Jasper Banner, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1857 — CHAPTER II. [ARTICLE]

CHAPTER II.

About two years from the event in the former chapter, one clear, cold night, in mid-winter, the little village of M was aroused by the cry of ‘ fire.’ And the church bells sadly and fearly bore the tidings on the frosty, piercing air. People rushed from their warm beds to see the block Bennett and Stewart* in a blaze, and too far gone to warrant any hope of saving it. By well directed efforts they succeeded in Tcscuing other buildings from destruction. It had been a hard winter for all classes, and business was extremely dull. The gentlemen owning the ruined property had struggled manfully through the most pressing season in their memory, and had barely escaped with impaired credit. When they reached the ground And saw their whole business wasting like a burning scroll before their eyes, stony hearts would have pitied the grief that was told in their pallid faces. Turning silently to each other, they wrung a hand of each, and Stewart, with a faint attempt at a smile, said: ‘ Well old friend, you and I must do all that over again—hard; isn’t it? ’ *My God ! it is hard ; and I fear can never be done over again, as you say,’ answered poor Bennett, with a trembling voice.

The crowd were silent and sad ; some came softly up, and pressed their neighbors’ hands with warm sympathy, trying to look good cheer. But it was a sorry failure, and murmurs us regret and sorrow began to arise, when, on the crisp, bright snow, was heard a light tread, and all eyes turned to a female figure who was hurriedly approaching the gronp. It was Nelly—-her hood untied, and her hands ungloved, though the night was bitter cold. Going swiftly up to her father, she threw her arms around him, and with a voice tender and. tremulouswith love and sadness, said aloud—- “ It is dreadful, dear father, to. lose all that you had of wealth ; but oh ! be comforted, do not despair. You are old, it is true, but you still have health, a good character, mother, the little girls and me—dear father. Come home, father, come home 1 I have thought es somethin g_ already that will cheer you/ ’ T 7 • v, .. '

Good Major Stewart held her, fondly gazing into her pure bright face, so full of affection and sympathy, so radiant with a great purpose —and forgot his losses’ hi ■ age—feeling only he was rich in the child he baa raised so carefully. ' Yes, Nell,’ he said in a firm, glad voice, ‘it is hard, or rather it was, but thank God I have still all my loved ones left me; but you must not brave the keen air of the night longer; and drawing her arm through his, he turned to his friend Bennett, who stood looking envyingly and absently upon the scene. * Come, old friend, go up with us ; Nelly will give you a nice hot cup of tea, and we will talk over this sad business.’ ‘ No, I thank you, I could not do justice to your kindness, but I envy you that noble girl; pray heaven that my daughter will meet adversity with such courage ar.d cheerfulness.* They went home after thanking the assembled neighbors for proffered aid and kindly feelings. When Nelly and the Major .reached home, he found his wife sitting up and dressed; she had been quite agitated, but was now calm, and clasped his hand tenderly, smiling sweetly and cheerfully. ‘Bear a brave heart, dear husband, and all will be well; Nelly has given me many bright hopes for our future.* The three then sat for an, hour forming plans and calculating the amount that would be left after paying all the city debts. ‘ I fear it will take every dollar to pay all up, and I almost despair of ever setting up again,* said the Major, gloomily. •The house must go to pay the debts, and most of the furniture, too; dear wife, it is hard to take from you the comforts you need, and have enjoyed so long.* ‘Fear nothing for me, Horace, if I have you and my children, I can never be unhappy, though I grieve I am nut strong and well for your sake; had I been taught to keep the blessing, health, and been inured to hardship in youth, I should not be the frail useless woman I am.’ ‘Do pot talk so, dear mother,* said Nelley, warmly, ‘you are the best and the truest of women ; and father,* said she, 'you have forgotten Blossom and my piano.’ ‘They are yours, Nelly, and I would never rob you of your favorite or your music.’

‘No, father, tho ugh I feel sure I shall have to cry bittterly to sell Blossom, the noble fellow,’ and she choked down her emotions bravely, and smiled through her tears; ‘yet Squire West told me last August, when I went to him for your ‘Bell suit,’ that he would give me three hundred dollars for him, whenever I wished to part with him, and you know Squire West would, prize him highly, and never see him harmed or sold, for he told me so; and, farther, if you are willing, when all debts are paid, I will sell Blossom for three hundred dollars to Squire West, and my piano to Miss Brewster, who wishes to purchase, and likes the tone of mine ; It will bring four hundred; then there is my watch and other jewelry, worth two hundred and fifty more. I can buy a good silver one for teaching, and my elegant new cutter harness, furs, &0., that Uncle Hany gave me last winter, well worth one hundred and fifty more; so ’yem see we

have more than one thousand dollars left. And as soon as the spring opens, we will all go to Wisconsin; you know I had an invitation to go and take charge of the female department in the new academy in J 1 with the offer of four hundred a year; with that I can dress, and hire A good girl to do the work, and one to Rew, hemdea buying many dainties for iriama, and sending the little girls to the academy. Evenings I eari keep your books, and you shall have the thousand dollars to buy goods with. There, now!’ she finished clapping her hands. ‘lt is all arranged, and don’t fear but we shall soon tiegpn to thrive in the growing and glorious West; and I shall like it, I know. There will be room enough there to breathe in, and a world of great noble hearts to welcome us.* She was so delighted with her plans, that she kissed and patted her parent’s cheeks, dancing arround them like a sylph. ' And tears of unutterable love

