Year: 1871

dren with tendcrer and more unsel6sh
love. 1t was in the very depths Of this
that anxiety was born. Fear lest he
should be taken from them haunted him
night and day. What was to become of
them if he should die?


Alas for the next New Years Eve It
found the death angel in Bonfeld's house.
A sudden illness bafilcd all the physicians
skill and the life on which so much de-
pended went out and left sorrow, and
darkness, and desolation of spirit behind.


"What is to become of his poor wife
and children ?" was the anxious question
that passed from lip to lip among friends
and ncighbors. They had not a relative
in the placc-no one on whom they had
any natural claim for help or support. 1t
was this that had made the husband and
father so anxious about them, and so earn
est to get his home paid for. In the year
which had just closed, only hundred dol
lars of the mortgage had been Cancelled,
and there still remained eight hundred
dollars due. This mortgage was in the
hands of a man who would not scruple to
rob the widow and orphans by taking any
advantage within his reach.


Three days after the funeral, Mrs. Bon
field was reused from the he'll pless lethargy
of grief by the reception Of legal paper,
giving notice that the balance Of money
due on the house must be paid by GER
tain date, or it would be sold in satisfac-
ton of the mortgage. To whom could
she go in this sad extremity? Alas
there was no one. In losing her husband
she had lost her only human friend, sup
porter and protector She was alone in
the world.


The extremity of her situation quicken
ed into life all the energy of Mrs. Bontield' S
nature. In her painful suspense and anx.
iety she went to the man who held the
mortgage, and telling him her plans, be-
sought him to let the debt lie for one year,
and sell then if she could not pay the in
terest and part of the debt He would
listen to nothing. The chance had come
to make gain of oppression. and he could
not let it pass


The poor widow went back in despair to
her children, and sat down among them,
weeping and wringiug her hands. Her
Oldest child, a girl six years of age, tried
to tell her something, but her ears were
deaf.


Mother" said the child, with the
eagcrness Of one who seemed to forget
everything for herself.


Not now, DEAR" and Mrs. Bonfield
tried to push her away.


but the man told me to give it to you
as soon as you came in. Here it is" urged
the child.


"Give me what? ?" and Mrs. Boufeld
reused herself little.


This letter." and the child pushed a
letter into her mothers hand.


a letter! When she comprehended that
Mrs. Bonield's interest awakened. She
took it from her child's hand, and opening
it, read few lines, and then let it fall to
the floor. But quickly and eagerly catch
iny it up. she held it in wild excitement
close to her eyes then let it fall again,
aud buryinS her face in her hands, sat
very still, while tears fell in large drops
through her fingers down upon the carpet.


DEAR MADAM" ESQ the letter read y
1.-TWO years ago your husband had his
life insured in our office for the sum of
fifteen hundred dollars. The amount will
be paid to you on demand"


1t was from the secretary of a life insur.
ance company, the Office Of which was in a
neighboring town. ...


Sinking upon her knees among her chill
dren, the widow lifted her heart in thank.
fulness to GOD. Light broke in upon the
darkness of her life. The tender love of
her husband, that was ever concerned for
her good, seemed reaching over from the
other side to succor aud to comfort her.
Death had suddenly taken him away to
what seemed an infinite distance. An i'm
passable gulf was between them. Now it
seemed as if he were in the very room
with her, and that his hands were holding
her up and leading her in safety.


Dear husband |" she murmured, " my
heart blesses you for this love aud care !!
1t will be we'll with your little ones now.
] will stand to them in your stead-toil
for them, care for them, make their lives
blessed us you would have DONE"


All her way was plain now. She paid
off the mortgage, and so had her home se-
cure. A part of the money that remained
she put out at interest, and with. the rest
fitted up her little parlor as place of bus
iness, bought few useful aud fancy arti-
cles, and set up as milluer. Her taste,
her skill, and her industry soon brought
her plenty of work, aud in few years She
had the largest custom in her line that the
town afforded.-1Ne Workingman. .


BLAIR BANoUET.-The grand banquet
given by S. s. Cox, of New York, to Sen.
ator Frank Blair, in Washington, Jan. 26th,
was attended by the entire Democratic
delegation in Congress, and by many prom
inent Democrats throughout the country.
Prominent among them were ex-Goxernor