The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-12-24

Yes, came pretty nigh wrecking
body and soul both, and I'll tell you how.
Losing wife aud child while was still a
| young man broke me down. For time
l didn't care whether lived or died, but
still kept on with my business, and
presently l found myself beginning 10
love money. 1t became the greatest
pleasure OF my existence TO count up my
gains, and to add dollar to dollar.
TIE house had furnish.d so prettily
for Marie, aud which she had taken such
pride in, left to itself began to show
signs OF neglect. For time l retained
the old housekeeper to brighten up
things and keep them tidy, but that lux
ury cost too much and l dismissed her.
Then, not liking to see the pretty
things that had been so dear to Marie 90
to decay through dust and neglect, had
them carried up to the great garret
that extended the whole length of the
house.
did feel for time very unhappy
when they were all banished, and I was
left with the bare boards and two or
three chairs, but consoled myself by the
reflection that some day l would have
them all back again.
turned the once cheerful room in
which [ had spent so many pleasant
hours with my wife and little one into a
sort of second Office, and there slept, ate
my scanty meals and did much OF my
work. 1t was a sordid, sorry life de-
MED myself every comfort almost, but
4 that ~ Gra in ba Ioa1 Of ,v,o+o, IT,.
| would have, and of the best hickory,
NO matter what it cost. Meats and deli
cacies could do without, books and
comforts of many sorts, but fire, that
was the one link that bound me to the
instincts Of my kind.
grew shabby, seedy, lean and ugly.
My hair began to stand up on my head
through lack Of sufficient moisture my
eyes grew hollow,my cheeks were sunken,
and / looked like what | was, a miser.
To gather gold, to coun: it, to gloat over
its accumulation, and that for it's own
! worshipped sake, became the ruling pas
sion OF my life.
Not houses and lands and friends that
might have been bought, but gold, gold,
gold! For this I shaved, neglected my
| KIND, and deDled GOd.
shall never forget Tuesday, the 18th
day of January, Anno Domini, eighteen
hundred and sixty-seven. That is the
way | have written it down in my day
book.
Imagine me coming to my solitary
house, in the lower part of the great city
of New York hemmed in by ware
houses
say, imagine me shivering in my thin
coat, buttoned over pocketbook as pie
thoric as was lean, entering the unpaint-
ed and cobwebbed front door and walk
ing through the large hall, solacing my
self with the thought that should soon
be comfortable in front of blazing fire,
and finding as / opened the door to my
own den, q great red flame upon the
hearth, and covering over it, the thin,
almost skeleton form of a child.
Shall ever forget the unearthly look
| of the great dark eyes she turned upon
me, eyes that seemed to light up the very
corners of the room, to my frightened, ex
cited fancy. came forward slowly she
never stirred, only continued to gaze at
me with strained, pitifnl expression,
until she spoke, seeing that l came to a
pause.
"Oh, The fire is SO good :"
"Wba: do you mean? Who are you
How did you get here ?" l asked
sternly.
crawled in through the bars, down
into the cellar. | guess l staid there all
night Oh, it was 80 dark and cold But
Pm used TO that now. Then found the
cellar door, and it was open, and so came
here, and there was Goals on the hearth
and made FIRE.
If the child had not been pretty, | am
sorry to be compelled TO say, pretty in
spite Of the CRIME, the rags, and marks oi
hard living, and perhaps brutal treat
mcnt, or ii she had come there in any
otherfashion, at the door as meudicant,
or even been sent there by my friends,
should have expelled her ON the instant
but she had thrown herself upon my
bounty-the FIRE lit up the dark eyes that
somehow made me think OF those Of my
own li.tle pet-she had stood her GROUND
without finching--she had prepared ~
agreeable surprise by making the fire fol
| / was very cold, and she did not seem il
the least afraid OF me.
"Where do you belong r asked.
al doD't belong anywhere"
Well, VINO takes care Of you? Who
do you live With ?"
81 don't live with anybody. baven''
cot any home. Mother died and fatheI
died long ago, and I'm an alone BY my
self" 81 -
| Her words and manner touched me, bu
avarice was tayging al my heart
grudged this poor mite The little food en-
wonid require.
Well, ysa'vs aot Nsksn now;l can
keep yon any longer er---there 10 the way y
the door, ! saidv dv~s-
She rose up,. holdisg the rags OF be
shawl tosether, and then i saw that he
arms and cheet were bare, Tor her dres