Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-12-20

/ neither so rude nor SO familiar. He said,
Good evening, Mr.. Hastings, much the
+ same a. he would have said to the pres!-
dent, Good evening, Mil, and he
touched his long, white seholarly-looking
i finger to the brim of his hat, though the
hat was not lifted. Hastings said good
evening back again, and wanted to knQ"
~ hat Mr.. Cunningham would look at.
He would have put the question I be same
way had Mr.. Cunningham stla possessed
his thousands. and he would have put Il
no less respectfully had the gentleman Of
fallen fortunes come a-beggiug, There =
that a bout gentleman which con snall5.-
respect, great Nature wi!ied ii -.
NJ, always actions -how the man find
Who a s,e- Il kindness T. not alWArs kila.
Perhaps pra-peritg }ecalui'd hi breast,
rerHap- tie wIaf iH-t shifted from tne al
Vt therefore, humble he Who ,eck- retreat,
Frlde guides h- step aid bla. INN -h4u sae
great.
Who eon4bat- bravelF j. not therefore brave.
lie breads death-bed Ike the meane-t slave
Who reasons wisely y not therefore wise.
HI pride j. reasoning, not IN acting lie"
The customer was not hurried: he re-
marked upon the weather, ana tha8 I'd
himself before the big stove he never
once preached the subject Of Christmas,
nor became at all fsmilIarl, pitied the
homeless such night, hoped il would
freeze out the tariff upon wool, then he
asked, carelessly, a. men OF leisure might:
Nv hat is the price OF bacon, Mr..
Hastings?-by the hundred.
Eight dollars hundred, Mr.. Cunning
ham, said Hastings.
The millionaire slipped his white
finger into his vest pocket. After
moment's silence, during which, astings
knew the proud old heart was breaking,
though the calm face gave no sign OF the
struggle Put me up dimes worth OF
the bacon, If you please. ~
Hastings obeyed silently; he would no
more have presumed to cover up the
pathos Of the proceedings by talk than he
would have thought of Offering penny,
in charity, to the mayor in the city. He
put the transaction as purely upon
business footing, as if the customer had
ordered a round ton of sonnet thing. He
wrapped the meat in q sheet of brown
paper, and received the stately Good
evening. sir, saw the white finger touch
the hat brim as the customer passed out
into the snow, then climbed back to his
perch, thinking as he did so, that of all
poverty the poverty that follows fallen
fortunes must be the very hardest 10
endure. There is the battle against old
longings, long-indulged luNuries, past
pleasures, faded grandeurs dead dreams,
living sneers, and pride. hat indouitahie
blessing or curse-th hat never, never dies.
God pity those poor who have once seen
better days,
To C. Hastings, > lds bacon, a - -
cts, -" The book bore another entry.
Hastings put thu hlotter over il very
quickly; he had fancy the late customer
was looking over his shoulder. lie
shouldn't like the old gentleman 10 Sc
that entry, not BY any means.
Chris mus gif. mar-ter.
Another customer had entered. Hast
ings CLOSED the big ledger and thrust it
into the safe. The day-book would take
up his attention the balance q tbe even
ing.
What can / do for you, Aunt Han
nah?H he said, going behind The counter
TO wait upon the old colored woman, who
had passed the compliments of the season
after he old slave fashion.
She laughed, albeit her clothing was in
rags, and the hin shawl gathered about
her shoulders bore patches in blue and
yellow and white.
II kotched yer Chris mus gif, good
marster; yer know | did"
But you're a little early, Aunt Han
nah, " said the clerk; this is only Christ
mas eve"
law, git out, marster De ole niggar
got ter cook all da' ter morrer-big
Chris mus dinner fur de viii folks. No
res fur d ole nissar, not evenet Chris
mus. Dress de Lord, it ain come but
onc't year. -
She laughed again, but under the
strange merriment Hastings detected the
WEAKNESS that was thankful; aye, that
thanked God that Christmas, the holiday