The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-01-26
TwENTY-FIvE CENTS.
"Please, sir, will you buy my chest


Moore, looking carelessly down on the
upturned face, whose large brown eyes
shadowed by tangled curls and faxen
hair, were appealing so pitifully to his
own. What do / Want of chestnuts p
but please, sir, do buy 'cm," pleaded
the little one, reassured by the rough
Kindness of his tone Nobody seems
to care for them, and-and-'
She fairly burst into tears, and Moore,
who had been on the point of carelessly
brushing past her, stopped instinGtively.
Are you very much in want of the
money =
..Indeed, sir,we are" sobbed the child,
mother sent Inc out, and r.
Nay, little one, don't cry in such a
heart broken way" said Ralph, SMOOTH
ing her hair down with careless gentle
ness. 81 don't want your chestnuts, but
here's quarter for you if that will do
lyou any good"
He did not stay to hear the delight, in
coherent thanks the child poured out
through rainbow of smiles and tears,
but strobe on his way, muttering be-
tween his teeth:
THAT cuts off my supply of cigars
for the next twenty four hours. l don't
care, though, for the brown-eyed object
really did cry as if she hadn't friend
in the world. Hang it l wish l was
rich enough to help every poor creature
out of the slough of despond"
"While Ralph Moore was indulging in
these very natural reflections, the dark
Orbed little damsel whom he had COM
forted was dashing down the street, with
quick, elastic step, utterly regardless of
the basket of unsold nuts that still dan
gled upon her arm. Down an obscure
lane she darted, between tall, ruinous
rows of houses, and up narrow, wood
ell staircase to a room where pale, neat
looking woman, with large brown eyes
like her own, was sewing as busily as if
the breath of life depended upon every
stitch, and two little ones were playing
in the sunshine that temporarily supplied
the place of the absent fire.
"Mary, back already? Surely you
have not sold your chestnuts so soon ~
"Oh, mother, mother, see!" calculated
the breathless child. "A gentleman
gave me whole quarter Only think,
mother, whole quarter"
If Ralph Moore could only have seen
the rapture which his tiny silver gift diff
fused around it, in the poor widow S
poverty stricken home, he would have
grudge6 still less the temporary priva-
ton of cigars to which his generosity
had subjected him.
Years came and went. The little chest
nut girl passed as entirely out of Ralph
Moore's memory as if her pleading eyes
had never touched the soft spot in his
heart, but Mary Zee. never forgot the
stranger who had given her the silver
piece.
The crimson window curtains were
closely drawn to shut out the storm and
tempest of the bleak December night
the fire was glowing cheerily in the we'll
filled or; t., and the dinner-table, all in a
glitter with cut glass, rare china and pol
ished silver, was only waiting for the
presence of Mr.. Audley.
"What can it be that detains papa ?"
said Mrs. Audley, fair, handsome mat
ron of about thirty, as she glanced at the
dial of tiny enameled watch. "Six
o'clock and he does not make his appear
ance"
There's man with him in the study,
mamma-come on business" said Rob-
ert Audley, a pretty boy, eleven years
old. who was reading by the fire.
"Tll call him again." said Mrs. Aud
ley stepping to the door,
But as she opened it, the brilliant gas
light fell full on the face of an humble
looking man in worn and threadbare gar
ments, who was leaving the house, while
her husband stood in the doorway of his
study, apparently relieved to be rid of
his visitor
"Charles" said Mrs. Audley, whose
check had paled and flushed, "who is
that man-and what does he want 2"
ellis name is Moore, believe, and he
came to see if | would bestow upon him
that vacant messengership in the bank" !"
"And will you?'
II don't know Mary-I must think
about it,
Charles give him the situation
"Why, my loveI'
Because l ask it of you as favor,
and you have said thousand times you
would never deny me anything"
"And 1 will keep my word, Mary"
said the lover husband with an affection
ate kiss, '.Tll write the fellow note this
very evening. Ibelicve I've got his ad-
dress somewhere about me"
An hour or two later, when Bobby,
and Frank and little Minnie were tucked
snugly up in bed in the spacious nursery
above stairs, Mrs. Audley told her hus-
band rhy she was interested in the fate
of man whose face she had not seen
for twenty years.
That's right, my little wife," said her
husband, folding her fondly to his breast,
when the simple tale was concluded,
"never forget one who has been kind to
you in the days when you needed kind
ness"
Ralph Moore was setting the self
night in his poor lodgings, beside his
ailing wifes sick bed, when livericd
servant brought a note from that rich
and prosperous bank director, Charles
Audley..
Good news, Bertha!' he exclaimed
joyously, as he read the brief words,
1--WE shall not starve-Mr. Audley prom
ises me the vacant situation"
"You have dropped something from
the note, Ralph" said Mrs. Moore, point
ing to strip Of paper that lay on the
floor.
Moore stopped to recover the estray.
1t was a fifty dollar bill, neatly folded in
piece of paper, on which was written !:
I'm grateful remembrance of the sill
yer quarter that kind stranger bestow
ed on the little chestnut girl twenty years
ago"
Ralph Moore had thrown his morsel
of bread on the waters of life, and after
MANY wears II had ret1rned to him