The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-07-20

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said, on public grounds, in order to
teach people that it was their duty to
find out the losers of property if posi-
BILE, and that if would Civ e my word
to repay the money he would ask for
/ the summons to be dismissed. This
you may be sure l readily agreed to,
very glad to get off 80 easy; but after
wards, when | came to think it over,
l did not see where the money was to
come from. Mr.. Holdhard had given
me his card, and told me to call at his
house in day or two. | did 50, and
was shown into a room with desk
and a lot of books. Presently, in he
comes, and looking straight at me, he
says:
"Well, John Smith, have you
brought the tive-pounds p
"NO, sir"
"Then why did you Gomez
"TO tell you that | couldn't pay it
all at once, but that if you'd take
something every week I'd pay you ev-
cry penny"
Every well; how much?'
"Say two shillings, sir"
every well. Goodnight
And so, as regular as every week
came round, took that two shillings
to Mr.. Joseph Holdhard. He never
said anything beyond "GoOd-evening,
smith," when | went in, and after he
had put down the amount in the little
book it was Goodnight, Smith,
How cruel and hard | thought him no
one knows; still, | knew the money
was his, and that he had right to it.
SO | went on steadily, never once miss
ing a week till the five pound was all
paid. Whatever happened, | always
managed to be on the step of his door
as the clock struck eight on Thursday
evenings, with the two shillings ready
to give him. Never once did he take
any notice of me beyond what | have
said, and sometimes, when | have
thought what struggle it was to part
with that money every week, and
when thought he was rich man and
could spare the money, and that my
poor two shillings week could make
no difference +" him. | thought also
very hard and bitter things about rich
people. Still, for all that, wOuldn't t
have had it otherwise; my pride had
been reused, and | felt that | would
have died rather than have received a
favor from him. Well, YOU know how
long it takes to pay five pounds
at two shillings a week-tifty
weeks, nearly twelve months-in
fact, it was only about a week
before Christmas again, that
| called on Mr.. Holdhard with the
last two shillings, and although knew
there was very little prospect of a
Christmas dinner this year, | felt
more free and happy in my mind than
| had done for long time. Now,
that 1 owed nothing to Mr. Holdhard,
/ felt better toward him than ever |
had before. When l had given him
the last two shillings he said, "The
money is now paid. Goodnight,
Smith" Goodnight, SIR and
away l went, feeling really-and |
don't mind confessing livery down.
hearted. If he had only shown the
slightest sympathy for me | should
have felt 50 different toward him,
toward myself, toward all the world.
Well, another week went on, and it
wanted but two days to Christmas !;
| there had been sickness in the family,
and we were much depressed and low
spirited. | had been ill of late, max
ing short time, which, you know,
means short wages, short food, short
everything. The fact is the work was
too hard for me the missus knew this,
and did all she could to cheer me up.
She would say: "Times will mend, ;"
and then l would say: "Oh yes, per-
hapS l shall find another fve-pOund
note" and then the tears would come
into her eyes, and she would say it
was all her fault for not letting me di-
vide the five-poun DIS with my mate.
Well, we were sitting this evening as
usual, both of us too tired and too low
spirited to talk much, when there came
a tremendous knock at the door which
woke up all the children. Before 1t
could be well opened, man with a
| heavy basket on his shoulders blum
dered in, then he threw it down with
a great noise, sat on it, looked hard at
me, and said:
"It's not for me-" I said, angrily.
Its not for me-take it away! It's
for some other John Smith; there's
plenty of 'em. l don't want to go or
paying two shillings week all my life
take it awayv
whats the matter, John Smith.
said a calm, deep voice, and in stepped
Mr. Holdhard, raising his hat very po
litely tony missus. "MayI come IMP
Certainly, sir,' said my wife, wh'
didn't know who he was.
"Isn't the money all right, sir"
said. Don't say it isn't all right, sir.
"Oh yes, that's all right. I've go
it in my pocket" and he spoke tha
pleasant l couldn't have believed i
possible.
"Now, john" he said, placing hi
hat on the table, and drawing off hi
gloves, "shake hands.
We shook hands.
"John," said he, ''you're an honest
manly fellow, and l respect you.
"Thank you, SIR
"Mrs. Smith," said he, tina
, hamper contains few Christmas pres
ents. hope you'll like them, and ell
t joy them
"Thank you kindly, sir.
!, 81 couldn't think of everything, S
) I've brought you all Johns shillings-
} there they are, the very same ones b
paid to me; you'll like them all th
. better for that, I'll be bound; 20