The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-05-10

| L was IOrceq TO accept.
Charles medicine was purchased,
but the few dimes left were hardly
sufficient to obtain small modicum
of coal for the morrow, and where
was the chicken for Charles broth
i to come from?
l paused in the snowy street, with
the glittering winter stars above me,
and brilliant show windows flaming
on every side. Just then a merry
chime Of bells clased upon the frosty
air, and for the first time 1 remem-
bered that it was New Years Eve.
A pain as sharp as death pierced
my heart as I stood there thinking
of my far away friends and wonder
ing what l should do next
A grocer's shop brilliantly lighted
stood just across the street; I few
over the slippery stones and entered;
the grocer hurried forward, all smiles
and bows.
Would he let me have chicken,
and bottle of wine? asked, with
my heart in my mouth. My poor
boy was i'll; and-and-would he be
good enough to trust me till next
week?
His countenanCe fell on the in
slant. He hesltated and stammered
He was extremely sorry ne said,
but it was rule of his never to
credit strangers
John, John, that's her, spoke a
woman's voice at my elbow at that
instant
I turned, but the speaker had
averted her face, and 1 only saw 6
great stalwart man, with bronzed
face, and the klndest brown eyes
had ever beheld.
Blinded by the tears, I hurried
away home to Charlie and the babies
/ gave Charlie his medicine, and
hushed the little hungry mouths
with a scant enough morsel of mill
and bread and then tucked the
children sway in their bed. Cbaflit
1 fell into a doze, and I sat down be
fore the smouldering embers, to in
duldge in the sole comfort that re
NAMED to me-a hearty cry.
| But l had hardly begun, when
heard the crunch of footsteps in thu
snow, and directly after, rap at tn,
| door. l opened it with bounding
heart, hoping that some good neigh
Dor had come with help. The tai
man with the bronzed face and kind
| ly eyes-I knew him on the instan
stood on the steps with hug,
hamper on his brawny shoulders
He set it down at my feet, and ex
tended his hand.
We've been hunting you the las
two days, madam he began abrupt
ly, his kind eyes flashing with hap
piness; and glad enough we are t,
find you. You did me a good turl
when you kept my boy out of prison
and the lad was innocent, too, In
proud to tell you that. Bronton'
found out who stole the money; ant
my wife conldn't rest,and we couldn'
find you nohow, till we chanced upol
you at the grocer's tonight, and
well we thought
And he broke down stammerinj
and embarrassed, and stepping bacl
gave place to his wife, who stood be
hind him.
We thought, she said, as she raise'
the cover from the hamper, wee
bring you some little thugs for NeI
Years. You won't refuse to tax
'em, l know and may the good Coz
forever bless you for what you'v
done for me! Oh madam! and sh
threw her arms about my neck, ,whil
the tears rained down her cheeks
4 should have gone mad if they hat
taken my boy from me that night
but you saved him and me Will,
your own were suffering. I neve
was so happy in my life, as when W,
| found you tonight. Johns come
home rich man this time; he's haC
better than good luck, and we're ablt
to help you. I've bought little o
everything, and some New Years
pretties for the babies. I knew YOU
had 'em; no heart but a mothers
could have felt for me in my trouble
as yours did; and now I'll help you
to put 'em by, while John looks in
the sick room; he's capital nurse
John is. But first take this-don't
look at it now-slip it in your bosom
until by and by, and let's get the
things into the larder.
Ibid as she bade me, slippins the
little parcel into my bosom, and
while the sailor laid of his hat and
coat and crossed over into
the room where Charlie lay, we took
out-s Els8Eranged thesbountiful sup
ply they had brought-bottles of
wine, and chickens, and rounds of
beef, and golden rolls of butter, and
tea, and white bread, and cakes and
toys and dolls that would set my ba-
bies wild with delight.
The New Years dawn was break
ing when they left me. Charlie
slept quietly, his shattered arm new
ly bandaged by the sailors skillful
hand, and the babies were beginning
to stir and flutter like restless birds
in their nest.
1 replenished the fire, and while
the fragrant coffee boiled, and the
chicken Drowned, l sat down and
drew the little package from my bo-
som.
Twenty bills, of five dollars each,
crisp and fresh, and new-one hun
dred dollars all my own. My little
mercy had brought me glorious in
terest for the New Year.-Peterso,a's
Ladies' National Magazine.