•nd pride filled to eyes tot woOked* her, and embracing hw fondly, toy promised she should see no more Idhg faces. ‘Though, Nelly, I cannot think of your parting with Blossom/ said her father—- • Then don’t, father, don’t think at all, only let us work fast, and get ready, for it is only two months ese we shsH be away for the West, the glad, free, beautiful West. And now let me pay off Margret, and get the breakfast myself; you will see, father, that my coffee will b/the best you ever tasted, and you, mother, shall have the kindr of toast you like so' well.’ And away she danced, hiding her sad forbodings with sunny looks and cheerful words. Merchant Bennett walked slowly and anxiously home, like a man who has a hard task to perform, and shrinks with dread from the duty. He found his fashionable wife ic hysterics, and the maid standing by the beef laving her temples and chafing her delicate hands; his daughter was pacing the room in her rich dressing gown, rin/mg her jewled fingers and weeping bitterly: Oh! father! what shall we do ? are we ruined? was it insured? must we leave this house? and shall I lose my piano? speak, father! what will become ofxis?’ she said, stopping before him, and loook- | ing the picture of weak terror and grief. Poor Bennett, he grew paler, While ho h tfrried by her to' assist hr restoring his wife-to’ eotascioWstok, yet fearing a similar outburst. ‘Minnie, cease!’ he said sternly, ‘we are ruined*! al? is lost, and no insurance; but don’t break my heart with your lameu- ( tatiens. God knows I have enough to* bear without them; be brave and calm, like sweet Nelly Stewart; she is like a hero to her father —do be calm, my child.' Minnie Bennett, the effeminate, pampered child of fortune, who had been indulged in every whim, and never taught the grace of fortitude, nor the practice of self-government, agitated and frightened, staited in wonder at her father’s pale, displeased countenance; and sinking back on the sofa, gave a gasp or two, and fainted. > We will not trouble ourselves to witness all the difficulties of poor merchant Bennett, with a wife in hysterics, and a daughter in a fainting fit; how he strove to revive them, yet dreading their recovery, feeling that it was easier to restore suspended animation, ton to impart good sense to those incapable of receiving or appreciating it. How Mrs. Bennett reproached him, and bewailed her sad fate, ana Minnie mourned over her fallen hopes and lost position in her paradise —society. And to crown his misfortunes, she betrayed a secret which gave him much uneasiness. She was engaged, she said, to George Conklin, son of Hon. Conklin, of C . She knew he would never marry her, if she were pennyless, or was obliged to / stoop; Mdo the work for the family*;’ besides, how could I wash and cook ? 01 mother, it will tire me to death, my smooth white' hands will be rained and my complexion completely spiled, she stud. “To be sure, child,” wailed hersflly mother, ‘I never allowed you to do drudgery, or demeaned you by doing housework ; and your father must work hard and make money some way fori cannot have my only daughter degraded by low and difficult toil, nor is teaching much better. We will not dwell on to scene, or many others of to sante stamp, from which poor Bennett oyer came with « aching head and heart, and alas . . with weakened principles. ■ u He began to think at lengtiuhthat his wife and daughter were right in supposing that toy were nevetomnda to toil, and that as they said, style must be supported; if me New York ; men did lose a few hundred apiece, , they were rich and would never feel \ ‘ True, he bitterly regretted thbt hfi > had brought up his child after. so » wretched a patten? Sr mother. But it was too late adwdbj mend the matter, hritniAtWltoll submit, for he never could endure domestic troublestoWk® manfully yield up everything, and pay one hundred per cent mtthe dollar.

And so the unhappy man jougbt out the crooked ways of the law And t|e byroads of dishonesty, and sat&i frd* his creditors a thousand or two, besides Minnie’s piano and his rich furniture, their jewelry, &c£ W f , Bat alas for evil doing! Whenlie began to talk with his village acquantance oiSrtffngup again tn business, they iptormed, mm that they eould not . Ipoisonise’hH; diß <kmrse had not pleased them, but they had preferred that he Should pay all up in the city, Then he 1 soight talk of bcginiung OUeW. 'i But they advised him te g > West* tike Maj. StewChagrined and self-accused, he turned to his house, not his home, for counsel ’ and consolation. The counsel concluded the West was not the place for people of apdposition; they had best remove to Mrs. Bennett’s birth place, and Mr. Bennett became a clerk on a thousand a year to her brother Wallace. The consolation was cold, and given with ■Hnyn hint that he hsd managed badly, or the fools would never have known he had played false.