The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-16

Twenty-Five Cents.
please, sir, will you buy my chest
"Chestnuts! No. returned Ralph
Moore, looking carelessly down on the up
turned face, whose large brown eyes,
Swallowed by tangled curls of flaXen hair,
were appealing so pitifully to his own.
"What do l want with chestnuts!
"But, please, sir, buy EN-" pleaded the
little one, resssured by the rough kindness d es,
OF his tone. "Nobody seems TO care Tor
them, and-and-"
She fairly burst into tears, and Moore,
who had been on the point of brushing
crelessly past her, stopped instinctlVely:,
care you very much III want OF the
money!"
Indeed, sir, we are" sobbed the child
"mother sent me out. and"
"Nay, little one, don't cry in such a
heart-broken way" said Ralph, smoothing
down her hair with careless gentleness'
81 don't want your chestnuts, but here's
quarter for you, if that will do you any
He did not stop to hear the delighted,
incoherent thanks the child poured out
through rainbow Of smiles and tears, but
strobe on his way, muttcring between his
teeth:
"That cut off my supply of cigars for
the next twenty-four hours. ! don't care.
though the brown-eycd object really dld
cry as If she hadn't IL friend in the world
Hang it ! l wish was rich enough to help
every poor creature out of the slough Of
despond." ..,.. :,
these very natural reflections, the dark
eyed little damsel whom he had "omtortcd
was dashing down the street, with quick.
elastic footsteps, utterly regardless OF the
basket of unsold nuts that still danglcd on
her arm. Down an obscure lane she
darted, between tall and ruinous rows OF
houses, and up a narrow wooden staircase.
to a room where pale, neat-ooking
woman, with large brown eyes like her
own, was sewing as busily as II the breath
of life depended upon every stitch. and
two little ones were contcntcdly playing
in the sunshine that temporarily supplied
the place of tire.
MARY back already? Surely you have
not sold your chestnuts so soon -
"Oh mother, mother, see - cjacula-
ted the almost breathlcss child; ga gentle
man gave me whole quarter. Only think,
mother; whole quarler!@
If Ralph Moore could have only seen the
rapture which his tiny gilt dtfused around
home, he would have urged still less the
temporary privation of cigars to which his
generosity had subjected him.
Years came and went. The little chest
nut girl passed as entirely out Of Ralph
Moore's memory rs if pleading eyes had
never touched the soft spot in his heart !;
hut Mary Lee never forgot the stranger
who had given her the silver piece.
The crimson window curtains were close
" drawn to shut out the storm and tempest
of the bleak December night; the fire was
glowing cheerily in the well-tillcd CRATE,
and the dinner table, in glitter with cut
glass, rare china. and polished silver, was
only waiting tor the presence Of Mr.. Aud
ley. 50,
"What can it be that detains papa!'
said Mrs. Audley, fair, handsome matron
of about thirty, as she glanced at the dial
of a tiny enameled watch. 'SiX O'Clock,
and he does not make his appearance
"There's man with him in the study,
mamma-come on business said Robert
Audley, Il pretty boy, eleven years old, who
was reading by the tire.
"Pll call him again." said Mrs. Audley,
stepping to the door. But is she opened it
the brilliant gas-light fell full on the face of
an Misunderstanding man, in worn and
thread-bure garments, who was leaving the
house. while her husband stood in the door
way of his study, apparently 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"
ellis name is Moore, l believe, and he
came to see if | would bestow upon him
that vacant messengership in the bank"
Sand will your"
81 don't know, Mary, 1 must think
about it,
"Charles, give him the situation"
UNIV INV lava 90
"Because I 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 lover husband, with an atfectonate
kiss. "rll write the fellow note this
very evening. believe Pye got his adj
dress about me somewhere"
An hour later, when Bobbie, Frank, and
Eugene were Snugly tucked in bed, in the
spacious nursery upstairs, Mrs. Audley
told her husband why she was SO interested
in the fate of Il man whom she had not seen
for twenty years.
THAT'S right, my little wife," replied
her husband, folding her fondly to his
breast, when the simple tale was concluded;
''never forget one who was kind to you
in the days when you needed kindness
most"
Ralph Moore was sitting in his poor
lodgings beside his ailing wife's sick bed,
when d lyeried servant brought note from
the rich and prosperous bank director,
Charles Audley.
0Good news, Bertha :" he exclaimed,
as he read the brief words. I'VE shall
not starve. Mir. Audley promises me the
vacant situation"
"You have dropped something from the
note, Ralph" said Mrs. Moore, pointing to
a slip of paper on the floor.
Moore stopped to recover the estray. 1t
was a fifty-dollar bill, neatly folded in a
piece of paper, on which was written:
In grateful remembrance Of a silver
quarter that kind stranger bestowed on a
little chestnut girl over twenty years ago."
Ralph Moore had thrown his morsel of
bread upon the waters, and after many days
1t had returned to him.