The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-12-15

faint smile. ''You hear this said so
often that I will onS weary you"
Somehow or other, il seemed 10 me
l had only then understood the posi-
biity of heart sorrow being attach
ed TO the exchange Of goods, such as l
had that day sold.
II am anxious to help YOH, mad
am"
And I was! / believe | was grow
ing superstitious, too; for is seemed
sing and re-crossing that dim mirror,
and the old screen shook as if signs
or sobs were coming from it.
'Fhank you! I am looking for
cedar cabinet" said the lady, gently,
(which was among the articles 1 part
ed with TO Clutchem 81 Keep, AMI am
told it was sent here for sale. 1 wish
to redeem it at any price"
She stopped suddenly as my face
changed.
A cedar cabinet!
/ remembered it at once. The hurt
on my hand recalled it. also, that il
had been labeled for that days sale.
She grew frightened at my hesita-
ton.
''Do not say it is gone!" she cried,
rising quickly and grasping my arm.
ooh, God would not so afllict me
Look. look everywhere for it, l beg,
beg, pray you ="
Her hands shook so on my arm that
I could feel tAe quiyeriug Of the thin
fingers.
/ tried to think to whom / had sold
a cabinet that day; then it dashed on
me that there had not been one i'll the
catalogue.
Had | made a mistake and sent it
West with the bric-a-brac lot? If so
| it could be recovered. l felt glad for
/ my error, but The poor little woman
mistcok my silence and broke down
! completely, sobbing 50 pitifully that
knew then that some great cause was
! hidden beneath her desire to reclaim
! the old cabinet.
at is more to me than life OIL
| death :" she cried out, passiOnately
looking straight before her. Il
means my children's honor! Listen
and you may be influenced by my
great need to find this cabinet for me
| believe it contains the certificate o
my marriage and my children's bap
tism, without which l can not la.
claim to my husbands estate il
France 1t is not the money l want :!
she added, with proud spirit-'I cal
not bear to touch that; but my chill
dren shall not be robbed Of the RICH
Of their fathers name!"
She paused to look at me. 1 felt a
if severe tension upon her nerve
had given way at last, and, crushed b.
her fear Of the cabinet being lost +
her, her silence and reserve haC
broken down, and that she appeaie,
to me unconsCiOusly in her need.
The shadowy pageant passed to an
fro across the mirror, and as she wen
OH passionately with her story,
seemed to me ] saw the whole sad ep
isolde pass in review on the dim sur
face.
Fifteen wears ago my husband dc
serted me. Evil influences led hlI
astray, AMI while for my children
sake 1 would have pardOned him,
never saw him again or heard on
word Of him, until learned thrOug
the paper that he was dead, and ha
left an estate to his wife and children
81 could not grieve, except that Il
died in his sin, unfOrgiven by me.
, was Door, for he left me with Onl
| INC HOuStllClO luI ulJulGs anu lltlN
toiled all these years to maintain IN
children. So, for their sakes, 1 al
| piled to the lawyer to obtain posses
SION of the estate.
ooh, the shame, the despair, of fine
ing another claimant ia France to III
2 childreu's name and honor!
1 4 must prove our claim as vii
! and children, said the careful Frenc
2 lawyer, by the production Of the MAJ
a riage and baptismal certificates!
"And | knew not where they were
s 'The minister was dead, the wi
g nesses gone knew not where.
n Il felt then as if my carelessne
= had dishonored my children, and fl
DAYS could get no relief from my no
+ rible anxiety, until by a flash, as
L from heaven, / remembered that
had placed the certificate with 9TH
= papers In the old cabinet [ had par
: ed with to Clutchcm 81 Kemp.
x went to them; they had sent it he
e for sale, and now you
&c She broke down with a moan
I, despair. 1t was more than l cOul
y stand. That cry and the pitiful stol
Is forced Inc into action at once.
1 you shall have back the cabinc
Is madam I said, solemnly, as if d
d voting my life to its search.
Is ooh, sir, YOU will do noble de-
IS if you but find it for me!' she erie
II gratefully, looking at me with bear
ing eyes.
d Her face looked to me "a If Ia
as came overit, and I dimly felt why
n had stood bareheaded before ht
Is Truly had 1 stood in DEATHS presen
lie tho death of hope and love in Il
poor woman's lifc-the requiem
I'd gladness and impulse.
&c She left me with hopeful smi
is taking my hand with a pretty graz
ry and l watched her. in the mirror,
IN down the shadowy room into the ST.
| light of the street, and the shade
ne seemed to fall from her forever.
1 telegraphed the Western fir
he They had tho cabinet and returned
w at once; so that before many days
little nervous fingers were searchiI
l in the presence of the lawyer and n
Il self, for the precious papers.
She found them! l shall never f
ut get her face when she held them
The halo was there, and she said,
Is softly:
- "Thaull God :"
r. And it seems to cling to me yet,a
'Iy TO make me think how much misc
our evil passions can work throU
u selfishuesS and thoughtlessness.