The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-12-12

BY MARGARET G. H. REYNOLDS.
Christopher was a miser.
We all know what that means, for this
little planet of ours is prodigal of the
animal.
He had the identical tight lips you
would expect to see on a man of his
type. His nose was generous only IN
size, for speculation and hard-bargain-
ing were written all over it. His small
greedy eyes were always stealing SHE
looks, as if on the alert for unwary
game.
In mean little shanty, standing bare
and cherries on one of the bleak
heights of the town, he lived quite
alone, with no companion but his money
and his thoughts. He had never mar
ried, being possessed of mortal dread
of matrimonial expenses; his days were
invariably passed in cheating whom he
could, and planning how, by "hoek or
crook" to increase his gains; his even
ings in counting the costs and gloating
over his possessions, and his nights in
dreaming that he was robbed or the
bank had failed. No one of his ac-
quaintaDces ever attempted to ask
Cringer for a penny; they would as
soon think of scaling the moon as over
coming his shrunken- hearted avarice.
Strangers might innocently alight on
him with charitable subscription list
and Cringer, bound not to lose the op-
portunity OF saying good thing for
himself, would declare, with the look
OF martyr, that he had half the poor
of the neighborhood on his hands, not
to mention the small fortunes custom
arily paid in at the church gatherings,
whereupon the stranger in question
would take his leave, scrupulously re-
framing from pressing such a charitable
soul.
1t was coming panic time; never
were there promises of harder winter.
The poor went about the street with
scared faces, and the rich held fast to
their income, and tried to make it do
double service.
Slowed away in a miserable attic
lived one of Cringer's tenants, poor
widow. with an only child. Her hands
were worn thin from the washboard.
and her form, once, no doubt, robust
and well-shaped, now emaciated, droop-
ing, aud covered with scant rags.
Poor creaturel hers is a bitter lot"
sighed the neighbors as she passed.
May the good God look to her needs"
Cringer was this woman's brother,
and she his only living relative. Never
theless, if she failed in promptly pay
ing her rent no more merry was likely
to be shown her than to any other of
the struggling tenants. So the sad
time came when she began to tremble
for consequences. There was no use in
looking around the room for anything
to sell. Not Bit A pittance would
buy the bed of straw, the broken stool,
and the one cup and saucer. As for
lamps or oil, those were luxuries of the
sweet long ago.
Come, Wilhelm" she half walled.
pinning blanket fragment over the |
child's shoulders, and lifting him in her
arms; "we1l go to Cringer; there's /
nothing else to be done; and, after I |
tell him how it is, if he wants to turn
us out to die in the snow, why. let !
him )" adding in an undertone, Il don't
know but it would be as well, after ALL"
Down went her famished form, step
after step, descending feetly the dark,
narrow stairs, the little hungry child
clinging frail and wild to her neck.
Oringer was just sitting down to his
cruel when the rap sounded on the
door, and echoed with startling clear
ness through the silent house.
Save the mark !" said he, this may
be some forward beggars wanting some
thing to eat, which, thanks to my good
sense, have no notion of obliging
them with" and scowling his brows to-
gether he strobe down the stairs and
opened the door with an angry jerk.
When he saw his sister and the
pinched-visaged little child crouched
on the threshold his law
fell, and threatened never to take its
proper shape again, for he half guessed
the cause of her visit.
"Wellr he said, in a voice like crack
ling thorns, whats the matter now?n
Il can't walk another step, Christie ,
pher," painted the freezing sister, "youIl
have to help me up the stairs. walked
The way against the cutting wind; 1
shouldn't wonder if were going to |
die" and her teeth chartered dolefully
~ she looked despairingly around her
and tried to rise.
IF she dies" thought he, "there'll be
the funeral expenses to pay; of course,
for appearance sake, if nothing more,
I'd have to undergo cost of burial"
Well, get upr he bawled, "why don't ,
you get up2" j.,
Christopher, you must carry Will !
helm; I'm all kind OF numb and feeble" {
she said, with a half moan, firmly be- ,
Loving she hadn't another ten minutes