Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-22

of pity, had fastened itself upon the facs
and figure of the beautiful, blue eyed, slen-
der blond girl, he gave start of genuine
surprise. Full of generous impulse and
quickly resolved, he grabbed the laborer
by the hand, exolaiming:
"Cheer up. shall he back in an hour"
he explained and went before the family
had time to recover from their astonish
ment over the unexpected visitor.
All the father was able to do ia reply to
the many questions Of his wife and chill
dren was to console and cheer them in a
half hearted manner. The poor mans suf-
ferings had made him skeptical; he had
lost faith in himself and In Others, almost
also in God. But. he said nothing about
the strange meeting that had prevented
their contamination.
Suddenly the door opened once more to
admit the man who was uppermost in
their thoughts. Behind him appeared two
servants carrying baskets filled with choice
eatables and sundry bottles, which they
deposited upon the table and at once with
drew.
The young man walked up to the aston
ished and speechless laborer, saying In
tremulous tones:
"My friend, tonight you have saved my
life Let me offer you and yours small
token Of my gratitude. Do me the honor
to accept what I brought you; also this
sum Of money. And now, cheer up, for
you will have no more worries If l can
help it,
All shed tears Of Joy. Again and again
they showered blessings and expressions of
their overwhelming gratitude upon their
noble benefactor but when Mary ap-
preached him to kiss his hand for saving
the mother, whose life was fast ebbing
| away from sheer want and ailment, he
drew back saying:
"My friend, have more to tell you.
My name is John Graham, and, as have
already informed you, have inherited
great wealth. But l have no peaceful
home; my life is not regulated one
When an hour ago l left you, went to
the next police station to find out all l
could about you; also to your former en-
| ployer, and to the clergyman Of this dis
trict. l have heard nothing but good spo-
ken of you, especially SO and in the highest
degree Of your daughter Mary, for whom
should like to care exclusively, If you
will let me-"
|
silence, unbroken but for the sobbing of
Mary's mother, who finally remarked,
with suppressed tears choking her utter
ance, that Mary was her sole dependence
for the household work; that she alone
cared for the little ones when their father
was away at his work. and she, the
mother, sick in her bed; that Mary had
never worked away from home and was
hardly in fit condition to be employed
elsewhere.
Employment A position? My deal
madam, you have altogether misoonstrued
my meaning. Nothing ia further removed
from my thoughts than desire to SEE
your daughter work for Others 1 want
her for my own, for my wife! could moi
pay the debt Of gratitude which owe thu
family of the man who preserved my life
more appropriately than to hencefortf
keep want and distress from their home
And, on the other hand, what better com
pensation could ask in return than thu
permission that would give me the righ1
to do so by making your beautiful daughter
my wife, providing she shares my love ant
is willing to make me the happiest o.
menP''
OF course there was no objection, and {
few weeks later the marriage took place
Two men, tired of life, were fated to be
come the preservers of two families, whit
henceforth led q happy and useful exist
ence.
The young couple founded an asylum
for poor laborers. II you, fair reader, eve
go to London, and, while "doing" tn
town, should have chance to visit thi
institution, over the main entrance t
which is the motto, "Never Despair, yo'
will surely have no difficulty to recognize
} the gray haired superintendent as one
!, the heroes of this true tale, the old laborer
J and by his side his now fully recuperate
wife, trying to do all the good in thei
power to those in need. From the French