The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-02-23


to Bonfeld. Few men loved wife and
children with tenderer and more IN
selfish love. It was in the very depths
of his love that anxiety was born
Fear lest he should be taken from them
haunted him night and day.-What
was to become of them if he should die ?
Alas for the next New Years eve
1t found the death angel in Bonfeld' S
house. 4 sudden illness bafled all the
physicians skill, and the life on which so
much depended went out, and left sor-
row, and darkness, and desolation of
spirit behind.
'What is to become Of his poor wife
and children" passed from lip to lip
| among friends and neighbors.-They
| had not relative in the place-no one
| on whom they had any natural claim for
| help or support. 1t was this that had
| made the husband and father so anxious
about them, and so earnest to get his
home paid for La the year which had
just closed, only hundred dollars Of the
mortgage had been cancelled, and there
! still remained eight hundred dollars due.
! This mortgage was in the hands of man
| who would not scruple to rob the widow
and orphans by taking any advantage
| within his reach. While Bonfeld lived,
he knew that nothing could be gained by
| an attempt to foreclose the mortgage,
for another could easily have been OBJ
| tanned. But now that he was dead, and
his widow left without the means of
| meeting even the interest, much less
paying off the mortgage, an opportunity
to force the sale and get the property
| at sacrifice, had come, which he was
not the man to let it pass.
Three days after the funeral, Mrs.
Bonfeld was reused from the helpless
lethargy of grief by the reception of a
legal paper, giving notice that the bal
ance of money due on the house must
be paid by a certain date or it would be
sold in satisfaction Of the mortgage. To
whom could she go in this sad extremi-
ty? Alas there was no one.-In los
ing her husband she had lost her only
human friend, supporter and protector
She was alone in the world.
The extremity of her situation quick
ened into life all the energy of Mrs. Bon
fields nature. She looked at her three
fatherless children, then at her small,
weak hands, by which alone their board
was to be wrested from the world, and
then upward to God for guidance and
help. For whole day after receiving
the legal notice, she cast about helpless
ly in her mind for means of escape
from the threatening danger. Not a
single neighbor came in during the time
to help or counsel her. IF the house had
been paid for, and home thus secured,
Mrs Bonfeld would have seen the way
clear. Before her marriage she had
learned the trade of lnilliner, and being
a woman of considerable taste, she felt
sure that she could tnrn her skill to good
account in the support of her children.
But if her home was taken from her,
what could she do?
In her painful suspense and anxiety
she went to the man who held the mort
gage, and telling him her plans, besought
him to let the debt lie for one year, and
sell then if she could not pay the inter
est and part of the debt. He would lis
ten to nothing.-The chance had come
to make gain of oppression, and he
could not let it pass.
The poor widow went back in despair
to her children, and sat down among
them, weeping and wringing heE hands.
Her oldest child, girl six years of age,
tried to tell her something, but her ears
were deaf
"Mother!" said the child, with the
eagerness of one who seemed to forget
everything for herself.
mot now, dear!' and Mrs. Bonfeld
tried to push her away.
''But the man told me to give it to you
as soon as you came in. Here it isl
urged the child.
"Give me what p said Mrs. Bonfeld
rousing herself little
This letter. and the child pushed
letter into her mothers hand.
A letter When she comprehended
that, Mrs Bon6eld' S interest awakened.
She took it from her child hand, and
opened it, read few lines, and then let
it fall to the floor. But quickly aud
eagerly catching it up, she held it in wild
excitement close to her eyes; then let it
fall again, and burying her face in her
hands, sat very still, while tears fell in
large drops through her fingers down upon
the CARPET.
DEAR MADAM" ESQ the letter said y
1.-TWO years ago your husband had his
life insured in our Office for fifteen hun
bred dollars The amount will be paid
to you on demand"
1t was from the secretary of life in
suranee company, the Office Of which was
in neighboring town.
Sinking upon her knees among her
children. the widow lifted her heart in
thankfulness to God. Light broke in
upon the darkness of life. The tender
love of her husband, that was ever con-
cerned for her good, seemed reaching
over from the other side to comfort her.
Death had taken him away to what
seemed an infinite distance. An impas-
siole gulf was between them. Now it
seemed rs If he vera In tha cama roo,,,