The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-06-02
What Five Dollars Paid.

Wi. hciiioe was Sllllng In his ON1ce
one day when lad entered and hand>
ed him q small slip of paper. 1t was
a bill for five dollars, due to his shoe
maker, poor man, who lived in the
next square. '''. i;I. n1.-5l s... -5
"Telf Mr.. Grant that / will settle
this soon. 1t isn't convenient to.
day." p .tI3H1t F.-r. -,
The boy retired. 4..l.;
Now, Mr. Hreriot had q fve-dollar
bill in his pocket, but be felt as if he
couldn't part with it,. He didn't like
to be entirely out of money. So act
ing from this impulse, he had sent the
boy away. Very still sat Mr.: Her
riot for the next five minutes. Yet his
thought were busy. He was not al
together satisfied with himself. The
shoemaker was q poor man, and need
ed his money as soon as earned. He
was not unadvised of the fact. -1T 1881
81 almost wish 1 had sent the FIVE
doilars,n said Mr.. Herriot at length,
half audibly. "He wants it, worse
than 1 do" .-.rr-
He unused still further. ,.s
"The fact is" he at length exclaim-
ed, startling up, "it's Grants money,
and not mine; and what is more, he
shall have it." t'''l--'
So saying, Herriot took up his hat
and left the office. -ul
"Did you get the money, Charles?"
said Grant, as the boy entered the
shop. There was q good deal OF earn-
estness in the shoemaker's tones.
me, sir,n replied the lad. .u .t.
Didn't get the money!" s
ssNo, sir.n Go. en-. r ...
Wasn't Mr.. Herriot in?" -..
"Yes, sir; but he said it was net con-
venient to-day" ~. .-..-.-. 80
"Oh, dear, Pm sorry!" came from
the shoemaker, in depressed voice.
A woman was sitting in Grants
shop when the boy came in; she had
now arisen and was leaning on the
counter; alook of disappointment was
in her face. ..L l-r -. -,
i at can't he helped, Mrs. Lee" said
Hrant. 81 was sure of getting. the
money from him. = He never disap-
pointed me before. Call in tO-mor-
row and I'll try and have it for yOu.n
The woman looked troubled as well
as disappointed. Slowly she turned
away and left the shop. A few min
.utes after her departure Herriot came
in, and after some words of apology,
paid the billo "
"Run and get this bill changed"
said the shoemaker to bis boy the mo-
ment his customer had departed.
"Now,n said he, as soon as the
change was placed in his hands, take
two dollars to Mrs. Lee, and three to
Mr.. Weaver across the street. Tell
Mr.. Weaver that am obliged to him
for having loaned it to me this morn
ing, and sorry that 1 hadn't as. much
in the house when he sent for 1t an
hour ago.n
sI wish ] had it, Mrs. Edeleh, but
/ assure you 1 have not,' said Mr..
Weaver, the tailor. II paid out the
last dollar just before you came in.
But call In tomorrow and you shall
have the money to certainty"
"But what am l to do to-day? L
have not cent to bless myself with
and owe SO much at the grocei's
where deal that he won't trust me
for anything more"
The tailor looked troubled, and the
woman fingered. just at this mo-
ment the shoemaker's boy entered.
"Here are three dollars Mr.. Grant
borrowed ofyou this morning." said
the lad. ''He says he's sorry he
hadn't the money when you seat for
it q while ago." gJ.g.. =
How the faces of both the tailor and
the needlewoman frightened Instant
iy as if a gleam of sunshine and pene-
trated the room.
"Here is just the money l owe you,"
said the former, in a cheerful voice,
and he handed the woman the three
dollars he had received. A momen,
after he was alone, but with the glad
face of the poor woman whose need he
had been able to supply distinct be-
fore him.. .r
OF the three dollars received by the
needIewoman, two went TO the grocer
on account of her debt to him, half was
paid to an old Eeedy ,cOlored woman
who had earned it by scrubbing, and
who was waiting for Mrs. Weayer's
return from the tailor's to get her dues
and thus be able to provide an even
ing's and mornings meal for. herself
and children. = The other half doller
was paid to the baker when he called
toward evening to leave the accuStom-
ed loaf. Thus, the poor nedlewoman
had been able to discharge four debts,
and at the same time re-establish her
credit with the grocer and baker,
from whom came the largest portion
of food consumed iu her little family.
And now let US follow Mrs. Lee.
On her arrival home, empty-handed,
from the shoemaker, who owed her
two dollars for work, she found a
Young girl, in whose pale face were
marks of suffering and care, awaiting
her return. -"l
The girls countenance frightened
as she came in but there was no an
swering brightness in the cOuntenance
of Mrs. Lee, who Immediately said,
az am very sorry, Harriet, but Mr..
Grant put me off until tomorrow.
He said he hadn't a dollar in the
house."
The girls disappointment was very
great, for the smile she had forced In
to life instantly faded, and was sue
ceeded by look of deep distress.
s:Do Ou want the money very bad
Iy?n asked Mrs. Lee, in a low, half
choked voice, for the sudden change
in the girls manner had effected her.
-"Oh! yes, ma'am, very badly. 1
left Mary wrapped up in my thick
shawl, and a blanket wound all around
her feet to keep them warm; but she
was coughing dreadful from the cold
OF the room. B. ....trt ID, ,
Haven't you a fire?' asked Mrs.
Lee in quick, surprised tone. ....I
1--WE have no coal. 1t was to buy
coal I wanted the money" ~.
Mrs. Lee struck her hands together,
and an expression of pain was about
passing her lips, when the shoemak-
er's boy came In. r
2 "Here are two dollars. Mr.. Grant
sent them.'
HGod bless Mr.. Grant" This ex-
clamation from Mrs. Lee was invOl-
untary. l =,
On the part of Rerriot, to whom 5!
was due, a gush Of silent tears marked
the effect this timely supply of money
produced. She received her portion,
and without trusting her voice with
words, hurried away to supply the
pressing wants of home.
A few doors from the residence Of
Mrs. Lee lived man who some
months before had become involved
in trouble with an evil-disposed per-
son. and had been formed to defend
himself by means of the law.
He had employed Mr.. HerriOt to do
what was requisite in the case, for
which service the charge was five dol
lars. The bill had been rendered a
few days before, and the man, who
was poor, felt very anxious to pay it.
He had the money all made up to
within a dollar. That dollar Mrs.