Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1878-01-19

~ 80. NH'Dc, anu tuc lUNcrG
service Was read.
, Old Peter was there, his sober. so
emn face framed between others fro,
The store, but locking out always NH
fully at his gricfS,ricken master.
At last came the lowering of n,
, coffin, the fall of the clods. and 1L
old, old words,
Ashes to a>he-; dust to dust"
Bolter stood till ,he last clod fell
} and then followed the others ov,v
back to the silen; home. back to com
munlon with bis bruised heart. Lacl
TO the weary round of existence.
His wife and daughter were lcf
him, the former a patient, noble wo
Tan The latter a sweet. modest girl
but the idol of his heart was gone
and lie seemed 10 have little to live
for now.
" DO not care to get rich," he said
TO himself tine and again, "now tha,
he is gone. Business NAV take care
Of itself. NJ misfortune that can be-
fall will affect me now"
But BOlter was mistaken. There
came sudden reverses. At first he
almost smiled at them, but then came
others. and he grew anxious.
Finally affairs became desperate,
snd he thoroughly reused himself
But it was idle. His goods were
seized and sold; his very home was
levied upon and soon passed from his
possession. lie gathered The little
Remnants Of propert, &c lad saved
and moved his iauilv into modest
quarters. Seen lie was forced to leave
these for Lun.bier rooms, and nccessi-
,y at last drove him TO the fifth floor
tenement house, and started him out
on the streets in search of work
enough to save himself and family
from starvation
Oh, how he looked back then to
the bright days when he had abun-
dance. cheerful home, a happy family;
and how he wondered that he could
have repined al such lot.
SO the days went by; and another
Thanksgiving day came around. Sit.
ting by the dying emJers in bis bleak
quarters, looking upon the piuched
faces and shiveiing forms of bis wife
and daughter; seeing no hope for the
morrow, the strong man broke down
compleilv, aud threw himself on his
cours, bed in utter despair.
Laying there. convulsed with the
great sobs which shook his frame, he
heard footsteps on the stairs, and then
there came a knock at his door.
His wife opened it, aud there stocd
old Peter, with basket of vegetables
on his arm, and in lis hand brace
Of very fat fowls.
Peter took off his hat in the old
fashion, and stammeringly said: at
hain't turkey, 'zactly, you see, Missus,
bnt IT'S pigeon or two for Thanks
giving"
Almost his very words of a year
before, and Boiler busbed his breath
ing as he listened
"lou see" continued Peter, 81 got
li,tlc work to do this week, and be-
IN as Tomorrow was Thanksgivin', | |
thought Ia bring 'em around"
."Bess his noble SOUL" thought
Bolier.
Gould | speak to the boss a min
ute 7" said Peter, glanciug toward the
bed.
Hes asleep poor man." returned
Mrs Bolter.
"Well, then. YOU can tell him when
ne wakes up said Peter, that there's
good place open for him now in Car
son 5 war,rooms, and they told me
might call around and say be could
begin right away"
Mrs. Bolter caught Peters hands
n hers, Florence began to cry, and
boiter lay perfectly still a minute,
Almost afraid to breathe, but thinking
hat tomorrow would be, after all,
he happiest Thanksgiving be had
'ver seen. Then he sat up on the
'ed, and, with tears streaming down
lis face, held Out bis hands to Peter,
md said. God bless you, my faithful
riend, God bless you!'
And Peter grasped the prolfered
land, but in a moment more began
baking him most vigorously, and
rylng out: "Rouse up, sir; rouse up!
" hat can be the matter with you?" /:
Then his wife and Florence came, /,
nd there was more shaking, and at
asi Mr.. Better stood up and gazed, ,
n stupefed way, around, not at (
haoby tenement rooms, not at dying
mbers, not at Peters two pigeons, {
'ut at three astonished, though laugh I
ng faces, and at the well furnished
ifice of his own store.
"Why will you never wake up ?n .
aid Mrs. Bolter. Here Peter has
cen Tor five minutes tryiag to rouse
ou, aud the diuner will be cold We
anne after you. fearing you would be
ate, and Paul is waiting in the car