Mower County transcript., 1871-08-17

for it, and dire ct,u that the work should
be begun at once. atn going away ior
while" said he, "and will keep you ad
vised Of my whereabouts, 80 hat you may
write me from time to time what progress
is being made"
"Yuu have placed in my hand" said
the good old la~ye "a trust which
hone you will find has not been misplaced"
And they shook hands and parted, and
the next days stage coach took away Mr..
John Thompson in the direction from
which he had come.
A month passed away, and then another
and another, and the calm, genial days OF
tue Indian summer came around once
more TO throw their garments OF scarlet
and gold and russell over the fields and
orchards and woods about the peace fll
| little village upon Which we have looked
And day by day the walls grew higher,
| the great building bcgan to- loom up more
ana more distinctly on the liAt:c kurl:
overlooking the village, and with it rose
proportionately the speculation and curl
osity of behold rs. A glorious mansion
it was, with great, wide, airy halls, and
long corridors, and high ceilings, and
broad, covered verandahs, aud galleries
| tropics. There were in it rooms innu-
merable, both great and small! Sitting
rooms, with great, generous windows for
letting in the sunlight, cosy little bed
rooms, and pantries and closets of all
| kinds. And all with such an air of bright
ness and completeness throughout, from
top to bottom, that every one who strolled
up there to look at "old Thompson's
place." as they had come to call it, in
variably envied the comfort of the future
inmate
And then there came at intervals, con-
signed to Squire Jessup (he alone knew
from whom, vases, and figures, and bird
houses, and no end of odd rustic chairs:
and the workmen laid out paths and
gravelcd walks, and set out shrubbery and
hedges Of box, and put high board fence
about the whole ten acres with huge
gateway in front, so that now people could
no longer enter at pleasure, but had to
peep in through the trcllis- work; and then
the workmen all left, monster paddock
appeared at the gate, and 10! Mr.. Thomp-
sons place was finished end ready for an
occupant.
BY this time winter had set in, and pco-
pie were already talking of the holidays.
Just before the happy season arrived,
came back, sort of u harbinger of Santa
Claus, Mr. John Thompson-not In a
dusty stage coach in the twilight, but
wrapped up in buffalo robes behind lot of
hours of night.
The next day his arrival was the town
topic; every body had expected him, of
course; he looked older many thought, but
he was IS active as ever. for all that-made
an early call at the Squire's, passed most
Of the day in going over the building and
grounds, and, returning in the evening,
slipped away to his bed before any one had
even half chance to sec him. Then, as if
surprises would never end, or, rather, as if
Mr. John Thompson's fund Of eccentrici-
ties were inexhaustible, there appeared
day or two after, posted up all over the
village, an invitation to high and low,
rich and poor, young and old, to attend
house warming to be given Oh Christmas
eve. by "John Thompson, Esq, of New
Orleans, at his recently completed resi-
dence in this village And the village
newspaper in its next issue contained the
same invitation, strengthened by sund:y
hints, and pretty broad ones, too, that no
| one could well afford to miss such all oc-
casion as this promised to be. And so
days chased each other by, and people
for the festivities; tables, and chairs, and
crockery, and whole wa gon loads of good
things, all drawn up and quietly disap-
peaii:g within the mysterious gateway
At last the eventful evening came, and
hundred lights glancing out from the
windows of the new building cast their
broad glare down the snowy road and lit
| up the garden and grounds with blaze OF
light. The host had no reason to regret
the liberal hospitality, as standing at the
wide doorway, he welcomed the throng Of
rich and poor, young and old, who, at
tractcd by various motives, had come in
| response to his invitation. Squire Jessup,
arrayed in his best suit, with high collar
and brass buttons, was everywhere among
the guests, looking happy and proud as
one who has discharged an important
trust. And still the throngs tl,wtd in at
the doorway, and Mr.. Thompson hud a
kind word for each; and then, finally, the
great house was full Of people.
just When the buzz Of conversation and
the noise of many feet seemed at their
height there came sound of some one
rapping to secure silence, and, looking
around to discover the cause, the guests
saw Mr.. John Thompson standing on a
chair in the center OF the hall, evidently
| NColAouo VI ooLACIIlAt5. ou-
! sh--,- -sh-."-When round the assembly
"Quiet, there" shouted some, ana amid a
silence hardly to have been auicip ted in
such crowd, the queer old man began to
| sleak, though in voice which se4mcd Lo
longer sharp and testy, but softenct and
tremulOu3 with emotion
My friends" he said, zone snd all,
who have como to visit me this evening,
and, hope to enjoy yourselves, l woud
ask. your patience and forbearance while
l relate little story. On this same night
good many years ago, SO many that 1
scarcely care to count them, there passed
along yondcr highway, through driving
storm and bitter cold a poor young wo-
man, leading by the han1 little boy of
six years-her son. Whence she came, or
how matters not in my story. She was
destitute, hungry and broken hearted, but
she saw the lights in yon village yonder,
and was pressing on with fierce energy
toward hope and help in the distance
Alas! wearied nature could bear her up no
more, and she sank down under the dark
sha'ow Of u tree by the rnadsile Even
then not forgetting to shield h.r poor
child under her thread bare scanty gar
ine,ts from the cutting blasts They fell
| asleep She is sleeping still in the dear
| old church-yard yonder. The little boy
| whom she warmed in her last embrace
was spared by Providence to grow up to
| be the old man who now stands before YOU.
God sent me kind and benevolent friends
from among you in those terrible days of
! adversely. For my life, my education, my
whole character I have to thank those of
you (and there may be some here who re-
memb"r the incident) who took me in
their keeping, and provided for me until,
i'll an ungrateflll day, stole away to make
my way alone in the wide, wide world.
My friends, it has been hard, long
j,urncy for these forty years. I have seen
dise'.se carry me to the verge of tomb to
which I had previously consigned all
whom loved. Storms and war and other
misfurt,ncs have, time and again. left me
all but impoverished. Yet, l have come
out unscathed, carrying with me through
It all the remembrance OF that unpre end
ing tombstone in yondcr churchyard, and
the Consciousness of one solemn impera-
tive duty to be done before l >lie. That
duty, by Gods will, shall to night dis
charge. Nevermore, if can help it, shall
u poor struggling mother perish in cold
and want by your roadsides. Never shall
your poor, your sick, your aged want for
comfort, food and shelter. See! this
building which have caused to be erected
do you know what it is for? For me,
do you think? | expect nece,' to enter il
again. 1t is for your poor atd sick and
destitute. I have bull, it," and here the
| old gentleman nervousIy pulled u Il c,
ment from his vest pocket. "Scr! II, re-
| is copy Of 3 deed by which hMve trans.
| terrcl this house and ground entire to the
| prolrr authorities for this purpose In
doing this act rfa1iZe the dream thn ar, l.,