Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-05-07

was upon Walters shoulders, and his am
around her.
Walter was an orphan, and had been Ag
mes schoolmate and her devoted love
through all the years OF opening youth. Ill
was an honorable, virtuous man, and love(
the gentle girl because she was SO good
and so gentle, and so beautiful. And sh
loved him not only because he had captur
ed her heart in bygone time, but becans
he was, Of all her saitors, the only on
whose character and habits promised jo,
and peace for the future.
II cannot leave my poor old father, Wal
ter,'' the old man heard his daughter say
= must live to love and care for him. L
IS hard. My heart must break. But the
pledge of love [ gave to my dying mother
must be kept"
''And so the great joy dream Of my
youth must be changed to this sad reality.
exclaimed Walter, sorrowfully. II can
not ask you to leave yout father sweet
Agrees, for the truth In you, which
I worship, would be lie could you do
SO. Bot I have a prayer-an earnest,
sincere prayer. pray God in his mercy
may move that curse from your fathers
STOPPING form ! +"
ssThe curse, Walter2
+ ssAye. the gold curse +" reioined the
youth fervently. "Ihope that God may
render him penniless. -
What! penniless y repeated Agnes
with a start.
'sAye, 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's
love, and then the curse might be broken
and his heart grow shuman again. And
more than all, Walter continued, twining
his arms more closely about the fair form
of his companion and speaking more deep
", then could prove to him my loye.
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 muttered 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 accustom-
ed 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 A gnes grew
pale and thin. She did not sing as she
used to, nor could she smile as had been
her wont. Still she murmered not, nor
did her kindness to her father grow less.
sob, 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 brought small
trunk. He barred the door, and drew the
battered curtains close.
See, y he says, as he,opened the trunk
and piled the new bank notes upon the Ia
BILE.
SLook there Agnes and see how I have
worked in my lifetime. l had no educa-
ton and I've laid up my money-money-
money! How many men would sell me all
their brains tonight for this? See-one
thousand-two- -three-four-fve Count
them, Agnes; there's Thousand pounds
in each package
Agnes counted them over, she thought
her father wished it, and she made fifty
packages.
'sWhy have you taken it from the bank,
father?''.
"To let it, my child-to let it at pound
interest, Agnes. shall double it, darling
double it-double it,
And while the old mans eyes sparlled
with evident satisfaction, his child wore
sad, sorroWful look. And long after tea
she sat ond looked at the working features
of her father, and prayed that the gold
iend 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.
Harkl what sound is that ? Agnes
starts up in alright and listens. But seel
a bright light is cleaning out into the
night, and thick volumes of smoke pour
into the garnet.
Fire! fire ~ sounded voice from the
entry, and she hears the sharp cracking
now, and feels the heat. "Agnes. my
child ~ And in another moment she
meets her father on the steps. He is
dressed, but she is not!
T" Take your clothing, Agnes, and you
can put it on in the entry. The house is
all on fire.
In few moments more the father and
child stood in the road, the latter with
bundle OF clothes 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
it would have been useless had it been
made, for the old shell burned like finder.
But more still-no one would have made
the effort, even had success been evident,
for the miserable old hut had too long &C.
cupied enc of the fairest spots in the vii
lage There was no other buildings to be
endangered, so they let the thing burn.
'sYou have your money safe,'' said Ag-
mes.
'' Yes. See, took the trunk. Ileft the
candle burning SO that l could watch it.
But got the trunk And as he spoke
he held it up and gazed upon it by tho light
Of the flaming ruins.
That is not the trunk y! :" whispered
Agnes in alright.
"Not-." But the old man spoke no
further He saw that he had taken the
wrong trunk. This was only filled with
old cards and dusty receipts.
ssRuined!' Lost!' groaned Noah Bre-