Connecticut western news., 1872-04-05

Half 8 Grown.

Half a Grown.
 Please, sir, will you buy my chest nuts?"
 "Chestnutsl mol" returned Ralph Moore, looking oarelessly down on the up- turned face, whose large, brown eyes, shadowed'by tangled curls of flaxen hair, were appealing so pitifully to his own.
 "What do 1 want with chestnuts"
 But, please, sir, buy 'em," pleaded the little one, treasured by the rough kindness of his tone. "Nobody seems to care for them, and-and-"
 She fairly burst into tears, and Moore, who had been on the point of brushing carelessly past her, stopped instinctively:
 Are you very much in want of money?"
 "Indeed, sir, we are," sobbed the child, mother sent me out, and"
 "Nay little one, don't cry in such a heartbroken way" said Ralph, smoothing down her hair with careless gentleness. "I don't want your chestnuts, but here's half a crown for you; if that will do you any good" #.'
 He did not stop to hear the delighted incoherent thanks the child poured out through rainbow of smiles and tears, but strode on his way, muttering between his teeth: " That cut off my supply of ci- gars for the next week. I don't care though, the brown-eyed object really did cry as fshe had not friend in the world. Hang it wish l was rich enough to help every poor creature out of the Slough of Despond.
 While Ralph Moore was indulging in these very natural reflections, the dark eyed little damsel whom he had comfor- ted, was dashing down the street with quick, elastic footsteps, utterly regardless of the basket of unsold nuts that still dangled on her arm. Down an obscure lane she darted, between ruinous rows of houses, and up 8 narrow wooden staircase, to room where pale neat-looking wo- man, with large, brown eyes like her own, was sewing as busily as if the breath of life depended upon every stitch, and two little ones were contentedly playing Tn the sunshine that temporarily supplied the place of fire. .... ... .. s..o... .-
 "Maryl back alreadya Surely you have not sold your chestnuts so soons
 "Oh, mother mother, see!" calculated the almost breathless child, "A gentleman gave me 8 whole half-crown. Only think, mother, whole half-crown!"
 If Ralph Moore could only have seen the rapture which hls half-crown gift diff fused around it in the poor widow'spover- ty-stricken home, he would have regarded still less the temporary privation of cigars to which his generosity had subjected him.
 
 Years came and went. The little chest nut girl passed entirely out of Ralph Moore's memory as if those pleading eyes had never touched the soft spot in his heart; but May Lee never forgot the stranger who had given her the silver half crown. t..
 The crimson window curtains were closely drawn, to shut out the storm and tempest of the bleak December night the fire was glowing cheerily in the well filled grate, and the dinner table in gilt, ter with cut glass, rare china, and pol ished silver, was only waiting for the presence of MT. Audley.
 What is it that can detain papa?" said Audley, fair, handsome matron of about thirty as she glanced at the dial of tiny enameled watch. "Six o'clock, and he does not make his appearance" .a:.
 "sThere's man with him in his study, mamma, come on business" said Robert Audley, pretty boy eleven years old, who was reading by the fire. .''z--.
 "I'll call him again" said Mrs. Audley, stepping to the door. 7et, ..s. l& }. But as she opened it, the brilliant gas light in the hall fell full upon the face ot an humble-looking man in worn and threadbare garments, who was leaving the house, while her husband stood in the doorway of his study, apparently relieved to be rid of his visitor. 1-o} '5
 "Charles," said Mrs. Audley, whose cheek had paled and flushed, :" who is that man and what does he want9" .
 "'His name is Moore, believe, and he came to see if I would bestow, upon hin that vacant clerkship in the bank" "'' ."And will youi" 2- ..1 '..'.. "I don't know, Mary must thinl about it.n .t: 5:.; ts.at..-.l a. il.
 "Charles, give him that situation"
 " Why, my love '"
 "Because ask it of you as a favor and you have said thousand times yol would never deny me anything"
 "And I will keep my word, Mary said the noble hearted husband, with al affectionate kiss.
 "I'll write the fellow note this yer, evening. I I'believe I've got his addres about me, somewhere" @ .a4- ,a Anahour later, when Robbie, Frank an, Eugene were snugly tucked in bed, in tn spacious nursery up stairs, Mrs. Audle. told her husband why she was so mucl interested in the fate of man whom sh had not seen for twenty years.
 "That's right, my little wife" replie, her husband, folding her fondly to hi breast, when the simple tale was eonolu ded. Never forget one who was kind t. you in the days when you needed kind ness most"
 
 Ralph Moore was sitting in his poor lodg ings by his ailing wife's sick bed, when livered servant brought note from tn rich banker, MT. Charles Audley. -.,
 "Good news, Bertha!" he exclaimed as he read the brief words. "We shal not starve. MT. Audley promises me tn vacant situation" "You have dropped something from tn letter, Ralph" said Mrs. Moore, pointin to slip of paper on the floor. ...
 Ralph stopped to recover the estray It was fifty-pound note, neatly folded il apiece of paper on which was written:
 "In kind remembrance of. half crow piece that kind stranger bestowed on little chestnut girl over twenty years ago.
 Ralph Moore had thrown his morscl o bread upon the waters, and, after man days, it had returned to him.
 l THE CosT.-The rent-ron of the Tich borne estate is upward of sixteen thou sand pounds year. Assuming that tn trial has cost two hundred thousan