Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-30

| only . cent! but the apple vas denied
because the penny must be saved to
make good the dead fathers honor
He took the sum total ofthese pennies
saved by the self denial Of little chill
dren, and added them to his. already
brimming Golfers "A feeling Of shame
burned the checks of Mr.. Sterling.
"Here little ones," he called, as the
two children went away from the shop
window. "Come In, and I'll get you
some apples"
i Katie held back. but Maggie held
out hcr hand, eager to accept the offer,
for che was longing for the fruit.
"Come, repeated Mr.. Sterling,
speaking very kindly.
The children then followed him into
/ the shop, and filed their aprons with
apples and oranges. Their thankful
eyes and happy faccs We're In his MEM
ory all day. His reward was sweet.
| Three months after, and again Mr..
Sterling had visit from the pale
young widow. This time she had
only go. 1t was all she had been able
save; but she made no excuse and Of
| fered no complaint.
! Mr.. Sterling took the money, and
counted it in . he esitating way. The
| touch thereof was pleasant to his fin
gers, for he loved money.
But the vision of the child faces was
before his eyes, and the sound Of
pleading child voices in his ear.-
Through over-taxing and the denial of
herself and little ones, the poor widow
had gathered this small sum, and was
now paying It into his hands, to make
good the honorable contract of her
dead husband. He hesitated, running
In . half absent way the edges Of the
little pile of bills tina! lay under his
fingers. One thing was clear to him
he would never take anything more
from the widow. The balance of the
debt must be forgiven. People would
get to ask who Was the exacting cred
itor. This thought affected him un-
pleasantly.
Slowly, AZ one In whose mind debate
still went ON, Mr.. Sterling took from
his desk, . large pocket book, and se-
lected from one Of the compartments,
the nots ON which Mrs. Granger had
made payments. For some minutes
he held Il in his hand, looking at the
| face thereof He saw written down in
plain figures the sum of $500. Seventy
Of this had been paid. II he gave up
or destroyed the alp of paper he
would lose $3.50. Itwas something of
. trial for one who loved money SO
well, and to come up squarely to this
issue. Something fell in between his
e. M T.
did not see the writing and figures Of
the old obligation, but sad pleading
little face, and with the vision of this
came to his ears the sentence:
~Tis for fathers honor"
The debate In Mr.. Sterling's mind
was over. Taking up pen he wrote
cancelled and then handed it to the
widow.
What does this mean 2, she said,
looking bewildered.
ut means that / hold no obligation
against your husband said Mr.. Ster-
ling.
Some moments went by ere Mrs.
Granger's thoughts became clear
enough to comprehend 1t all. Then
she replied, as abe reached back the
note:
II thankjyou for your generous kind
ness-but be lelt his honor in'my keep
ing, and l must maintain itspotlcss.'
That you have already done," an
swered NJ. Sterling. speaksng through
emotions new to him, s'it 10 as white as
snow."
Then he thrust upon her the 500 she
had just paid him.
mo, Mr.. Sterling. said the widow.
ut shall be as I will, was the res
ponse. ri would rather touch fire
than your money. Every dollar would
burn my conscience like live Goals
"But keep this last payment; shall
feel better" urged the widow.
mo, madam! your husbands hon
or never had stain. All men knew
him to be pure and upright. When
God took him he assumed all his
earthly debts, and did not leave upon
you the heavy burden Of their payment
But he left yon with smother and
more sacred obligation, which you
have overlooked in part.
What" asked the widow, in an
almost startled voice. ,%
ITO minister to the wants Of your
children, whom you have pinched and
denied in their tender years-giying of
their meat to cancel an obligation
which death has paid. And YOU made
nae Q party in the wrong to them. "Ah
madam !" Mr.. Sterling's voice softened
very much, III we oil could see
in the right time, how much wrong
and suffering would be saved. hon
or your true-hearted sclf.devotion, but
! shall be no party in ito continuance.
AZ It is, | am your debtor In the sum
of fifty dollars, and I shall repay it
in my own way and time"
Mr.. Sterling made good his word.
Under Providence, this circumstance
was the means Of breaking through
the hard crust of seliishness and cupid
ity which had formed around his heart.
He was not only generous to the Wild
ow in after years, but he was the doer
of many deed Of kindness and hu-
manity, to which in other times he had
been stranger.
The st. Louis Dsmocrae gives the
following dccosat of tho epfsootic in
that city:
The horrors Of the epizootic will
never be full known. until some horse
historian complies the Incidents and
accidents resulting from the plague.
Yesterday . liverystabls proprietor in
this city, who had occasion to call up.
on SO called veterinary surgeon for
medicines and advice In several in
stances, Was completely prostrated by
the sight OF the following bill, present.
ed for collection, and which il given az
nearly like the original % the printer
can make 1t: t9ssA
SAINT LEWIS. Gsnewerry the I'd 1878
Mr.---to james HanKox
Vctturerinary physician and Sur
geant DR.
To medikle advice twict ..,.. 3 90
Konsultation over a. ded mare
to hevc he'd the eppyzont Is
Goin TO see too sick hosses, in
the mite (very cold) Il. ~ .2....2 90
To treatment Nv kream kOlOr-
ed hOss two days with medisuns. A so