The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-14


sion, for 1t is prescisely what the
aged say when they make a remark
with reference to past times Yes,
it seems but yesterday, but it was
precisely ten years ago the twen-
tieth day of last March, that I
threw down my pen in my down
town Office, drew on my overcoat,
puckered my mouth up into shape
for good long whistle, and start
ed for home.
In about five minutes I had got
four of thu ocvon 1onS squares
behind me that separated my Office
from my residence, and in the act
of passing fruit stand under full
headway l thought of my two little
ones and the pleasure nice plump
orange would afford them. So l
occupied the sixth minute in pricing
the golden fruit ana paying there
for, and was just in the act of re-
placing the wallet in my pocket.
when shrill voice to my right
cried out:
"Say, mister, lend us q dime,
can't yer?'
l glanced downward and beheld
q chap of perhaps twelve years,
ragged and not very clean, his
matted locks covered with the
remnant of a last years straw hat.
It would please me to state that he
appeared half starved, but such
was not the case. His swarthy
cheeks fairly stood out with fatness,
while his keen black eyes fairly
shone with the mirth his culver.
ing lips could scarce conceal.
I don't know why it was, but L
looked upon this request Of that
little ragmuffin at that precise
moment as perfectly just and prop
.er. 1 knew he was not hungry.
His countenance had entirely too
contented look for that. 1 only
felt that I should do myself
wrong if l paid no heed to his
request. So L opened my purse
without word, withdrew the COW
eted dime, and handed it to the
lad, who, now by far more aston
ished of the two, shuffied uneasily
from one foot to the other, looked
first at the script and then at me,
to finally blurt out with
"See here, boss, / ant got no
Security for this here!"
'Never mind the security re-
Piled, laughingly as I moved away.
'.Tll give you that. Good night
my brave fellow, and luck to you y
Isn't it strange how little things
sometimes bring the good out of
of us, and all of a sudden, too, and
in such an unexpected way? / had
only granted the request of mis-
chievous vagrant by lending him a
simple ten cert piece. But what a
change! His every movement
seemed altered. and as disappear.
! ed, his voice called after me, saying:
Remember, boss, this here dime
is only borried, you know. It's
Tended money, that's what it be-
and she'll be paid back with roar
y in old interest fore you knows it
Much obleeged, sir; my names Ben
Plese don't forget the name, sir
$ and it'll be all right"
The remaining three squares
were soon traversed, and quickl,
lifting the latch of the gate fronting
my little cottage l entered; and il
turning to fasten it 1 caught sigh
d of a little figure just lodging "
the alley, and which now remem
~ bered to have noticed following me
n had no difficulty in recognizing
my youthful debtor, who had thu
embraced this opportunity of find
ing out just where 1 lived, for tn
y purpose, probably, OF being Ell
abled to put his fingers on me a
9 any moment, night or day.
About a month after the incidel
g narrated in the foregoing chapter.
- - was taken i'll with the typhus feve
Z" and confined to my bed for week
The fever being a contagious one. II
h wife-the best of nurses-had take
80 the precaution to keep our two chi
- dren, Lotta and Harry. aged respec
= lively i've and ten, from home as muC
70 as possible. Being fortunate enOue
10 to have many friends, We let the chi
i dren put up wherever fancy diet
al ted, always. however, being appris'
~ of their whereabouts. | rememb
the night wcll--oh, so well!-whe
co rising upon my elbow in bed, | ask,
ev hurriedly: Mary, where are our ch
~ dren now?
"r AT the Alton House, my dear
sv replied my wife, as she tenderly q
A. ranged the pillow and dropped t
aj blind. Mrs. Alton seemed SO an
N ious for them to come up and pl
Il. with her young folks few days
la but it's such large hotel, MAJ
IN Mrs. Alton-weli. | suppose it's
:" right, but if anything should happ
,v to them under any roof than our ov
m, l think my life would be embitter
ats forever"
,i But my wife did not share in
" anxiety. / was very weak, and j,
recovering from a severe illness, a
d my mind suffered with my body. b
if could only have known how ne;
me ly true my presentments werel
Dm The evening passed, night came, I
ell clock struck twelve, and. almost as
* echo, fre-bell rang out shrilly
Gle the night air. Now the clatter, cl
er, ter of horses feet and the rafting {
zen CINE, vomiting fire and smoke. Th
in the hook and ladder wagon. Anotl
zen engine coming in an opposite dir
It'll tion. Hurry, hustle, the tralnping
md quick footsteps on the pavement, a
ms, the din Of excited voices. My "
hat stood in the doorway, and / heard
in ask where the fire was Tn NOM