The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-06-04


family depicts his feelings.
After the lapse of few days, he went
to livery stable, near his mothers resi-
dence, picked out and priced n noble
span of steeds, and an elegant carriage
and equipage, with the ostensible pur-
pose OF purchasing them. He was told
the price, and he asked If he could have
them on months credit. He was asked
what references he could give? He re-
piled the President and Directors of the
Merchants Exchange Bank, in the city
of New York. They told him they would
give him an answer within two days.
The proprietors of the stable tele-
graphed to the bank, and received for
an answer that Mr.. Walter Congden
had recently deposited in their institu-
ton the sum of $500 They sent him
word that the team and equipage We're
Mt his service. He returned the mes
sage that, as they Were unwilling to
trust him at first, he had concluded not
to take them. But he had accomplished
his purpose. The secret of his wealth
was out, and made the subject of COM
ment and gossip. When the intelli-
gence reached his mother, she advised
him, as he was able to do so, to provide
himself with better apparel. He acted
on her suggestion, and procured n fash
ionable suit, and sported n magnificent
gold watch and chain that he brought
with him from the land of gold.
When the news of her quondam low
er's wealth reached the ears of Celestial
she realized with CONSERVATION and dis
may the eggregious mistake she had
made. She saw that the guise and APP
pearance OF poverty assumed by her
lover was to test the genuineness of her
affection, and alas she had permitted
herself to betray her weakness, which
she was fearful would, indeed, seal her
fate SO far as ever becoming the wife of
her once cherished, but now rejected
and wealthy lover. She wrote him a
note imploring him to forgive her, and
received assurances from her lips of her
sincere, constant and undiminished af-
lection To this he vouchsafed no an
swer in fact, took no further notice of
it than to read it and cast it in the fire.
/ She sent him another, and another, both
/ of which he returned to her unopened.
! She then arrayed herself in her best at
tire, and walked repeatedly, day after
/ day, back and forth past Mrs. Congden's
parlor window, by the side of which Mr..
Walter sat reading, but he never once
raised his eyes from his book or gave
/ her any other token that he had noticed
her or was aware of her presence. See
ing that all her efforts to undo what she
/ had done, or reinstate herself in his
favor were futile, she went home III des-
pair, bitterly bewailing her folly, and
earnestly, but hopelessly, wishing she
could recall the past, and blot from the
history of it the most fatally-foolish act
of her life. But her regrets were USE
less. She had acted under the impulse
of sordid, selfish feelings, coupled with
keen disappointment, and now she must
abide by the result, however bitter and
painful it proved to be.
A few weeks more elapsed, and Wal
ter persuaded his mother to sell her
property and accompany him to the
West. They passed through the EN-
pire City, where Walter drew his money
from the bank, and fastened on his way
to the then young and rising State of
Wisconsin. Here he purchased a farm
of $40 acres, in good neighborho
peopled mostly by emigrants from the
Eastern States.
1t required the investment of but a
small share of his money to purchase
this property, and he spent an addi-
tional sum in improving and identifying
it, placing the remainder at interest. At
the end of two years, he possessed the
best improved, most thoroughly beauti-
fled and ornamented farm, large or
small, in the vicinity, and was sur
rounded with every comfort and luxury
that wealth could purchase, or refined
taste suggest.
At this time there came from the
State of Massachusetts Mr.. Charles
Benton, a gentleman of culture, taste
and refinement, with his wife, woman
of education and estimable qualities,
and a daughter of years of age. He
had been induced to emigrate to the
West, in the hopes that the salubrious
air might improve his shattered health.
He was the victim of consumption, and
was led to hope that by thus changing
his location his life might be pro-
longed, but alas ! the disease had al
ready made too great progress, and in
one year after his arrival he lay in his
grave in land of strangers.
Walter was one of his nearest neigh
bors and during the latter part of his
life was assiduous i'll his attentions to
him. doing all in his power to smooth
his pathway to the grave which obvi-
ously yawned before him. He had am
pie opportunity TO observe the phases of
character manifested by Mrs. Benton
and the deep, true affection she mani
tested for her suffering husband-her
untiring devotion, and strict attention
to his wants (Which she anticipated,
raised her high in his estimation, and
he was forced to the conclusion that, if
some women were tickle, false, sordid,
and selfish, it would be the height of
injustice to attribute these character
istics to all of them.
During the year that followed the de-
mise of Mr.. Benton, Walter, under the
impulse of his naturally generous ma
ture, and from the high estimation he
held Mrs. Benton i'll, was unremitting
in his neighborly kindness, awakening
in the breast of the recipient of his
favors the warmest gratitude and just
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