The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-12-28
AN ENGLISH STORY.
aPlease, sir, will.you buy nay chest-

"Please, sir, will,you buy my chest
nuts ?" q
NO." returned Ralph Moore, look
ing carelessly down on the upturned
face, whose large eyes shadowed by
tangled curls of fiaxen hair were ap-
pealing so plttifully to his own.
w hat do l want of Chestnuts ?"
lf'sBHt please, sir, buy 'em," 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
brushing earelessly past her, stopped
instinctively.
care you very much in want of the
money Z" 8za 3 +
"Indeed, sir, we are,'' sobbed the
child; "mother sent me out, and"
"Nay, little one, don't cry in such a
heartbroken way" said Ralph,
smoothing down her hair with care
less gentleness, s1 don't want your
chestnuts, bat here's half crown for
you, if that will do you any good"
He did not stop to hear the delight
ed iricoherent thanks the child poured
out through a rainbow of smiles and
tears but strobe on his way muttering
between his teeth. "That cuts off my
supply of cigars for the next week. /
don't care though, the brown eyed OBJ
iect really did cry as if she hadn't q
friend in the world. Hang It'll I wish
I was rich enough to help every poor
creature out of the slough of despond."
While Ralph Moore was indulging
in these very natural reflections
a. Ia-l- <xvo1 EffJo 6avnoa1 xuhn,1a he
had comforted was dashing down the
street with quick, elastic footsteps, ut
terly regardless Of. the basket of un-
sold nuts, that still dangled on her
arm. 80 V = se =
between ruinous rows of houses, and
up a narrow wooden staircase to a
room where a pale neat looking wo-
man, with large brown eyes like her
own, was sewing as busily as if the
breath of her life depended upon eye
ry stitch, and two little ones were con-
tentedly playing in the sunshine that
supplied the place of fire.
"Maryl back already surely you
have not sold the chestnuts so soon ?"
go! mother, mother, seew ejacula-
ted the almost breathless child. "a
gentleman gave me whole crown.
Only think, mother a whole half
crown"
If Ralph Moore could have seen tho |
rapture his half-crown gift diffused
around it in the poor widows power |
ty stricken home, he would have re-
garded still less the temporary priva-
ton of cigars to which his generosity /
had subjected him.
Years camo and went. The little |
chestnut girl passed as entirely out of |
Ralph Moore's memory as. if her
pleading eyes bad never touched the I
soft part in his heart; but Mary Lee
never forgot the stranger who had |
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 well filed CRATE, dinner table, |
in Q. glitter with cut glass, rare china
and polished silver. was only waiting |
for the presence of Mr. Audley.
.'What can it be that detains papa |
said Mrs. Audley, fair. handsome
matron of about thirty. as she glanc-
ed at the dial of a tiny enameled |
watch. Six o'clock and he does not |
make us dppodraHCo.
"There's man with him in the stu
dy, mamma, come on business" said
Robert Audley, pretty boy, eleven |
years old who was reading by the fire. |
"Ill call him again." said Mrs. Aud |
ley, stepping to the door.
But as she opened it, the brilliant !
gaslight in the hall fell full on the face /
Of an humble looking man, in worn
and threadbare garments, who was |
leaving the house, while her husband |
stood in the doorway OF his study, |
relieved to be rid of his
visitor.
"Charles, said Mrs. Audley, whose
cheek had paled and flushed, .who is
that man and what does he want 2"
"His name is Moore, / believe, and
he came to see If I would bestow upon
him that vacant clerkship in the bank"
'And will your"
"I don't know, Mary; l must think |
aboutit." 3
"Charles, give him the situation"
'Why, my love-"
Because / ask it of you as a favor,
and you have said thousand times
you would never deny me anything.
"And / will keep my word, Mary,
said the noble hearted husband, with
AN affectionate kiss. I'll write the fell
low note this very evening, / be-
lieve Pve got his address about me
somewhere"
An hour later, when Robbie, Frank