Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-01
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS.

"PLEAsE, sir, viii you buy my chest
nutsY
"Chestnuts Mop returned Ralph
Moore, looking carelessly down on the up
turned face, whose large brown eyes,
shadowed by tangled curls and fiaxen hair,
were appealing so pitifully to his own.
What do / want Of chestnuts"
"But please, sir, do buy EN-" pleaded
the little one, reassured by the rough kind
ness 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 brushing
carelcssly past her, stopped instinctiyely.
Are you very much in want OF the
money!"
"Indeed, sir, we are," sobbed the child,
mother sent me out, and"
MAY, little one, don't cry In such
heart broken way" said Ralph, smoothing
her hair down with careless gentleness.
al don't want your cbestnuts, but here's
quarter for you, if that will do you any
good"
lie 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 between
his teeth:
hhb CuNb Ol buDDl1 w IVA
the next twenty-four hours. | don't care,
though, for the brown eyed object really
did cry rs If she hadn't n friend in the
world. Hang I'll / wish l was rich
enough to help every poor creature out of
the slough Of despondp
While Ralph Moore was indulging in
these very natural reflections, the dark.
orbed little damsel whom he had confront
cd was dashing down the street, with
quick, elastic step, utterly regardless of
the basket of unsOld nuts that still dangled
upon her arm. Down an obscure lane she
darted, between tall ruinous rows of
houses, and up a narrow wooden stair
case to a room where a 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 contentedly 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 coulh only have seen
the rapture which his tiny silver gift diff
fused around II, in the poor widows pow
crty. stricken home he would have grudgcd
still less the temporary privations Of
cigars to which his generosity had subject
ed him.
Years came and went. The little chest.
nut Eirl passed as entirely out of Ralph
Moore's memory as if her pleading eyes
had never touched the soft soft spot in his
heart, but Mary Lee never forgot the
stranger who had given her the silver
piece,
The crimson window curtains were
closely drawn to shut out the storm and
tcihptst OF the bleak December night
the fire was glowing cheeriy in the we'll
filled CRATE, and the dinner table all in a
glitter with cut glass, rare china, and
polished silver, was only waiting for the
presence of MIR. Audley,
"What can it be that dctains papaY"
said Mrs Audley, a fair, handsome matron
of about thirty, rs she glanced at the dial
OF n tiny enamelcd watch. "SiX O'Clock,
and he does not make his appearance"
"There's q man with him in the study,
mamma-come on business, said Robert
Audlcy, pretty boy, eleven years old, who
was reading by the fire.
am call him again" said Mrs. Audley,
stepping to the door.
But ~ she opsrcd il, the brilliant gas
light fell full on the face of an humble
looking man in worn and thresdbare gar
ments, WAC 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
cheek had paled and tlushed "who Is that
man-and what does he want"
"lIs name is Moore, believe, and he
came To see if | would besiow upon him
that vacant messcngetship In the bank"
"And will youY"
al don't know,EMary-I must think
about it,"
"Charles, give him the situation"
"Why, my love"
because | ask IL Of you as favor, and
you have said q thousand times you would
never deny me anything"
"And will keep my word, Mary" said
the lover husband, with an atfectiOnste
kiss, "Ill write the fellow a note this very
evening, l believe I've get his address
somewhere about me-
An hour or two later, when Bobby and
Frank and little Minnie were tucked snugly
utl III Alt-l III NllN NllAAl'Ao hNAHNAl NhfNN-
stairs, Mrs Audley told her husband ichy
she was interested in the fate of a 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 tho simple tale was concluded,
never forget one who has been kind to
you in the days when you needed kindness
most"
Ralph Moore was sitting the self same
night in his poor lodgings, beside his all
ing wlfe's sick bed, when liverled
servant brought note from that rich and
prosperous bank director Charles Aud.
ley
Good news, Bertha he exclaimed
ioyously, as he read the brieE words, 1--WE
mall not starve-Mr Audloy promises me
the vacant situation"
s"Nou have dropped something from
the note, Ralph" said Mrs Moore,
pointing to slip Of paper that lay on the
floor.
MSore stopped to recover the estray. 1t
was titty dollar bill neatly folded in a
piece of paper, ON which was written;
"ln grateful remembrance Of the sill.
yer quarter that kind stranger be.
slowed on the little chestnut girl twenty
yCArs ago"
Ralph Moore had thrown his morsel Of
bread ON the waters of life, and alter many
years IL had returned to him.
-
AT Rock creek on the Pacific Road, a
host of curioSites have been found. A
small hill is there entirely composed OF
pieces Of rock, which when broken open