Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-11-21
TALES AND SKETCHES.
'EIEE H.OST EsESea.
BY A RETIRED ATTORNEY.
"NIr. Docket 2"
Yes, madam

"Mr. Docket :"
Yes madam
1t was an elderly woman upon whose brow
care had furrowed many u wrinkle. She
was dressed in homely garments, and the
struggle between penury and ncatness which
they eYinced would have been an interesting
study for philosopher. Her eyes were red,
as though she had been weeping aud when
she seated herself by my desk, the pent up
current of grief burst afresh.
"What is the matter, my good woman
You seem to be in deep distress" l remarked
in the most encouraging tone could COM
mand.
Il am, sir. They say the Lord is near to
them that are suffering, and am sure he
ought to be near me-"
II dare say he is, ma'am. But you know
that Affections are sent to us for our good,
and we ought never repine at the discipline
of life, however severe it may sometimes
seem to u.s."
had heard an excellent sermon the day
before, for it was Monday, on tribulation,
and | was Just IN the frame of mind for Civ
ing others most excellent advice, which, per.
haps, should have been very unwilling to
follow if the dark waves of trouble had
rolled over me.
81 try to bear it as well as / can" she re.
pItSt, "lPih6 away h'i 'SoiS WIN ''S WI hCi
of her apron.
Il don't know as am acquainted with
you, ma'am,"I suggested, for the purpose of
changing the topic and bringing her to busi,
ness.
81 don't know rs you are" she replied !;
and she proceeded to give me very long
and very succinct account of her previous
| history, beginning back some forty years,
when she was born among the White Mount
aims in New Hampshire
tried to check her, but it was no use.
was as patient as the case would admit, and
mindful of the duty We owe to the weak, the
| intirm and the ignorant; but my patience
was sorely tried. will not puHish the reader
with the long, fne-spun story she told me,
| for few lines will suffice to inform him of
the material facts.
| She was widow; her name was Marche.
She had al only son, Philip, who was EN-.
played in an insurance office, and received
three dollars week for his services. He
was Il good boy and loved his mother, as q
son should. Upon their united earnings
they lived very comfortably in an obscure
street, where they hired two rooms. Mrs.
Marches catalogue of her sons virtues was
certainly very edi!ying. He never spent a
cent upon himself, never went out nights,
and attended church forenoon and afternoon.
An evil day had come. On the Saturday
three weeks preceding, Mr.. Carman, the
president of the insurance company, as he
declared, had sent Philip with valuable
diamond ring to the jewelers. to have the
stone reset. On inquiry the ring was found
not to have reached its destination. The
jeweler had never seen it. To make the case
more complicated, the boy denied having
received the ring. Mr.. Carman had never
sent him on any such errand.
The boy had been arrested on charge o
stealing the ring, anG was now confined il
Jail. Mr.. Carman was ready to swear he de
liyered the valuable article into the hands o.
the boy, with explicit directions as to wher,
he should carry it and what should be done
with it.
1t looked like bad case The poor wo
man was in the sa6dest distress. She wa
sure that her darling boy would not steal
pitied her and promised to do what coulc
for her son.
When she had gone called upon Mr.. Car
man. / found that he was one of those dog
matte old fellows who are never wrong, VIII,
find it impossible to err, even by design, o
to make a mistake. / tried to argue tn
point with him, but he would not say much
He told me the story; was sure he sent tn
boy, and nobody else.
/ ventured to suggest that he might hav
been mistaken that he had sent the ring b
u some other person.
"Do you take me for asimpleton, cir D