Middletown transcript., 1877-08-25

face, mild eye and intellectual. The
e merchant made plausible excuse for
his visit, and in course of conversation
4 4 he let it drop that he was acquainted
with a'certain Henry seaton in New
York.
eYou know the boy p said Mrs. Sea
ton, with warmth and eagerness.
'rYes, ma'am. / have much busi-
r ness inthe place where heisemployed. !"
"Then, sir, you know one Of the best
sons that ever gladdened a mothers
heart. From the day Of his birth to
the present time he never willingly
gave me pain or grief, and now should
be poor indeed, but for him. ispay
cannot be large, but he denies himself
! all luxury and many comforts for my
sake. 1t is his helping hand, aud his
enduring love, that gives brightness to
my life"
And now the merchant knew why he
had seen those tears upon his clerks
cheeks. He was glad that he had found
the widowed mother.
On the first Of the following January,
Henry Seaton was promoted to the post
Of assistant book-keeper, and his salary
almost doubled. He could not quite
understand this sudden advancement,
and as he wondered, Mr.. Van Worst
said to him
aHenry, l have given you this posi-
tion because l know you are qualified
for it, and because 1 have faith in you.
l hope the salary is satisfactory"
"Yes, sir, but your faith and trust
give me deeper joy" His eyes mois-
tened as he spoke.
Between two and three years passed,
and at the age of twenty Henry Seaton
was elevated to the post Of chief book
keeper and confidential clerk. This
brought him often in the evening to the
merchants dwelling, where he met Isa-
bel Van Worst, his employers daugh-
ter and only ehild-a girl who had seen
eighteen summers bright, beautiful
being, with rippling sunshine upon her
fair face, and wealth Of truth and
love in her heart.
One evening the merchant asked
Henry if he could play chess.
He could not
q think you would make an excel
lent player. Isabel shall teach you,
and then you shall try your skill with j
me-" b
Was it utterly possible that Jacob
Van Worst was utterly blind2 1t may
have been very pleasant for him thus
to entertain and educate chess-com-
batant, but it was agony for Henry
Seaton. How could he help falling in
love with his beautiful teacher? And
more still. His perceptions were keen
enongh tc detect that Isabel returned
his love. And why should she not ? !
One day young gentleman, very
fashionably, and even exquisitely dress +.
ed, called at the store, and was granted
an interview with the merchant in his
private Office. Seaton, who was en- :
gagged with foreign correspondence re-
tired.
The visitor remained fifteen minutes
or thereabouts, and when he departed :
Seaton returned to his letters. :
upon my soul !" said Van Worst, =
with burst very much like indigna- !.
ton, "that young man does not lack I
assurance. Why he had the impu- :
dence to ask me for the hand Of my : .
or permission to win the hand =
If he could. / think / might safely
have given him the permission he 7
sought, leaving Isabel to dismiss him =
with sufficient brevity. But the self !
,onceit of the mani Seventy or eighty :
thousand dollars is all he is worth. A
pretty match for Isabel Van Worst Y y
Henry Seaton turned away to hide ~
he change which he knew must have !"
'ome upon his face. If young and -
handsome gentleman, Of aristocratic :,
amily, with a moderate fortune, was -
couted by the merchant on account of - -
lis poverty, what could be the hope Of u
i'm who never banked dollar on his
The only money he had !,
,ver deposited had been in savings -
,ank, subject tothe order ofhis mother. :
That afternoon Henry considered :.
ong and earnestly, and at length re- "
olved upon the course he would pur- y
ue. Nor for the world would he be- y
ray the trust reposed in him by his
ind generous employer. It was an r
Iour Of agony, sharp and bitter, and y y
e looked for many more hours of pain y
0 follow; but he would do his duty, in
ruth and honor, and pray to Heaven m,
or strength. sic
That evening, when the merchant, ma
nth package of papers in his hand, in
sked Henry to-accompany him to his flu
ouse the latter said: an
"Mr. Van Worst, if you will leave m,
hose invoices with me I will reduce b,
he currency at my own lodging. You an
hall have no trouble with them" rio