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

coin ever earned In puOuc. ~ II SiA.
pence; Old, battered, thin, dilapidsted, but
with not onfys cross on II, hat hole IN
it. Thsts the reason why ] kept 1.-THE
hole in II. TWAS q lucky coin won.
der If the kind.haartsd gentleman who
gave il me guessed wasn't IN every day
street musician / think he did, for he
stepped up to me 20 kindly, and handed
It to me.s0 gently, that was certain he
had his Thoughts On me- more than on my
music. There wasa young lady with him,
on his arm-his daughter, think, for /
fancied that heard her say "papa" to
him. Though, for the matter Of that she
might have been his wife, repeating her
Children nsme for her husband. Al mel
children, and wife, and home! They bad
. nice house and nice furniture, no doubt,
and plenty 10 eat and 70 drink, and where
withal TO be decenuy and elegantly clothed.
They had all their household gods en-.
shrined in comfort, and they were happy,
I could see that they were; while the
player who stood before their door, and
tried TO minister more pleasure still to
them, was far otherwise. s5 e
Some day intend writing the history
of that fearful time Of expectation and
misery; but here / pass over II to that
dread day when I knew I 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
I lodged, assured me would only bring In
about eight or ten pounds in Melbourne.
But did not dare TO think about parting
with them any more than with my cloth
ing seeing that IL / got situation any.
where out OF Melbourne, / should have
no other means Of getting my wife and
my chickens 10 our new home. II was
Heavens own mercy then, I am sure, that
the day for paying my insurance premium
was not near at hand. My life was in
sured for nearly . thousand pounds-all
left by my will to them. Often have /
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 dcspairing state Of mind at this
crisis, ii would have been too much for
my reason the thought Of losing the
only provision I had made for my treas
ures, through inability 10 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 must do something" feel aston
ished that that something" is not often
more unlawful than II really is. often,
TOO, think with trembling what, at that
time. shonh have done for my wife and
children II hadn't thought Of trying my
fortune as a street musician.
II occurred to me at first that I ought to
A,.y Co. ant -
hall or musical tavern as negro minstrel.
didn't seek an engagement among the
negroes, however, for fear l should be
recognized, even through the lampblack.
No !; made up my mind to try my for
tune all alone, seeking the darkest places
only. shoud ! disguise myself Yes, If
necessary. But how that was the rub.
! thought at first of merely backing my
face, then of turning it of q tawny hue
o1ly. Then determined to make clean
shave Of all 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 not living in house OF
my own, and didn't want to attract the
attention Of my kind-hesrted but timid
hndlady. She might take the alarm, and
turn us all out Of her house, and then what
could be done?
some years before met an old friend
q lady too; and we know how Observant
they are-in 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
cicnt DISCUS for me, and l attempted no
other. excepl lie putting on OF an old
loose coat.
Ny poor wife, when got home, saw in
my face that had been unsuccessful that
day in getting place had fondly ex-
pected. 1t was halt past six o'clock this
gloomy antnmEal 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 TO 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 az that day, and by the time
got home, although II hsd tLcn cleared
up-At least, into q sad wintrv fog-I 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. My 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-tca was smoking hot
on the table, the good little woman
put the candle ON the stable door and
ret 70 work with her trembling hands 10
uniastGn the harness Of the horse. She
kept talking all the time. with only .
quaver here and there In her sweet voice,
and actually forced laugh, too, 1t her
awkwardness in grooms work. It was
only incidentally, rs 1t were, thai I sup
pose you didn't get that beggarIy placef
and It's just ~ 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 70
his manager while carried In his harness,
---ssd rags by this timei
Now come and take your nice hot
dinner, and well have such pleasant talk
afterwards ! have got something particu-
lar 70 tell you
And she took me by the arm.
my poor Sellowl How cruel Of me
not 70 have noticed IL beforei Why, you
sre dripping welt Why didn't you
shsltsrs Come along and change your
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