The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-08-03
hour he stopped before a miserable

uouE ue StOppeU DelOTe u mlSefSUie
dwelling, then entered dark hallway
and CROPPED his way up flight of ricke,-
ty stairs to room from whence faint
light flickered through the partly open
door On bed in one corner Law th
emaciated form of woman. A sludder
passed through my owners frame, and l
knew before he called the name that it
was Heartease. The woman opened her
eyes, gazed at him earnestly, then held
out a wasted white hand. He dropped
on his knees beside the bed, buried his
face in the pillow and sobbed aloud
Heartease placed her hand on his
head, saying family:
"Do not weep for me, Marcus, but
promise for my sake to care for nv boy.
1 have named him after you, the love of
my girlhood days. / wrecked nv own
life as we'll as yours, Marcus, and knew
when it was too late. Say you forgive
me-" @-
"Tbe fault was mine, Heartease.' y
I (How naturally the old name fell from
his lipsD 81 was unrelenting, unwilling
to make allowances for your extreme
youth. Mine has been a lonely life. All
the light and eladness went out of it
when you left me. Money has been my
idol ever since, hut it has brought re
little happiness. have wealth for you
and your child, and will strive to bright
en- the remainder of your days If you"
at is too late, Marcus; yet it can not
be wrong to tell YOU now, w,when I am dy-
ing, that / have never ceased to love
you"
A CLEAN Of JOY came into his face but
died out again when he found that poor,
withered Heartease had ceased to live.
After this event great change came
over my master The child confded to
his care by its dying mother crept into
bis heart and seemed to make his life
brighter and more worth the living.
Once The landladv said to him:
"This child will mt stay with you very
long ! thought when ! first saw him
that be was only lent to you for a while.
Don't you know, sir, there are children
who come into The world for purpose,
as it we're? When their mission is &C,
complished God takes them away again.
Little Marcus is one of these angels
whose footballs are scarcely heard ere
they are gone" '..''ii- ,'iiif'
| At night, when my owner came home
he would take the child on bis knee and
tell him stories about his mother. It
was amusing az well as pitiful TO hear
the, hard man OF the world teach the
baby to pray Sometimes he would kneel
with Marcus and try to pray aloud, then
would rise and glance around as il fear
ful some mocking eyes we're watching
him. The little fellow slept in bis arms.
He dressed him like prince, and en-
deavored, in bis uncouth way, to make
him happy.
The second summer after the death of
Heartease, Little Chap" as my owner
always called the child became i'll. The
landlady said he was pining for his
mother. A physician was called and
everything that love could devise was
done for Little Chap" bnt he was only
lent to my owner. His life's work was
ended-he was going home. Amos,
every day master would come in laden
down with choice flowers and fruits,
having sort of confused idea that such
things belonged to the psraphernalia Of
a sick room, even though the inmate was
only tiny child. He would hustle in
with bis purchases, and if Marcus but
played with the flowers and fruits poor
master would look grati6ed to think he
had brought something to please his
"Lit,le Chap"
At last the days came when master sat
constantly at the child hedside.an one
night, or rather early morning, when the
great world was opening its eyes to the
light, Little Chap went away and mas
ter was once more alone. No, not alone,
for the spirit OF the child stayed with
him, and for "Little Chaps" sake be
gave of his large means to sanitariums
for sick children. And other charitable
institutions were benefited because Lit
tie Chap" had lived his short life
When master died last winter distant
relative opened the box and read the fa-
ded letters, They were from Heartesse,
and told the story Of her love, and of
the exacting jealousy which finally part
ed him from his hearts idol. The letters,
a picture and curl from a baby head
we're buried with him. Heartease. Little
Chap and Master rest side by side in
Greenwood, and / am hanging up in
dining-room in Chatham street waiting
for another owner. -