Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-11-22

saying 1--WE have nothing TO offer
You, but q cup of tea will refresh you
after your long journey"
He accepted their hospitality, and
as they discussed the frugal meal, he
led them, without seeming to do SO,
to talk of their affairs.
81 bought this piece Of land" said
Mr.. Bishop, TAT a verylow price, and
instead of waiting as / ought to have
done until I had saved money to
build, I thought I would borrow. two
hundred dollars. The interest on the
money would not be As much as the
rent ! was paying, and I would be
saving something by doing it. I did
not think there would b any difficult
.ty in paying back the borrowed mo-
ney. But the first year my wife and
one Of my children we're i'll and the
expenses left me without the, means
to pay the debt. Mr.. Merton agreed
to srait another year. IL ! would pay
the interest, 7 did that. This year
II was for seven months unable to
work at my trade and earn anything:
and of course when pay day. comes
around, and this is very soon, / shall
again be unable to meet the demand"
.sBut,,,' said the stranger, "win not
Mr.. Merton wait another year, If you
make circumstances known to him?''.
ssNo, sir replied Mr. Bishop, 81
saw him this morning, and he said he
would be obligedt to foreclose-"
"He must be very hard-hearted,"
replied the stranger.
aNot necessarily so,'' said Bishop.
trThe fact is, these rich men know
nothing OF the struggles Of the poor.
They are men just like the rest Of
mankind and T am sure if they had
but the faintest idea Of what the poor
bad to. pass through, their hearts and
their purses would open. You know
1t has passed into a proverb, when
a poor man needs assistance, he
should apply to the poor The reas-
on is obvious. The poor only know
the curse of poverty. They know
how heavily it falls, crushing the spir'
it out Of a man, and to s my favor
tie expression, they can at once put
themselves in the unfortunate ones
place and appreciate his difficulties.
and are therefore always ready t.
render assistance as far as they arr
able ; and if Merton had the least idle,
of what 1 and my family had to pas
Through, I think he would be willin;
to wait several years for his none!
rather than distress u.s."
With what emotion the strange
listened may be imagined. A new
world was being opened to him, III
was passing through an experience
that had never been his before. Short
ly after the conclusion of the meal
he. rose to take his leave, thankinI
Mr., and Mrs. Bishop for their kin
hospitality. They invited him =
stay all night, telling him. be was wei
come to what they had. rita sta.
He5hankedsliem asd saad, ssIxi
trespass on your kindness no 1onge,
I think / can reach the next villag
before dark, and be so much furthe
on my journey. s''i' '7es'H ..
4 Merton did not sleep much til.
night, he had received a new reyel,
ton. The poor had always been q
. sociated in his mind with stupid,
and ignorance, and the first pc.
family he had visited he had four
, far in advanceLin intelligent symp
thy, md real politenessAof the e,
quisites and fashionable butterflies
. the day. -+'N @'h"i
4 The next day a boy called at Il
cottage, and left a package in a lar,
4 blue envelope, addressed to Bisho
Al He opened it in silence, read i
contents, and said fervently, "Thal
heaven!"
e "Wha is it, John?'' inquired I
= anxious wife. '1 ht .
;. "Good news replied John; ''su
70 news that 1 never hoped for, or ev
). dreamed OF. ,tJ'" p"
q. ssWhat is it-what is il e." Tell
"A qnick-I want to hear if it is ar
,e thing good" u "4'a3 7'' ~ ~
ID "Merton has cancelled the mo
N gage, released me from the debt, be
le interest and principal, and says a
ip time I need any further assistance,
In l will let hi n know I shall have il
le 81 am so glad, it puts new life ii
IN me- said the now happy wife, "f
er what can have come over Merton
~ do not know, 1t seems strar
r. after the way he. talked to me vest
m day morning. I will 60 right over
he his Office and tell him how happy
r has made u.s." - ~
nr He found Merton in, and expires.
lis gratitude i'd glowing teri
es .What could have induced you,"'
d. asked. s'to show US SO much kin
ness"
II, 81 followed your suggestions"
We Piled Merton, land put myself
On your place. I expect it would 9
v;prise You very much to know that
!" strange traveller to whom you show
" so much kindness yesterday was Il
81, self" 9
tIToIoalt ' n~n}o;-oI nix