Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-03-13

ssahd YOU thought he was in rarnest.1'
No, no" quickly returned the young
man. 81 did not think that though
l knew that the two other partners
would willingly have me for an associ.
| ate.
"But itseems to me that Osgood
holds his share in the concern at high
price. al9 slh Hdis
"Oh, no; it is a very low one
There is tleir capital Of one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars in the bust
ness at this moment And think of all
the standing and good will, which goes
for nothing"
"Ha ha, ha laughed the old man
again. liil e5s
Then Walter laughed, and then Ag
mes laughed, and then they finished their
supper.
On the next evening Walter Adams
came in and sat down on the sofa with
out speaking. He was pale and agitat-
ed, and his eyes had vacant, wander
ing stare.
'.Walterl' cried Agnes, in tettor,
"what has happened7'
"Hes sick, muttered Noah Brennan,
without looking around
'No, no; not SICK" returned the
young man, starting up, "but ann the
victim Of a miserable tlifing"
"Ah, howl" asked old k6ah, now
turning in his chair.
"I'n tell you" said Waiter, with a
spasmodic effort. 81 had some hong
entries to post this evening, so remain
cd in the counting room after the. rest
had gone. X was still at work xheb
Mr.. eOsgood Game in and placed Some
papers on my desk, saying, as he did ID;
''Here, Walter, these are yours And
then he went ont When 1 had finish
ed my work. Iopenea the papers. The
first was sIhors q inventory Of what
Ossood has owned In the business, and
footed up amounted to forty-nine thous
aud eight lhahdrea ana seventy FIVE
dollars. The next paper was : deed
conveying the whole vast property 10
ME, and making nie partner in the
concern upon equal footing with the
other two" i.7 81 ".i
I "Well"ss;d the cid man, humping
his foot upon the carpet and keeping
time with his hands, 81 don't see
anything very bad In that"
"But do replied Walter. sit is
cruel 10 trifle with me thus"
There was something in Noah's eye
again, but he managed to get it out, and
he spoke thus: -
r. "Walter Adams, when young men
used to hover about my child, believ-
ed the same Of you. / knew ofnothing
but this love Of money, that could un
derlie human action. My heart had
become hardened by it. and my soul
darkened. But it was for my chlld to
pour the warmth and light into my
bosom. 1t was for her to keep before
me the image Of the gentle wife whom
I had loved and lost, but, alasI who
occupied place in that love second to
my gold. 1t was for my child to open
gradually, but surely, the fount Of feel
ing which had been for life time clos
ed up. ! heard her pray for me-pray
that she might love fie that she
might have help from God to love me !;
and that was after l had refused to let
her be your wife. I saw her grow pale
and sorrowtul, and / knew l had done
it-and she loved me still. Still she
prayed to God to help her - help her
what? Help her to love her father! |
was killing her, and she tried to smile
upon me. One evening / heard You
both conversing in the old but-My
child chose misery and duty to her
father, rather than break that duty in a
union with man she loved. And
you uttered a prayer. You prayed that
Knight be penniless. Stop! hear me
through! You would then show your
disfnterestednessy / walked away and
pondered. Could it be that I had
found man who would break the
layer of crust from soul determined
to test you. l had gained glimlner-
ing Of light-my heart had begun to
grow warm-and l prayed frequently
that might not be disappointed.
went to the bank and drew oat fifty
thousand dollars in bills. That night
my miserable old hut was set OH fire
or-a-caught fire. l shall always
think twas my candle did it. But the
old shell burnt down, and room was
made for better building. l came cat
with the wrong trunk, and the other
trunk was burnt up. But the money
wasn't in it. No. no. / had that stuff
ed into my bosom and deep pockets,
and all buttoned up, anyf the next day
! carried it back to the bank, and had
it put with a few thousand more which
/ had not disturbed. And so my ex-
pertinent commenced, and l found The
full sunshine at last. Aye, Walter, 1
found you the noble, true man / had
prayed for. vow took me into your
home and loved me when you thought
me pennlless, and you took my child to
your bosom for just what God had
made her. And now, nay boy, I've paid
Mr. Osgood fifty thousand dollars cash
for his share in the business, and it is
all yours And let me tell you one
thing my by, it your two partners can
raise fifty thousand dollars more to in
vest, just tell 'em you can pus in FIVE
and-twenty Thousand more at twelve
hours notice. Tell EN- old Noah ain t
quite ashore yet. Tell em he has found
heart, my boy! Come here Agnes,
come here Walter, God bless you as
you have blessed me-" a
Nobody pretended that they had
notes in their eyes now, for the occa-
sion of the weeping was too plaiu.