Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-12-25
Dutifulness Rewarded.

"Weston," said Mr. Dayton to one of his
counting-room which was attached to the
large store in whicn Mr.. D. was proprietor,
"give me leave to say 1 do not think you dress
sufficiently genteel to appear in a fashionable
store" A deep flush suffused the face of the
young man, and in spite of his endeavors TO
suppress it, a tear gistened in his full, black
eye. "Did / not know that your salary was
sufficient to procure better habiliments, Iwould
increase it,"
"My salary is amply large, sir" said Weston,
with mortified air, but with that proud indc-
pendence of feeling Of which poverty had not
been able to divest him.
"Oblige me, then, by changing your apparel,
and presenting different appearance In the
future You are wanted in the store"
Weston turned and left his employer, who
muttered to himself, as he took up his paper,
"How do detcst these parsimonious fellows"
Mr.. Dayton was man of immense wealth.
He was widower and had but one child,
daughter, who was the pride of his declining
years. She was as good as an angel, and as
beautiful as she was good She was simple in
her taste and appearance. Such was Laura
Dayton when Weston May first became an in.
mate of her fathers house, and what wonder
that he soon learned to love her with very
deep and ardent affection. Though their
tongues meyer gave utterance TO what their
hearts felt, yet the language of their eyes was
not to be mistaken. Weston was the soul of
honor and although he perceived with pleas
1, 1,o f, I,
felt that he must conquer the passion that
glowed in his heart.
II must not win her heart" he said to him
self; II am penniless, and her father would
never consent to our union" Thus he rea-
soned, and thus he manfully endeavored to
subdue what he considered an ill-fated pas
sion
Laura had many suitors, some of whom were
worthy of her, but she refused them all with
gentle yet decisive firmuess.
Her father was in the decline of life, and
wished to sec her happily settled ere he de-
parted from this world. TWAS notlong before
he surmised that young Weston was the cause
of her indifference to others. The pleasure
which she took In hearing him praised, the
blush which mantled her face when their eyes
met served TO convince the old gentleman
that they took more than common interest in
each other. He forebore to make any remark
on the subject and was not displeased at the
thought, as Weston imagined he would be.
Weston May had now been three years in
his employ. Mr.. Dayton knew nothing, of his
family but his strict integrity, good morals,
and pleasing manners, conspired to make him
esteemed. He placed unbounded confidence
in him, and was very proud of him. He
wished him TO dress as well as others, and
wondered at the scantiness of his wardrobe
for, although Weston dressed with scrupuloui
regard to ncatness, his clothes were almost
threadbare, which Mr. Dayton thought pro
ceeded from a niggardly disposition, and ac'
cordingly he addressed him upon the subject
as before related.
Soon after this conversation Mr.. Dayton lef
home on business. AS he was riding through
a pretty village he alighted at the door of &
neat cottage and requested drink of water
The mistress, with an easy politeness which
told that she had not always been the humble
cottager, invited him to enter, He complied
and scene of poverty and neatness met his
gaze which he had never before witnessed
The furniture, consisting of nothing more thar
was necessary, was so clean and neat that i
cast an air of comfort all around. A yenera
BILE old man sat in the window with his staff IN
his hand. His clothes were old and so patched
that they seemed a counterpart of Joseph'i
coat of many colors.
"This is your father, presume" said he
addressing her.
at is sir" ...-.-a
"He seems quite aged"
) "He is in his eighty-third year, and has sur
yiyed all his children but pyself'