The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-06-23

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many honorable exceptions to the rule
which you have established"
I" IIal ha Exceptions !" laughed the
young man, sneeringly and bitterly; 81
have found none."
"Then | can give you at least the
poor consolation that in this solemn
hour you have found one. Much as
men are given to lying, there are very
few who will do so in their dying hour,
when they are about to enter the mys'
FERROUS eternity. have never lied dur
ing my life, and would, under no cir
cumstances, enter the valley of death
with lie on my lips. You will be-
lieve me, then, when | tell you that /
am no villain, as you appear to think,
but good and honest man."
Really? That is interesting. must
have, therefore, met the only honest
man whom | have ever seen, just in
time to bid, in his company, 'uah to
the world"
"Let me go alone, and you remain.
There exist many more just Us good
and honest men, who can beautity your
life. If you will only seek, you are
bound to find Them"
Well, at any rate, have found one.
But if life presents itself to you in such
a paradise-like view, why do you wish
to leave it like me? p
"Because | am poor and DID, and at
the same time sick and feeble man
who cannot earn anything, and who
cannot bear any longer to see his only
child, an angel in a daughter, toll al
most to death day and night to support
miserable and useless person-yes,
even to procure me some little pleas
ures. No, sir, | would be a brute, a
barbarian, were / to exact it any
longer"
"What, sir" cried the other as if
frightened, "you have daughter who
sacrifices herself for you ?'
"Oh with what patience and gen.
tleness, with what perseverance and
love does she do it. ! see her fade away
under her work and deprivation, and
yet no complaint ever escaped her lips.
She works and starves-and has al
ways a loving word, a cheering smile
for me-"
And you want to drown yourself.
Are you mad?''
Can | allow that angel to kill her
self by degrees? That is what LAGER
ates my heart" wept and sobbed the
old man.
"Sir, you must drink bottle of wine
with me at the restaurant there, and
relate to me your story. If you like, !
will return the compliment, and tell
you mine. Before hand, however, |
! will say that you need not jump down
there for ! am rich, q very rich man
and if your story proves true, what you
have confded to me, there will be no
need of your daughter working any
more, nor will either ofyou have to suf
| fer hunger
The weeping old man allowed himself
to be led away. They entered the bar
room. Soon they were sitting comfort
ably at table over bottle of wine, and
regarded each other curiously by the aid
of the bright light.
My story is soon told" commenced
the elder of the two in firm tone. g
am merchant; but fortune has not
smiled upon me; | had no money of my
own, and had married poor but lovely
girl. For these reasons | never was able
to establish myself on my own FOOTING,
but was obliged TO serve in other mer-
camille houses as clerk or bookkeeper
till they could not make any further
use Of me, or rather would not do so,
and preferred the services of younger
men to mine. But if my means were
limited the happiness of home was not.
My wife was an angel of goodness, love
and gentleness, pious and true, indus
trious and intelligent, and she has edu-
Gated her daughter to be like her. But
| sickness and age have reduced me to
AFFECT poverty, and my conscience viii!
not permit that that best of children
shall continue to sacrifice herself for
me. 1t is not possible that my life
would have lasted much longer, and
God will surely pardon me when / de-
prive myself Of a few dozen days or
weeks of it to save thereby the health
and life of my Lena"
Old man, you are happy being
cried the younger one. What you call
misfortune is nothing but mere baga-
telle. That is now and forever done
away with. | will make my will to-
morrow, in which l shall constitute you
my heir, and will postpone for a day
my leap into the Thames. But first, |
WISH 10 uldke tne acquaintance OF your
Lena, that may behold person before
my death who really deserves to be
called human being"
But, sir, you are still so young and
yet so unhappy, what is the cause
of it ?" cried the old man in q pitiful
voice.
81 think the money OF my father.
am the only son of one of the wealthiest
bankers of London, and, like you, am
also merchant. If / tell you my
name, which you have, no doubt, often
heard, it will convince you that am
telling the truth. Ny father died five
years ago, and inherited his colossal
fortune. From that moment all men
with whom have como in contact with
have either lied, stolen, cheated or de-
ceived me. was like an innocent
child in my belief and confidence, /
had not been spoiled, and had inherited
from my good mother heart which
was in need and looked for sympathy
and love. found hypocritical scoun-
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