The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-10-31

% think Of himself and he ought % think
Of me.
Aud few unconscious tears splashed
down on the linnct's glass watcr-cnp Al
Alice thought ~ the long-trcasured ESQ
just a week subsequently MIR. Walter
Watkins sat in his back parlor, \
wrinkled old gentleman with light blu,
eyes like staring marbles and curious
upward sneer 70 the curves OF his mouth,
while on the table In front u him lay a
pile Of letters.
snow Wen see. said Mr.. Watkins 10
himself, sswhat all the ties Of relation
ship are worth I've written pitiful let
tiers to my six cousins, and Ill be willing
10 wager the biggest diamond in my
ring that there isn't penny in all these
answers. Well, Wen see, wen see.'
4 The first letter. as il transpired. was
from the Rev. Theodore Talkington,
who inciosed tract entitled. :. Return,
We Sinners recommended q course Of
prayer meetings. and stated that he, the
Rev Theodore. was quite unable 10
help his cousin Walter except by god
advice.
81 thought 80, said Mr.. Watkins.
The second was from Mrs. Calisfa
Jones, the wife of a prosperous mer-
chant.
MY dear cousin,- il said, in little
spidcr-webby characters. "your' letter
fills me with surprise. Such necessity
can only have its source in dissipation
or speculation. With neither Of these
can you expect me. Christian matron,
to sympathize. Under the circumstances
l must beg to decline further postal
communication with you. Respectfully,
etc, etc
The upward curves around Mr.. Wat
kins's mouth heightened themselves out
into the nearest approach TO smile in
which the caustic old gentleman ever in
dulged as he neatly labeled and docket
ed this letter also and opened still the
third, in which Mr.. Benjamin Courtenay
regretted the straitcned case of his
financial affairs, and bluntly recon-
mended some public charitable institu-
ton as the best refuge for his cousins
declining years.
'.Humph, humph." mutteredMr. Wat
kins. $50 he would pack me of to the
poor-house, would he? Very kind and
considerate Of him, very
Mr.. Peter Dilks was stage less ccre-
monious still.
.. Did his cousin Watkins think he was
made Of money? Did he think it was
his business to supply every old pauper?
In that case Mr.. Watkins would find
himself considerably mistaken, and SO
no more from his to command,
"P- DTLKs."
The fifth epistle from Mrs. Million
naire was excessively civil and as hard
IS granite
She begged to call Mr.. Watkins's at
tention to the fact that she. Mrs. Mil
lionnaire, was bur his second cousin af-
ter all, and she really wondered at his
audacity in expecting her to patch up
his ruined fortunes. She inclosed a card
TO an employment Office, and hoped TO
be troubled no more with such useless
applications.
Mr.. Watkins silently folded this letter
and placed il with the others before he
opened the one directed in Moses Hay
woods clerkly calligraphy.
10 his surprise, when he broS,
seal, out fell post-ofiice order for ESQ.
Ny dear cousin Watkins wrote
the schoolmaster, !" grieve deeply to
bear Of your financial distress, and here
by inclose all have on hand. Il l. not
much-but beg of You to accept il in
the same spirit in which il l. given
Old Walter Watkins brushed his
wrinkled hand across his shaggy brows.
. The poorest, most obscure Of them
all. y said be. :. The one Of whom ex-
pected least. Well. well, wonders will
never cease
And taking up his pen he wrote back
briefly
COUSIN HAYWOOD: THANK YOU.
w. WATKINS.
= Father, are yuu sure YOU re well
enough 10 60 back TO schools-
Alice had drawn her wheeled chair
close to the lounge on which old Moses
had dragged himself into sitting pos
ture.
: Yes, child, yes,- he said, drawing
his hand vaguely across his forehead:
/" must be well enough, The children's
parents are getting Impatient. ! shall
lose my scholars If don't 20 back into
harness to-day"
!" Father, father cried poor Alice,
piteously, sif We had but that money
YOU saved up 50 long and PAINFULLY
that money you gave TO old Mr.. Wat
kins--it would have brought you health, I
strength, repose now"
my daughter" said the old man,
mildly, ''all that is past now. And, re-
member, he that giyeth to the poor lend
eth to the Lord. y
He was in the school that morning
trying 10 accustom his whirling head 70
the clamorous voices Of the little ones
when there came a loud rap At the door |
and well dressed, bluff-looking
stranger walked in and looked unccre-
around him.
.sIs this Moses Haxwnnd the school |