that he was, he
still felt rich in his wife and she was
proud OF him, for she saw in him the
'oul Of honor, and resolved that be too
should be proud Of her.
Two or three days had passed. Mr.
bad gone daily TO his store 10
assist the accountants in investigating
his stock and books, and 70 answer the
enquiries as might arise. The work
was closed, and the creditors were now
determined what terms they would Of
cr him.