Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1905-06-30

al u was happy III TIE extreme.
His love for Martha kept increasing,
while she, feeling that such was the
case, bloomed in her married life, and
became lovelier than ever.
Finally came business troubles. The
newspaper where he was employed
failed. He found it hard to obtain en-
ployment elsewhere
Finally he took to writing for the
press, and thus earned a few dollars
weekly. He worked hard, and by dint
of constant application, earned ten
dollars weekly. He experienced none
of those coarse rebuffs of which
some contributors complain. Pub
fishers and editors always treated
him kindly and courteously, and were
really sorry when they could not use
his articles.
He was more successful than he had
anticipated. Everybody seemed
friendly to him, and glad to help him
along
Nevertheless the wages he earned
were rather Scanty. Martha did her
best to hide her necessities, but he
could not help perceiving that she
needed a new dress. shoes, etc.
The crippled mother-in-law was taken
sick. A doctor was summoned, and
Richard found it hard to pay him.
Two of the papers for which he
wrote began to retrench expenses.
He was almost thrown out of en-
ployment.
He strove hard to get work, but in
vain.
He could not remain idle. He pro-
cured a basket, bought a stock of
shoe backing, shirt studs, shoe laces,
etc., and went round peddling them.
When he came home he wrote hu-
morous article on "peddling," and sent
it to the Jolly Joker.
The jolly Joker sen. him ten dollars
for it, and like 'Ohver Twist" want
ed more. On the strength of that
more" he bought his mother-in-law a
bottle of rare old wine, and for Mar
tina purchased a pair of French boots
for seven dollars. He wrote more"
for the Jolly Joker, but, aIasi the poor
Joker had collapsed, and was no
more
Richard reflected. Every paper he
had yet written for had got into finan-
cial difficulty!
This looked ominous.
Could it possible that his articles
had sunk them all?
Benevolence would not permit him
to continue this wholesome murder.
He threw down his pen. and was
about taking up the basket again,
when there came laundering clap
of good fortune.
Martha received letter from her
uncle's attorney, stating that he had
died on the passage from Portland to
San Francisco, bequeathing every
penny of his wealth-five hundred
thousand dollars.to her!
All was settled in a month, and Mar
tina found herself with half million.
Meanwhile Richard had heard that
his father had failed-had become
bankrupt.
He had gone too largely into specu.
lation, and thus lost all.
One day Richard, with Martha, stood
in the doorway of mercantile estab-
ishment, which he had set going with
some thousands borrowed from his
wife.
On the other side of the way they
suddenly beheld an old man, bowed
and thin, in thread-bare garments,
much too worn to shelter his shaking
limbs.
Richard at once recognized him, and
so did his wife.
1t was Mr.. Bend!
The young woman said nothing, but
on the very next day she sent Mr.
Bend a letter containing a check fol
ten thousand dollars to begin in bus
illness again, the letter containing the
simple signature. "a Friend"
The old man went almost mad with
joy. He could scarcely believe his
good fortune. He started in business
again, and was soon doing as well al
ever.
Meanwhile he wondered who was
the unknown friend, whom he had no
yet been able to discover.
Finally, one of his confidential clerk!
being shown the letter, declared tina
it was Martha Stephens handwrit
ing.
The old man went straightway t
the bank, questioned the paying clerk
who had unhesitatingly given the mon
ey on seeing the check.
This showed that some arrangement
had been made between the friend,
whoever it was, and the bank official
The man. however, had sworn t
keep the secret, and would not diyulg'
tthe name.
Therefore there was no other wa,
but to go to Martha Bend herself.
| The old man did so, and the blush
ing wife owned that she had sent TIL
check.
This was too much for Mr.. Bend.
His hard feeling relaxed, SUNSHINE
entered his heart, and remained Their
forever.
| From that moment he was wise
and better man.
4 The kindness of Martha, who had $
nobly returned good for evil. mad
upon him a lasting impression.
| He insisted on paying every cent o
the money. regarding it as loan, and
on paying it, said he was proud t
4 know his son had obtained such
n0ble-hearted wife.
A reconciliation took place betweel
father and son, and the old man to hi
DYING Gay was heard to declare tina