The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-08-14


is hard. My heart must break. But the
pledge of love | gave to my dying mother
must be kept"
" And so the great joy-drcam Of my
youth must be changed to this sad reali-
ty," 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 forml'
The curse, Walter?"
"Aye; the gold curse !" rejoined the
youth fervently. 81 hope that God may
render him penniess"
What penniless?" repeated Agnes,
with start,
"Aye, penniless; for then he would be
far more wealthy than he is now. 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, twining 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 and care for him while
he lived"
Noah Bremen stopped to hear no more,
and, as he walked away, he muttered to
himself:
"The rascal He'd do great things
Me penniless, and he praying for it The
young william y
When the old man gained his accus-
toned walk among the sycamores, 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 won't Still she murmured not, nor
did her kindness to her father grow less.
40 God help me to love my father"
she prayed one night. "Let 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 upon the
table. "Look there, Agnes, and see how
| have worked in my lifetime. l had no
education, but I've laid up my mon ey-
money-money How many men would
sell me all their brains tonight for this !!
Sec-one thousand-two-three-fo
five. Count then, Agnes; there's thou
sand dollars in each package"
Agnes counted them over, for she
thought her father wished it, and she
made fifty packages,
Why have you taken it from the
bank, father2" she asked.
"To let it, my child-to let it at
pound interest, Agnes. l shall double it,
darling-double it-double it."
And while the old mans eyes sparkled
with evident satisfaction, his child wore
sad, sorrowing look. And long after
that she sat and looked at the working
features of her father, and prayed that the
gold-fend would set him free.
When Agnes retired she left her father
up; but ere long she heard him put his
little trunk away and then go to his bed.
And then she slept.
Hark what sound is that? Agnes
starts up in alright and listens. But seel
bright light is cleaning out into the
night, and thick volumes of smoke pour
into the garret.
Fire! fireT' sounded a voice from
the entry, and she hears the sharp crack
ling now, and feels the heat. "Agnes,
my child u and in another moment she
meets her father upon the stairs. He is
dressed, but she is not.
"Take your clothing, Agnes, and you
can put il on in the entry. The house is
all on fire II
In a few minutes the father and child
stood in the road, the latter with bun
die of clothing in her hand, while the
former held small trunk. They gazed
upon the burning building, but neither of
them spoke
And others came running to the scene,
but no one tried to stay the flames. And
the effort would have been useless had II
been made, for the old shell burned like
tinder. But more still-no one would
have made the effort, even had success
been evident, for the miserable old hut
had too long occupied one Of the fairest
spots in the village. There were no other
buildings to be endangered, SO they let
the thing burn.
" You have your money safe ~ said
Agnes.
Yes. See, took the trunk. left
the candle burning 50 that could watch
Il. But got the trunk r And, as he
spoke, he held 1t up and gased upon it by
the iiaring ruins.
That is not the trunk r whispered
Agnes in alright.
Not" But the old man spoke no
further. He saw that he had taken the
wrong trunk. This was only filed with
/ old rordu aud u.usf., ~...nss...