Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-03-28
Half a Crown.

"ChestnutS. no j. returned NaIph
Moore, looking carelessly down on the up
turned face, whose large, brown eyes,
Swallowed by tangled curls Of haxen hair,
were appealing so pitifully to his own.
"What do i want with chestnutsW
"But, please, sir, buy ZEN" pleaded the
little one, treasured by the rough kindness
of his tone. "Nobody seems to care for
them, and-and-"
She fairly ourst 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!"
"Indecd, sir, we are" sobbed the child,
mother sent me out, and"
"Nay little one, don't cry in such q
hoartbroken way" said Ralph, smoothing
down her hair with careless gentleness
I" ] don't want your chestnuts, but here's
half crown for you; if that will do you
any good"
lie did not stop to hear the delighted
incoherent thanks the child poured out
through rainbow Of smiles and tears,
but strobe on his way, muttering between
his teeth "That cut off my supply of CT
CARS for the next week. don't care
though, the brown-eyed object really did
cry as fshe had not friend in the world.
Hang it wish 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 unsod nuts that still
dangled on her arm. Down an obscure
lane she darted, between ruinous rows Of
houses, and up a narrow wooden staircase
to room where a 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 IN
the sunshine that temporarily supplied the
place of fire.
MARY back already? Surely you have
not sold your chestnuts so soon?
ooh, mother mother sec!" calculated
the almost breathless child, "a gentleman
gave me q whole half Only think,
mother, whole halfcrown!n
If Ralph Moore could only have seen
the rapture which his half-crown gift diff
fused around it in the poor widows power
ty-stricken home, he would have regarded
still less the temporary privation Of cigars
to which his generosity had subjected him.
X X 81 X
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.
The crimson window curtains were
closely drawn, to shut out the storm and
tempest of the bleak December night;
the fire was glowing cheeriIy in the well
filled CRATE, and the dinner table in gilt.
ter with cut glass, rare china, and pol.
ished silver, was only waiting for the
presence of Mr.. Audloy.
"What is it that can detain papa" sale
Audley, a fair, handsome matron of abou
thirty as she glanced at the dial Of tin!
enameled watch. "Six o'clock, and he
+ does not make his appearance.
"There's q man with him in his study
mamma, come on business said Rober
Aulley, pretty boy eleven years old
who was reading by the fro.
) "I'll call him again." said Mrs. Audley
stepping to the door.
But as she opened it, the brilliant gas
: light in the hall fell full upon the face o
an humble-ooking man in worn ant
: threadbare garments, who was leaving tn
. house, while her husband stood in til
:. doorway of his study, apparently relieve
to be rid Of his visitor.
+. "Charles," said Mrs. Audlcy, who's
t cheek had paled and flushed, "who is tina
t man and what does lie wantl"
Ills name is Moore, believe, and h
came to see if l would bestow upon hir
). that vacant clerkship in the bank"
And will you"
81 don't know, Mary; | must thin
Il about it,"
r "Charles, give him that situation"
= "Why, my love-
VI because | ask it Of You as favol
S and you have said a thousand times 20
/ would never deny me anything"
a "And | will keep my word, Mary,
said tho noble hearted husband, with a
atiectionate kiss.
"I'll write the fellow note this yer
evening. | believe Pve got his addres
about me, somewhere"
An hour later, when Bobbic, Frank an
Eugene were snugly tucked in bed, in tn
spacious nursery up stairs, Mrs. Audle
told her husband why she was so niue
interested in the fate of man whom sh
had not seen for twenty years.
THAT'S right, my little wife" reptile
d her husband, folding her fondly TO h
breast, when the simple tale was concll
ded. Never forget one who was kind
you in the days when you needed kline
ness most"
Ralph Moore was sittingin his poor lodl
If ings by his ailing wife's sick bed, when
r liyered servant brought note from II
II rich banker, Mr.. Charles Audley.
r, Good news, Bertha!" lie exclaimed
% as he read tho brief words. eve sha
10 not starve. Mr., Audley promises me Il
t, vacant situation"
t. "You have dropped something from Il
le letter, Ralph said Mrs, Moore, pointir
D. to slip of paper on the floor.
+, Ralph stopped to recover the estra,
d 1t was A. fifty pound motto, neatly folded
Is piece of paper on which was written:
m ain kind remembrance of halfcroN
rs piece that kind stranger bestowed on
Is little chestnut girl over twenty years ago
II Ralph Moore had thrown his morscl
le bread upon the waters, and, after mar
Is days, it had returned to him.