Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-10-14

The Jeyveled watch.
Among the many officers who, at
the close Of the Peninsular War, re-
retired on half pay, was Captain Dut-
ton of the -th regiment. He had
married the pretty, but portionless,
daughter of a deceased brother officer;
and, filed with romantic visions Of
rural bliss, and Glove in cottage"
the pair, who were equally unskilied
in the practical details Of housekeep-
ing. fancied they could live in affiu-
ence, and enjoy all the luxuries of
life, on tho half-pay which formed
their whole income. aa
They took up their abode near
pleasant town in the south Of Eng
land, and for q time got on pretty
we'll; but when, at the end of year,
sweet little boy made his appear
ance, and at the end Of another, an
equally sweet little girl, they found
that nurse-maids, doctors, and allthe
etceteras pertaining to the introduce
ton and support of these baby visit
ors, formed a serious item in their
yearly expenditures.
For awhile they struggled on with
out falling into debt; but at length
their feet slipped into that vortex
which has engulfed SO many, and
their affairs began to assume a gloomy
aspect. About this time an adven-
turer named Smith,with whom Cap
tain Dutton became acquainted, and
whose plausible appearancecomplete-
ly imposed on the unsuspecting
soldier, proposed to him plan for
insuring, as he represented it, large
and rapid fortune. This was to be
effected by embarking considerable
capital in the manufacture Of some
new kind Of spirit-lamps, which
Smith assured the Captain, would,
when once known, superscde the use
of candles and oil lamps throughout
the kingdom. To hear him descant
on the marvellous virtues of his
lamp, one would be inclined to take
him for the descendant Of Aladdin,
and tho inheritor of that precious
heirloom. He, however, candidly
confessed TINT he still wanted 'the
slave Of the lamp" or, in other words,
ready money, to set the invention
going; and he at length succeeded in
persuading the unlucky, Captain to
sell out of the army, and invest the
price Of his commission in this ven
ture. To shorten the story of the
lamp, it proved q decided failure;
and Capt. Dutton awoke one morn
ing, and found himself ruined man.
But strength is often found in the
depths Of adversely, courage in de-
spair; and both our hero and his
wife set themselves to work to sup
port themselves and their children.
Happily they owed no debts, for
Captain Dutton honorably paid every
cent he owed in the world, before
intrusting the remainder of his CAPT
tai to the unprincipled Smith,; and
now this upright conduct met with
it's own reward.
He wrote = beautiful hand, and
occasionally earned trifle by copy
ing manuscripts, while seeking some
permanent employment. His wife
worked diligently with her needle;
but the care of her family hindered
her from adding much to their re-
sources. Notwithstanding their ex-
IRENE poverty they managed to
preserve a decent appearance; and
their little cottage was exquisitely
clean andneat Itwas Mrs. buttons
pride to preserve the respectable ap-
pearance of her husbands wardrobe;
and often she would work till mid
night, at turning his coat, ordarning
his linen, that he might appear as
usual among his equals. She often
urged him to visit their former
friends and solicit their aid in OBJ
tanning employment; but the soldier
who Yves bfaye rs q Non when facing
the enemy, shrank with the timidityl
Of a<Eirl from fe<Posing himself to
the humiliation sof q refusal, and
could not bear to confess his urgent
need. q q = & g e +
It happened that the General under
whom he had served came to spend
. few months at the watering place
near which the buttons resided,
and hired for the season a handsome
furnished house. Walking one
morning, in . djsconsolate mood, our
hero sawawith surprise bis former
oommaulersapps oaehing, and with
aRaddep fesltsg ~ false shame, be