The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-03-18

try-Way he heard voice from the gar
ret. 1t was his child's. He crept up
the rickery stairs and looked through
crack 10 the door. He saw Agnes upon
her knees. Tears were rolling down
her cheeks, and her hands were clasped
toward heaven. And she prayed:
"Oh, God! be good to my father,
and make his heart warm and peaceful.
Make me love him with al tenderness,
and enable me to do well and truly the
duty I pledged to my sainted mother. [
promised her I would love and care for
him always. Father In heaven, help
l.ple, oh, help me y
The old man crept down the stairs and
ous OF doors, and for whole hour walk
ed alone among the trees. He thought
again of his wife, again Of his child, and
then OF his gold. And this was not the
| He did not hims Elf know how great was
! the influence his child was e-1eTting over
him.
| Agnes-pure, good, beautiful Agnes
-wept long and bitterly In her little
garnet; and when she had become calm,
and her cheeks were dry, she came
down and got her supper. But she was
not the smiling, happy being that had
fitted about the scanty board heretofore.
| 4 few days after this, as Noah Bre-
men approached his cot one morning,
he heard voices from within. He peep
ed through rent in the coarse paper
curtain and saw Walter Adams with his
child. Her head was upon Walters
shoulder and his arm was about her.
Walter was an orphan, and had been
Agnes schoolmate and her devoted lover
through all the years of opening youth.
| He was an honorable, yirtuous man, and
loved the gentle girl because she was
good, and SO gentle, and SO beautiful.
And she loved him not only because he
had captured her heart in bygone times,
| but because he was, of all her suitors,
the only one whose character and habits
promised JOY and peace for the future.
81 cannot leave my poor old father,
Walter" the old man heard his daughter
say, ST must live to love and care for
him. It is hard. My heart must break.
But the pledge of love gave to my dy-
ing mother must be kept"
''And SO the great joy-dream of my
youth must be changed to this sad re-
atty" exclaimed Walter, sorrowfully.
81 cannot ask you to leave your father,
sweet Agnes, for the truth in you,
which worship, would be lie could
you do so. But have prayer-an
earnest, sincere prayer. [ pray that
God in his mercy may remove that curse
from your fathers STOPPING form !"
"The curse, Walter 20
''Aye; the gold curse!" rejoined the
youth fervently. ST hope that God may
render him penniless,
"What penniless 2" repeated Agnes,
with a start.
''Aye, penniless; for then he would
be far more wealthy than he is row.
Then he would know how to appreciate
the priceless blessing Of his sweet Agnes
love; and then the curse might be broken
and his heart grow human again. And
more than all, Walter continued, twin
ing his arm closely about the fair form
OF his companion and speaking more
deeply. ''then [ could prove to him my
love. Then [ could take you to my
home, and we could both love him and
care for him while he lived.
Noah Bremen stopped to hear no
more, and as he walked away he NUT
tered to himself:
''The rascal. He'd do great things
Me penniless, and he praying for it
The young villain %
When the old man gained his &C
customed walk among the great svca-
mores, he wiped something from his
eye. He acted as though mote had
been blown in there.
Two weeks passed on, and Agnes
grew pale and thin. She did not sing
as she used to. nor could she smile as
had been her wont. Still she murmur-
ed not, nor did her kindness to her faith
er grow less.
90 God help me to love my father
she prayed one night. 'sLet not my
grief make me forget my duty"
And the old man heard it.
One night Noah came home from the
city, and in his hand he bore a small
trunk. He barred the door, and drew
the tattered curtains close.
See he said, as he opened the
trunk and piled the new bank notes up
on the table. 'tLook there. Agnes. and