Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-07-01


we had no money and no home," re-
piled his wife, with tears in her voice,
though none fell from her eyes. "You
can never imagine how she was humili-
ated and beaten down into the very
dust. Ono night-oh, how well 1 re-
member it-she would certainly have
died, if it had not been for kind old
farmer who took us to his house, al
though his cross wife objected, and ac-
tually called my mother pauper in her
anger. Some day. when you are not
very busy, George, / wish you would
go with me to see that kind old man,
and thank him in my mothers name"
'Very well, my dear. Now will you
go with me to give your orders about
the furnishing Of the upper rooms?'
They went out into the hall. There
stood the farmer, turning his hat about
in his hands, and looking like man
dazed.
"Why hear is my friend-my mothers
friendl" exclaimed the Governors wife,
dropping her husbands arm, and. rum
ming up to the old man with both hands
outstretched to greet him. "Don't you
remember me, sir? I am the little girl
you sheltered in your pleasant home.
If you had not been SO good to us,
might havs lost my mother them"
I remember, miss--ma'am, stammer-
ed the farmer, turning crimson all over
his honest face.
''And did you come to see me? Or
my husband? asked Lucy, with a proud,
fond glance at the Governor.
SIT was him, ma'am-the gentleman
that holds the note and the mortgage
on our home. 1t has been foreclosed,
and / must lose it now to pay this debt.
l wouldn't have dared to come here,
ma'am, on such an errand, only it is
life and death to me and to my wife.
We are getting old now, and I haven't
saved anything, and I don't know where
we could find another home. IF more
time could be given me, could pay off
the note and the mortgage by degrees.
But 1 cannot do it pcw. If L am pressed
for it, the home must CO."
"How came you to sign note for an
other man, when your own property was
encumbered?" asked the Governor, as
his wife drew the papers from the hands
of the farmer, and placed them in his
own.
81 suppose oughtn't to have done it
that's fact, sir. But, you see, Neigh
Dor Russell and were boys at school
together, and he was poor struggling
man, with lot of little children. There
was only Sarah ard me at the old home
stead, and / thought we could risk it
better than he could. If he had I.lived,
he would have paid me back, honest,
every cent. But what could be done if
the Lord saw fit to take him? It is all
unfortunate, bat I acted for what 1
thought was best at the time"
"George, for my mothers sake, you
will not let him lose the home that he
has risked to help another" said the
Governors wife imploringly.g
He smiled, and then they both turned
and looked at the portrait, that seemed
to follow them all with its sweet sad
eyes. 1850 III 5l
"This business is in the hands of my
country agent, and knew nothing of
it until now" he observed. snake
Your old friend stay and take an early
dinner with us, Lucy, and will settle
this affair"
- y ~ =
At eight O'Clock that evening Caleb
Morton reached his farm, an altered
and happy man.
Never had the old place seemed 80
dear to him as now, and he gazed around
the fertile fields, and st the old square
gray house, as we only gaze at the
things that we love, when they have
been nearly lost to us, and then, by a
merciful interposition Of Providence re-
stored.
His wife met him at the door, eager
faced and sharp of tongue as ever.
"It is the cup of cold water that the
Bible speaks Oft is the blessing that
follows after the giving,' said the old
man solemnly, as he finished the story
Of his day. "The note was destroyed
by the Governors wife, the mortgage
is cancelled, and this is our home once
more, free from the least incumbrance
of debt. But if / had refused shelter
to that poor lady and her child ten years
ago where should we be this uight?"
"Where, indeed2" thought Mrs. Nor
ton, silenced for once in her self-ap-
proving life. ~ -'
Now, if you happen to go there, Mrs.
Morton will show you with great pride
the best room and the best bed-''on
which Governor Gerald's wife's mother
slept the night that she staid with us
she and the pretty little girl, who il
now Governor Gerald's wife"
Arrangements have been made to hold
fha rarf ranninn of the Army of Waai