The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-09
ALICE'S FORTUNE.
1t Was Her Fathers Savings and
1t Brought Joy to Many
Hearts.


nSister Theodosia,9 said a feeble voice
from the bed.
The Sister of Charity, a mild faced
woman of middle age, answeredthe sum-
mons of the dying man, and approached
the bedside.
The dying man was Hector Moritz, a
carpenter, who had fallen from a house
which he was building, a few days be-
fore, and SO injured himself that he could
not recover. He lived just outside the
village of St. Barbe, with his little girl,
Alice, now 7 years old. His wife had
died three years before, but Alice, child
as she was, could make coffee and cook
an omelet as skillfully as if she were
twice as old, and had acted as her fa-
theirs little housekeeper. So it happened
that, being alone, an unusual affection
had sprung up between Alice and her
father.
The Sister Of Charity approached the
bedside. The sick mans face expressed
anxiety, and his eye turned from the
nurse to his little girl, who was pale and
grief stricken, yethad self-control enough
not to betray her emotion lest it should
distress her father In his last moments.
"What can / do for you, NJ. Moritz??"
asked Sister Theodosia, in a gentle voice.
His glance wandered to his little girl
once more.
"Alice," he gasped, provided for"
"Do you mean that you wish Alice
provided for?" asked the sister, striving
to interpret his broken words.
ALREADY provided for-money there"
and he pointed vaguely downwards.
Poor man! He is wandering in mind, !"
thought the ~sister--for he was pointing
to the floor; but she thought it best to
appear to have understood him.
Eyes, she said gently, "have no anxi-
ety."
He looked at her wistfully, and then,
seeming to think he was understood, he
fell back upon the pillow from which he
had lifted his head, and a moment after
expired.
When Alice realized that her father
was really dead she gave way to excess
i've grief--so excessive that it soon wore
itself out. leaving her pale and sorrow
full. Sister Theodosia took her into her
lap and pressed her head against hel
bosom in sad compassion, for little Alice
was now without father or mother.
In due time Hector Moritz was buried,
and the next thing to be considered was,
how should Alice be disposed of?
Hector Moritz left two neal relatives,
both cousins. One OF these was a thirty.
ing tradesman in the next town, a mar
who had prospered, partly through his
selfishness, which was excessive. The
other, also residing in the next town,
was a poor shoemaker with a large fam
lily, who found it hard enough to make
both ends meet, but was, withal, kind
and cheerful, beloved by his children,
for whom he could do SO little, and pop.
ular in the village.
These two cousins met at the funeral
Of Hector Moritz.
.'TTsuppose Hector died poor" said NJ
Ponchard, the tradesman, a little uneas
lily.
"This house is all he owned, so far al
I know" said the notary, 'sand it il
mortgaged for nearly its value"
"Humphi that is bad for the child,
said NJ. Ponchard.
"I suppose you will take her home
NJ. Ponchardf" said the notary, bIuntly
"We all know that you are a prosperous
man."
The tradesman drew back.
IF I am prosperous" he said, II hav,
had to work for my money. 1t is all
can do to provide for my own family.
can't support other peoples children"
"Then you won't do anything for tn,
child?'
81 didn't say that. I'LL give her TWEEN
ty-five-nay, fifty-francs. That's all
ought to do"
Sand how long viii fifty francs sup
port herY' said the notary, disdainfully
for he detested the of the ricl
tradesman.
"That is not my affair. She need no
starye. She can goto the almshouse."
"Who speaks of the almshouse?' spok'
up NJ. Corbet, the poor shoemaker.
IN. Ponchard suggests that Alice go t,
the almshouse,' said the notary.
mot while have a home to offer her,
said the poor cousin warmly.
"But, N. Corbet," said the notary
"you are poor. Can you afford, witt
your many children, to undertake al
additional burdenS'
Il never look on them as burdens
they are my joy and comfort" said NJ
Corbet. Il can't give Alice a luxuriou
home, but such as I have she is welcom
to. l am sure the good God will not lie
me starye if / undertake the care of m,
little orphan cousin
Hes a fool!" thought NJ. Ponchar'
contemptuously. "He will always b
miserably poor"
But the notary grasped his hand, ant
said: ssf3 3
IN. Corbet, 1 respect you. If you ar
not rich in money. you are rich in a goos
heart, and that is the best kind of riches.
So, no opposition beingmade, the littl
Alice went home with the poor shoe
maker. AS for the cottage, that was lef
in the hands of the notary to sell. A
already intimated, there was q mortgag
upon it to nearly its full value, SO that j
was not likely to bring much over
What little there should be would, o
course, go to Alice.
Several months passed without an,
1A-1.es&~x - noII 4h1 o1k+o~o D,,x.a.