The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-11
A Caso of ltetrfbution.

Nearly a hundred years ago York.
SHIRE peasant died in England, leaving
a widow and eight children. -Four Of
the children were children of a former
wife. Ills only fortune was u single
sovereign. Ills wife, however had =
little fortune Of twelve pounds, re-
ceived from her father
Soon after the husbands death. the
Oldest son, who was eighteen years OF
age, and had been apprenticed to q
carpenter, ran away. AS he was q
skilled workman and his services wera
OF value, his master was extremely an,
CRY, and declared he would p,,nish him
t9 the full extent of tho law, If no
EBnoNld ever rfethES~ -
The widow-who was only a STEM
mother to this boy-was most anxious
and troubled at tho hoy's dolin-
quency, Sho tried to appeaso the
wrath OF tho master, but in vain,
knowing OF her little property, the
man finally offered to cancel the arti-
cles of apprenticeship if tho widow
would give her little store of twelve
pounds, all that she had between her
self and poverty.
This olfor tue honorable woman cons
scntcd to accept.
Soon after this criminal liability had
neen Cancelled, tho boy appeared, not
10 holp the woman who had sacrificed
SO mllch for him, not even to thank her
for her noble act; but to demand the
single sovereign, the sole PROPERTY left
ny his father. AS it was his legal right
inc widow gave it to him. He imncd-
lately left England for America, leav-
ing ms abused mother to fight roverly
as best she could, and was never heard
OF by his English friends again.
Upon arriving in this country, the
boy Immediately found work at his
trade. lie was covetous, and his am
bltlon was to accumulate money. ITn
worked tor 1t rs few men cvor worked.
ile took no rost. 1t was as theuph a
demon urged him on day and night.
lie became miscrly. Soon he allowed
hllnSctf no comfOrtsamd SubsiSted in the
cheapest possible way. For moro than
ility years he lived; boarding, and fever
ist for moro gold. All through these
years ne gave no sign that he ever
Thought OF returning tho twelve pounds
10 the woman across the water, to whom
lie owed filial respect and gratitude.
FINALLY the result of his excessive
work showed itself in niammatore
For seventeen years nv
lay on his bed, writhing under the pain
this disease inilcts. Still he gave no
sign OF grateful obligation to bis moth
er, or made any effort to restore tho
money.
but the day Of summons came. uo
had llVeu to a most adXanceh nuau
man, by his habits Of covetousness, he
died and passed to meet his earthly
record iii another world
"A search was instituted for his heirs.
The step-lnother had long been dead.
All or his own brothers and sistesr
We're dead. or his half-brothcrs and
Of the woman ho had
so wronged-three wero living, and
among thom the fortune of tho miscr
was justly divided. 1t amounted to
more than one hundred thousand dol
lars.
The lawyer in whose hands the prop
erty had been placed, had the curiosity
to reckon the interest ol tho twelve
pounds for the years elapsed before it
returned 10 the family. At the high
rate of interest then prevailing the sum
was found to approximate SO nearly to
the amount which was distributed
among the heirs as to excite his surprise,
and tn cause the question, "\Vas this
simply a concidencc?"
Unwlttingly the man had worked and
and saved only to pay a debt
which he never meant to pay. He had
II nth that is not always
apparent to the human vision.
Injustice may do its wrctched work
and triumph in it's wrong. But somo
time and some where, in this life, or in
the eternity that awaits with solemn
portent all human events, the wrong
will be brought to light, and Justice
will be done Neither moral law nor
physical law can be violated, with God
and right to uphold them, and tho
VlOlatOr escape penalty.