Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-09-06
CHAPTER XIX.
TROUBLE IN 4 TRUE uoME

Hom the statlon 10 MS house. IL was after
sunset, dark and COLI, as he turned in at the
gate. The house was dimly lighted, and no
one save the Newfoundland dog came to
greet him at the door. He did not hear his
daughter singing as she was accustomed at
evening. There were no pleasant vsices, no
light and cheerful steps in the rooms. All was
silence. The i'll news had preceded bin. His
wife without a word fell on his bosom and
wept. Clara kept her seat, trying in vain
while her lips q~uivered aud her eyes dimmed
to fix her attention upon the magazine she
had held rather than read. At length Mr..
Sleavin led his wife to the sofa aud sat beside
her, holding her hand with a tenderness that
was as soothing as il was Pros
per1ty had not hardened his heart, but busi-
ness had preoccupied il; though his manner
had been kind, his family had rarely seen in
him any evidence of feeling. Misfortune had
now brought back the rule of his better
nature, and the routine life he had led was nj
an end.
"My dear wife, what | have most dreaded
in this crash is the pain, the anxiety. and the
possible discomfort il would bring TO Won and
to Clara. For myself l care nothing. tits
hard trial, but | shall conform to our altered
circumstances cheerfully."
"And so we shall, father" said Clara. awe
shall be happy with you anywhere"
"One thing, am sure, you can never lose. y
said Mrs. S~leavin-"and that is an honorable
name"
a rave tried to do my duty. | gave nm
only what | found ] must. But my duty d
not yet done"
"Why, fatherg"
MY creditors have claims which / regard
as sacred, and which must be paid. ultimota-
ly at whatever sacrifice"
won't the property at the store be enough
wien you can sell itq' asked Mrs. Sleavin
"You have spoken of the quantity of goods
you had on hand"
IL can't say, my dear. 1t depends uDon
how much time / have. II | could have Of.
fected sales | should have been safe
IF they have the goods wont thew ba
satisfied y asked Clara
"You don't understand, my daughter. that
all l have is at their command. II the nror-
erty does not liquidate the debts, then the
house, the carriage and horses, the furniture
the
The possible surrender Of all that had made
life pleasant to his family was not to be con
sidered without emotion, and MIR. Slcavin
found himself unable TO finish the sentence
"Dear father" exclaimed Clara. seizino
and kissing his hand, as she sat down at his
feet-"you are just and noble. We could
not be selfish or complaining when we tbink
of you. Let everything 60. / love the dear
old house, the garden that has been vour
pride, the books and pictures; but we shall bo
nearer t~ogether-shan't we, papag-in a cot.
tige. II they do sell my piano, | can
still sing to you; nobody can take that pleas
ure from US"
"Bless you, my ~daughteri / feel relieved
nlDNaGf hnAHr 49,. IL
given me new courage. Perhaps we shall not
have to made the sacrifice | dread. What.
ever happens, my darling, your piano shall
be kept. | will sell my watch first. Your
music will be twice as dear in our DAYS az
adversely"
"Yes Iapa-if we keep the piano, / can
give lessons"
"You give lessonsl Nonsense! But get up.
pussy here, sit on my knee
He fondled her like a child, and they ali
smiled through their ears-heavenly smiles
blisstul tearsl full Of a feeling of which the
heart in prosperous days has no concepiioni
"One thing has happened to-day" said Mr..
Sleavin, that ! shall never forget-an.actiou
so generous and s~elf-forgetful that it makes
one think better Of mankind. | remember
hearing a preacher say thai no family knew
all their capabilities of love until death had
taken one of their number-not their love
for the dead, but their deeper affection for
each other after the loss. / suppose every
calamity brings its compensations in develop.
ing no'le traits of character; and il Is almcs 81
an offset TO failure itself to have such an
overlooking feeling as this-to know
that there are so many Sympathiz.
ing hearts. But what / was going
to speak OF was the conduct of my clerk
Jameson. He is a fine fellow, rather more
given to pictures and books and music than
is good for a business man; but with a clear
head, a mans energy, and "A woman's heart.
He has a widowed mother, whom he sup
ports. never knew he had any property
till to day. 1t seems his father left $4,000.
He knew that my situation was desperate,
and yet he offered me his all. II would only
have put off the day of failure; but l was self
ish enough to lie willing TO take it. He had
deposited the securities for the amount with
Norcross. who first borrowed money in the
street by p~ledging them, and then failed to-
day. Jameson has lost his all; but hii inten-
ton was as noble as il he had saved me. l
shall never forget Il; and as long as | have a
dollar he shall share it.n
"What a noble fellow said Mrs. Sleavin.
@How pleasant to think that in this terrible
scramble for life there are some who have
not lost their humanity, nor trampled down
their finer feelingsi"
II couldn't but contrast this kindness on
the part OF a clerk. for whom ! have never
done anything beyond paying him his we'll
earned salary, with the conduct OF Mr.. Tril-
lion. ] gave him my Endorsement repeated.
ly, and assisted him In procuring loans,
when he was not so rich as he is now. j
know he has resources, re ldy -money-money
that he does not need for any outstanding
debts, but which he must keep for specula-
ton. But he refused to do anything.
Couldn't, he said, 'r ally; times were hard;
everybody wanted to borrow; couldn't lend
to everybody; hadn't the funds; much as he
could do to stand up himself There was no
sincerity in his look. l saw his soul skulking
away behind his subterfuges like a spider in
the depths of his fimsy web. He seems TO
thrive, however, In the midst Of general ruin.
I've 10 doubt he lives like a v~ulture, on the
dead anu dying"
ais Mr.. Trillion that short man, father,
with the cold eyes and grufR voice, and the
queer eyebrow which he seems to poke at
peopleF
"Yes, my daughter, that is the man.
@Well, Pm sure, he is coarse, disagreeable,
hard hearted. Pm glad you are not under
obligations to him"
any only regrets that | had the mortihca-
ton Of being refused. ! wish ! had never
asked him. can't think Of his look and
tone without a pang Of shame, or wounded
pride, IL you choose to call it so, harder to
bear than than a blow in the face. | had a
claim upon his gratitude, but he remembers
a favor no more than a wolf does the mutton
he ate a year ago. But enough Of business
The bitterness has passed since we have talk
ed together. Let us be cheerful Come,
Clara, sing some of those sweet old balladsl"
From her infancy until now in her twenti-
eth year, Clara had been constantly with her
father-but she had never known him before.
CHAPTER a.
THE DEBTORS RETURN.
Early next morning the officer in charge Of