Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-12-23

| The simplest flower teaches it, Behold me, radi-
ant blooming, brightey ed perfect in every hidden
vein. 1t is the summer, and warm breezes kiss me,
and the ife-gi,ing sun shines upon me, and live
l live-I live 1t is the winter, and 1 am dust !
Seek me in vain But my seed remains.
| So shall the seed Of good deeds remain and bios
1 som again into flower.
| The church door was open. entered, and knelt
and prayed.
An hour past noon stood before Louisa Brands
hut. Hooked In at the window it was almost bare
of furniture, and l saw that she who
inhabited it must have had hard, hard fight
to keep body and soul together.
/ And in the room was an old, old woman-Louisa
Brand.
She was but forty.fve, but she looked seventy
when she opened the door to my knock.
She fell back when she saw me, as though she
had received mortal wound hurried forward to
support her, but she thrust me fercely off, and
treated few steps, l entered without invitation,
and surveyed with wonder and compassion the mis-
cradle apartment. When, after this melancholy
survey. looked at Louisa Brand, was as.onished
to that dark frown had settled her face, and
should receive me in such manner filed me with
| amazement. l had not long to wait before l
enlightened as to the reason of this unwelcome re-
ception.
"what do you do hereY. she muttered "what
| do you do herer
"I have made long journey said. "espe-
cially to see you to speak about your son."
about my dear sou, Nicolas she said, her eyes
flashing scorn at me- "I guessed much-i
guessed as much. 1t is for evil you are here-you
are capable of nothing else Have you come to
complain of my son? Have you to set
mother against her son? Well done, well done,
Gustaye Fink. Have you to tell me that
Nicolas ought to work twenty hours a-day for you
instead Of eighteen, and that he does not pay his
debt to you quickly enough? How is it possible,
| when you starve him, when you cheat him, when
you rob him of his rest? l. that the way to treat
the man who has slaved fer you; who has worked
his fingers to the bone for you day and night who
has made you rich, and who brings all the custom to
| your shop? You would have been in the gutter had
it not been for the exertons of my noble boy who
found out, too late, that he bound to serpent.
| Did you think 1 ignorant of your wicked CO.
| ings? But monstrous actions such you have been
| guilty OF cannot be forever hidden Go, CO. or l
| shall strike you -
And, indeed she raised her feeble hand to put her
| threat into execution / comprehended instantly
the lyirg and backbiting that had been going on.
and the evil character that villain, Nicolas had been
| giving me all the time he had eaten my bread and
been sheltered under my roof. This was the return
| he had made for my kindness and consideration
Where could that young man have got his secret
| and wicked mind from? Not from his mother
whose heart had been always open to tender impress
sions, and who, the moment she saw me, could not
help speaking frankly and candidly. 1t was the
father who had bestowed upon the the curse of
| his venomous nature. Heavens What some par
ents have to answer for There must have been
time in the world when human creatures sucked at
the tosts of treacherous animals.
How could be angry with the unfortunate WON
| an? pitied her-from my heart pitied her. What
fate was hers She was born to be deceived First
the father, the son. = What would be the end OF
it ali?
My mission was useless, saw that clearly enough
and was almost tempted to exclaim, Never again
will attempt to do good to any human creature, 1
had been animated by the best intentions, and they
were turned now against myself. After what bad
heard felt that Louisa Brand would put wrong
NNf'SNA
her SON. His mothers love was too strong shield
for me to hope to produce any effect upon it in my
desire to help her and Nicolas Perhaps it was as
well; it was labor saved. That young mans nature.
too bad to be altered the better it was rot
ten to the core.
But was desirous to ascertain the extent Of Nico-
las Misrepresentation.
"You know then, said, how much your son
is indebted to me?'
My amazement was great when she mentioned
it would have taken Nicolas Brand twenty years
| 10 repay.
30, know, know" she cried, in terrible agita.
ton, shaking her head and her hands, and her whole
body at me. "a You have set it all down against
him, every form, and added DEVILS interest, so as
to make him your slave for life. From the first
week he became your apprentice, you brought him
in your debt, aud you continued to do day after
day, week after week, till his time was out; page
upon page of figures in your false books which he
has to clear off. You would like me to believe it is
not true-you would like me to believe that you are
an honorable, good man-but you cannot deceive
me That time has past | have been warned
against you. My son has told me, yes he has tod
me in his letters that day YOU would seek me
out, and try to make me believe that he is worse
than you are yourself You can save the lies keep
them to use on some'other poor womsD Where is
heavens justice that such men as you prosper,
while upright, homes. men are made to suffer?
Nicolas might dispute the debt-he might take YOU
before the Judges, and say, Ny master is rogue;
| his accounts are false; of what use would il be
poor man against a rich man We know what that
comes to- Aud you have made people think you
| are so good kind Master Fink-benevolent Master
! Fink That is how they speak of you. And you
would have had me believe it by sending me money
from time to time and putting down twice the sum
in your book against Nicolas. You have done your.
sell good, for every form you have sent me 1
! have sent back to my poor boy-yes, every fiorin.
l have wanted bread many and many time, but l
have tasted for days rather than spend the smallest
coin OF our money upon myself. But your punish.
ment is coming. Nicolas is your slave; he will not
be much longer. He will ba free soon, and then
he will let me live with him. He will be rich one
day, mark my words, and then you will
have to stand aside and bow to him.
And shall be with him it will break your heart to
see him ana his loving mother together Every
Christmas have hoped to go to him, but you have
compelled him to put me of. Not this Christ.
mas he has been obliged to write. Net this
Christmas, but next. Master Fink will not hear of
it this year. And then again, when another year
went by, Master Fink declares he will discharge me
if you come Aud again, and again, and again, the
same. What could the poor boy do, when you were
determined to keep apart? So it has gone on all
these years, and have kissed my boys bright
face since the unhappy day he l:ft me to become
your apprentice. What evil fortune led me to your
door, to ask you to ROB me Of my son? Better that
had dropped down dead on the road-then Nicolas
would have been among friends" Tears streamed
from her eyes TO the ground. "what pleasure"
she said, wringing her hands, &c dc you think have
in The world except hm-my boy that sucked at
| my breast? What do care for in the world but
him? Has my life been SO full Of joy that you
should bring deeper misery into il than any have
suffered? You are my sons enemy and mine Oh
have known it long. You were any enemy when
was girl, and you used to speak against Ksrl be-
cause chose him instead of you"
had listened in profound sorrow and Indignation
to the outpouring of her grief but for the life OF me
could not remain silent at this accusation.
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