The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-10-15

left . wife and eight children, totally
destitute.
"And whose fault is thatp'' said Mrs.
Dean.
"Will you not contribute something
toward relieving their destitute ,condi-
tionP'' urged Mrs. Graham, opening
the book and holding the pencil ready
for use.
Certainly not" said Mrs. Dean.
I've no money to spare"
But was told
30, yes-about the money that was
drawn out of the savings-bankr' said
Mrs. Dean. I" But intend to keep that
money for myself, Mrs. Graham"
t" He that giveth to the poor lendeth
to the Lord" softly spoke Mrs. Ora
ham.
"Yes, yes-I know!'' said Mrs. Dean.
E" But nobody interprets the Bible lit
orally, nowadays"
Mrs. Graham took her departure, &C
knowledging within herself that her
errand was a failure. and Mrs. Dean,
left to herself at last, INDUCED in q nap,
with the knitting-work in her lap-a
nap wherein she dreamed that the fifty
dollar bill had taken to itself legs and
was running away from q crowd Of pur.
suers. herself among the number.
When she walked up, reused by the
noise of coal being poured upon the
stove, candle was burning and Mr..
Dean was laughing at her.
"Why, Befsey," said he, 81 thought
you never were going to wake againl
Here you sat, with the fire dead out,
and I've had to kindle it mp again.
Bless mer' said Mrs. Dean, /" ]
must have been asleep quite q while.
But'-as she started up she saw that
the old wall-pocket opposite was empty
-"where is that old number of the
CyiaakerUille Clarion -
1t was last weeks paper" said Mr..
Dean, calmly. I" We had both of us
read it. SO l just took it to kindle the
fire."
I" You burned it upP''
"Yes." said Mr.. Dean; {" / burned it
up. Why shouldn't IP''
For half an hour Mrs. Dean sat silent
and never spoke word. And her first
was:
Its the Lords judgment upon
mer'
Mrs. Dean was resolute woman. full
Of character. She went to her table,
drawer, took out sheet of paper and
wrote to DIR. Bridgman. inclosing dol
lar toward lame Dick Bodley's cart and
horse. She sent another dollar to Mrs.
Graham for the poor little O'Haras,
and promised to donate q barrel of rus
sets, bushel of potatoes and some Of
her husbands cast-off clothes to cut
over for the children. And she sent
Tor Helen Hurst to come and see her.
81 can't lend you ten dollars. my
1ear," said she, 'sbecause haven't got
It. But I'll tell you what I scM do.
I'll let you make your home here as
ong as you please. There's q nice
pare room, and it's an eighth of mile
nearer than Mrs. Swipes' to the district
school,"
20. how very. very good you are!'
'aid Helen. her eyes swimming with
grateful tears.
'sGoodr' cried Mrs. Dean. srm
lust beginning to see what selfish,
greedy creature I've been all my life.
But you're welcome, my dear, and your
board shall not cost you cent
She opened her parlor. shook out the
curtains and built FIRE in the air.tight
vood-stove-
" Dean likes the parlor." said she,
because it has such nice south win
lows, and ] don't see why we shouldn't
,njoy it."
She baked a fresh batch Of ginger
,read, and sent . loaf to old Mrs.
Nudge; she took out basket Of hick-
'rynuts for poor little Harry Jones, who
vas trying to crack dried up pignuts on
he stone by the roadside; she renewed
Ter subscription to the church chart |
les.
!" 1 can't be veyy liberal" she said: |
AM
..Thafs right, my dear-that's |
ightr' said her husband. I'VE shall |
70 prosperous, never fear. I'm awfully |
orry about burning up your fifty-dollar |
ill; but, if it's going to open your
leart like this, it's the best thing that |
ould have happened to vi"
Mrs. Dean was sweeping out the |
,itchen. She looked around with a
mile as she moved the wide-leaved
able which always stood under the
and took down the pocket |
tself, rude structure of splints, lined |
With red cambria and tied with cords |
nd tassels Of red worsted, to dust il |
ut.
YES" she said. 81 am afraid 1 sCas
citing to be little misery, and
Why, what's thisp''
Mr.. Dean stopped and picked up
lip of crumpled dark-green paper,
which had fallen out from the wall.
'ocket as his wife turned it upside
own and tapped her finger against it
0 remove all possible dust.
Its the fifty-dollar billr' said he,
nth mouth and eyes opening in unison.
1t must have slipped down from the
olds OF the newspaper and lodged
ere."
1.-The Lord has sent it back to us,n
aid Mrs. Dean, reverently; ssand He
oa aouf a loooo,, vvsoo ov.6 vr1oxeS.sfr.1