Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-03

pence; old. battered, thin, dilapidsted, but
with not ensys cross on h, but hole in
it. Thsfs the reason why kept 1.-THE
hole IN Il. Il was lucky coin. won.
der If the kind hearted gentleman who
gave il me guessed wasn't IN every day
street musician think Ne did, for be
stepped up to me % kindly, end handed
ii TO mes gsatly, that I Was certain he
had his Thoughts on me- moge than on my
music. There wasa young lady with him,
on his Arm-his daughter, think, for !
fAncied that l heard her ay papa TO
him. Though, Soe the matter OF that, she
might have been his wife, repeating her
chiIdreu's nsme for her husband. All me J
children, and wife, and homo! They bad
q nice house and nice furniture, no doubt.
and plenty 70 eat and 70 drink, aud where
withal to be deccntly and elegantly clothed.
They had all their household gods en-
sbrined in comfort, and they were happy,
! could see that they were; while the
player who stood before their door, and
tried 70 minister more pleasure sill TO
them, was far otherwise.
Some day I intend writing the history
Of that fearful time Of expectation and
misery: but here ! pass ever II 70 thst
dread day when / knew l had not the
price of another weeks lodging for my
poor darlings. There we're the horse and
gig, TO be sure. which Smith, with whom
lodged, assured me would only bring in
about eioh. or ten pounds in Melbourne.
But did not dare 10 think about parting
with them any more than with my cloth
ing seeing that il / got situation any
where out OF Melbourne, I should have
no other means Of getting my wife and
my chickens TO our new home. II was
Heavens own mercy then, am sure, that
the day for paying my insurance premium
WAS not near at hand. Ny life wss in
sured for nearly thousand pounds-all
left by nv will to them. Often have l
thought since, how many men must die
accidentally on purpose Ever since my
marriage had managed To keep up the
payment Of my premiums, and feel sure
that in my despairing state OF mind at this
crisis. it would have been too much for
my reason the thought Of losing the
only provision had made for my treas
ures, through inability 70 pay the pre-.
MUM, or through living up TO the time
the last was due.
All, my dear reader, pray God that you
may never be brought to understand the
full meaning OF the words, " In order TO
live mus, do s1peeshing' feel aston
ished that that something" Is not often
more unlawful than It really Is. often,
too, think with trembling what, at that
time, / should have done for my wife and
children II hadn't thought Of trying my
fortune as street musician.
II occurred To me at first that ought To
try for an engagement in some concert
hall or musical tavern as a negro minstrel.
didn't seek an engagement among the
negroes, however, for fear should be
recognized, even through the lampblack.
No; made up my mind to try my for
tune all alone, seeking the darkest places
only. Should disguise myself, Yes, il
necessary. But how. that was the rub.
thought at first of merely backing my
face, then of turning it Of q tawny hue
only. Then determined to make clean
shave Of sll my face-hair then Of play
ing all manner Of changes by means Of
the mustache and beard Finally, how
ever, didn't do any thing to my face, in.
asmuch as was mot living in house OF
my own, and didn't want TO attract the
attention Of my kind-hcarted but timid
She might take the alarm, and
turn MS all Out Of her house, and then what
could be dones 49,
Some years before met an old friend
q lady too; s,ss. VIC know how observant
they are lin Sydney, and positively she
didn't recognize me because had on one
Of the new fashioned helmet hats. This
lucky recollection made me feel sure
that head dress might be made suffl
cient DISCUS Cor me, and attempted no
other, cxcep' ,le putting on OF an old
loose coat,
My poor wife. when I got home, saw in
my face that had been unsuccessful that
day in getting a place had fondly ex-
pected. It was halt past six o'clock this
gloomy autumEal day, and she had heard
NV horse coming along the stony road In
The dusk, and had run out with the can
die In her hand 10 learn the news from me
whilst embarrassed the horse and stabbed
him. The light held up to my face, though
the face smiled, told her all but she bore
II bravely, and made no sign. It had been
drizzling rain all that day, and by the time
got home. although II had then cleared
up--at least into sad wintry fog-1 Was
wet to the skin. To tell the truth, indeed,
hadn't taken the smallest trouble In the
world to keep myself dry, or warm, or
otherwise comfortable. Ny wife saw the
expression Of my face, and knew the
worst. And then, while she began tell.
ing me in her most cheerful voice how
my fsvorite pudding was waiting for me,
and the dinner-tea was smoking hot
On the table, the good little woman
put the candle on the stable floor and
vet to work with her trembling hands to
nnfasten the harness of the horse. She
kept talking all the time. with only
luaver here and there in her sweet voice,
md actually forced q laugh, too, at her
in groom's work, It was
only incidentally, as IL were, that ] sup.
pose you didn't get that beggsrly place
md it's Just as well, dear, indeed" came
out. And she handed me the horses food,
which she had, in the daytime, laid by
ready In cloth, and led the horse up to
his manager, while carried ID his harness,
-sad rags by thistimei
"NOw come and take your nice hot
dinner, and we'll have such pleasant talk
Afterwarda have got something particu-
lar to tell you" L ~
And she took me by the ARM .ala
my poor fellowl How cruel of me
not to have noticed 1t beforei Why, you
are dripping wet Why didn't you
Bhelters Come along and change your
things Immediately" - s.. =
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