The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-09-05


chintz-covered lounge before me, "but
am glad of an opportunity to tell You
that that poem has been q great comfort
to me, a very great comfort. Icut it from
a newspaper few years ago. and I
have read it over and over again until
know it by heart / love to repeat it
to myself when I am lying awake
nights and listening to the rain or the
roof.
Her eyes glistened as she spoke. ]
was deeply touched; the thought of
having written a few words which had
afforded solace to this lonely creature
made me humbly grateful. My vanity
was not in the least moved, and / can
relate the circumstance without vanity
now; for, alas, my little piece was
pasted on page with others which she
seemed to regard as equally precious,
although they were not literature, any
more than the sentimental prints on
the wall were art. 1t was evident that
she viewed poems and pictures, not
with a cultivated or critical eve, but
wholly from a spiritual and sympathet-
ic attitude of mind; prizing what APP
pealed to her emotional and especially
to her religious nature, without being
much disturbed by weak lines, bal
rhymes and other imperfections. How
some of my aesthetic friends would have
scorned to see their verses included in
such serap-book! But, after all, there
is something in life better than culture;
and would not for anything have said
a word to lessen the satisfaction old
Aunt Abby found in the feeblest of that
trash.
My own little piece had given me O
key to her heart, and ] soon found it
easy to lead her to speak of her early
life.
81 have heard something of your
history" said, and it makes me won
der if you have never regretted the very
great sacrifices you once made
| Her large, gray eyes beamed upon
me mistily. 81 have asked myself the
same question many times. For it was
a sacrificed she said, tremblingly.
''But the answer deep down in nv
heart is always no. We must live &C
cording to our light. lived according
to mine. I could not do differently
then; couldn't do differently now. if
the thing was to do over.'
81 hear that he was, in MANY re-
spects, worthy man. said, ''to lead
her on. And tell me frankly, Aunt Alb
by, were you not very strongly attached
to each other?"
"There was only one thing in heaven
and earth that / loved better than
| loved Aaron Deemsr' she answered,
with emotion. But there were other
things that he loved better than he
loved me. Too many too many"
"What were they?" l asked.
Ellis ease and his pride and his
worldly possessions. Yet, as you say,
he was worthy man. Few people
blamed him, but a great many blamed
me. That was what made it so hard
for me to 90 as / did. NY friends called
me foolish and prescriptions; while
he acted as so many other men would
have acted in his place.
She wiped her eyes and resumed, in
answer to my questions: "We were
engaged, and were to be married in a
few weeks, and I believe there never
was young couple with happier pros
poets, until he came to me one evening
and told me OF an exciting event. He
had rich uncle who was known to
have acquired much of his property
dishonesty; he had died suddenly,
leaving everything to Aaron, and
/ Aaron seemed quite set up by his good
fortune.
But, Aaron [ said, 'how can il
be a good fortune TO you, since it is a
bad fortune, got in bal way, as
have heard you say yourselfp All that
property, or at least q large part of it,
belongs to the family of his dead part
J ner; the widow and children he de.
frauded, after he got the business into
his hands.
al don't know how much there is
in all that sad Aaron. Stories gel
exaggerated, and unc.e had his enc.
mics
"s But you were not his enemy.' ]
said; and | have had tie story from
your own lips. You always condemned
that transaction; and l never heard
you speak OF him with any respect.
; hope, sad /, you are not going to
let the fact that he has made YOU his
heir change your ideas of right and
wrong
ale laughed in way | couldn't
like, L have no ideas on the subject.
he said. All / know is, the property
is mine now
" But you can't take it and enjoy
I it, / said.
Why notp' was his answer, in g
tone that astonlshed and grieved me-
, 1 never heard that my uncle did any.
thing illegal; the property is lawfully
mine
Why, Aaron!' I demonstrated, q
have heard you say yourself that he
Z was shrewd enough to keep clear O
, the law, but does that make his wicked
ness any less wickedP And what if the
property is lawfully yours. if it is not
yours by absolute right, can you accept
itP'
"What said disturbed him; and ]
could see that dark shadow was com.
, ing between us-the first that had ever
crossed our path. He argued that il
wasn't for us to inquire too closely into
his moral right to the property, since
, nobody could say that his hands had
} been stained in the getting Of it; while
hnaluttIucu bndG IL was MS DUTY t(
ind out just how far the widow and or
phans had been wronged, and make
restitution out of his uncle's wealth.
:" Good heavens! Abby said he
according to what folks say, il woulC
take the bulk of the estate
s''Let it take the bulk of it. [ said
, let it take every cent! You don't wan
o dollar of money, no matter how vol
come by it, that belongs to anybody
else.
emo he said. If it's a claim any
body can prove; but guess if every
one was to he as particular as to The
way their estate, real and personal, wa.
come by, from generation to generation
, few would keep what they've got very
, long. | honor your principles, Abby
but, don't you see, carried out as vol
would have them, they are utterly alb
surd?'
81 don't see it, replied. On tn,
contrary, believe there is rule o
absolute right, and we ought to liv'
| by it