“My dear little one, your mama will soon be here, as I have sent Nettie
out to see if she can find any one claiming you.”
Soon Nettie came with the parents of the child. How thankful they were
to find her not seriously hurt. The doctor said there was no bone
broken, only bruises, and she would be well soon. Many were the presents
lavished upon Mrs. Spaulding and Nettie.
The gentleman was bruised very badly. The first question he asked the
bystanders was, “Who is that lady who took the little one in the
cottage.”
“It is Mrs. Spaulding, a widowed lady,” answered several people.
“How is the child? I tried to save the little one from harm, but I fear
I have not.”
A young man came up to where the people were huddled together, and
seeing the stranger sitting on the sidewalk he said, “What is the matter
here?”
“A little girl came near getting killed by a runaway horse, and this
gentleman was badly hurt trying to save her,” answered one.
The young man came to him and extending his hand said, “Sir, please let
me help you up. You can bear on my arm, and I will help you to a place
where you can rest.”
The stranger was gazing earnestly at the young man, as he said, “Kind
sir, pray what is your name? Do not think me impertinent; you resemble a
person I know.”
“Paul Burton, of Pine Island,” modestly answered the young man.
“Pray, sir, what is your age?”
“Twenty-four my last birthday.”
“My son, my son, my babe I cruelly deserted years ago!”
Paul looked at the stranger critically as he said, “Is this my father
who left me in my faithful old servant’s arms, and cruelly deserted my
mother and left her broken hearted?”
“My son, I have done wrong, I admit, but my wife told me to go; she did
not wish ever to see me again. She burned a picture I had, and we
quarreled like many other hot headed people have done, and she told me
to go, and I did. I was very angry then, as my English temper had risen;
but, my son, I am going home to ask forgiveness, and be reconciled to
her,” said the father, while his tears were falling silently.
“My mother is dead: she died last spring. She gave me this to give to
you if I should ever see you,” handing him the picture, before refused
him.
With trembling hand he took it. As his son gave him the letter in which
Paul’s mother said, “Tell him I died loving him and our child—he who
never saw me out of temper,” the father buried his head in his hands and
wept like an infant.
“Oh, why did I let my temper get the better of me? My son I have done
wrong. I have wronged her and you. God forgive! I intended to return
before now. I went back to England. My father was sick and wished for me
to stay with him until he died. My mother was a frail woman, and I
stayed till she was placed beside my father. Then I started to come
back. The merchant ship I set sail in was taken by a pirate vessel, and
I was left on an island with several other people whom they did not wish
to murder in cold blood, and I only returned to England about a year
ago. I thought of you and your mother many and many a night and prayed
to God to spare your lives until I returned home. My son, can you
forgive your poor wretch of a father, for I am your father by the laws
of nature?”
Paul wept violently. As soon as he could command his voice he said, “My
dear father. I forgive you, and you shall go with me to our faithful old
servants and to our sad home; sad indeed has that home been to me since
mother died.”
“Thanks, my son, for your kindness. May God deal gently with you.”
They were walking slowly along, as the father was weak and could not
have walked without the aid of something to lean on. It was beautiful
indeed to see the father leaning on and protected by the manly arm of
his son, whom he deserted in childhood. Forgiveness is a blessing we all
can bestow on our fellow beings. As God forgives us we should in return
forgive our friends and neighbors. Soon they reached the hotel where
Paul was staying. He had returned from his tour the day before and until
now was ignorant of his father’s whereabouts. Before he started to
England he desired to visit his lady love, and was on his way there when
he found his father. After seeing his father well cared for he prepared
to go on the street again.
As he went to his father’s side he said, “Have you looked at the picture
yet?”
“No, my son, I do not care to. The original of that picture has long
been dead, and why should I care to draw back sad memories of the past?”
“Father,” said Paul, solemnly, “the grave may give up its dead: or, in
other words, she may be living. Are you positive she is dead?”
“My son, the ship she sailed in was wrecked, and none of her crew ever
was heard from, and of course she went to the bottom of the deep blue
sea with them,” answered the father sadly.
“You may be mistaken in the ship she sailed in. How did you find out
what ship she went in?”
“By my father, when I returned from the war. No, my son, there is no
happiness for me on earth but to live near my child,” answered the
father piteously.
“Cheer up, father. I have good news. If you were able to walk back the
place of that accident we would be able to solve this great deliverance
satisfactorily. I was going to the cottage where the child was taken,
when I found you,” said Paul, buttoning up his overcoat.
“My son, if you will order a horse and cutter I will go with you, as I
am deeply interested in what you have been telling me,” answered the
father, getting up off the couch.
He could scarcely stand without the aid of something, but it being
Christmas day he wished to give something to the poor children he saw
gazing in at the shop windows, and thus it was that he came to be near
enough to save one little one from death.
Soon his son came with a horse and cutter, and helping his father in,
they went down the street where they first met, three hours before. Soon
the cottage door was reached. Paul kindly helped his father out of the
cutter, and told the driver to call for them in an hour.
They hurried up the steps to the cottage door, and tapping lightly,
Nettie bid them come in. Mrs. Spaulding was in the parlor where the
child and her parents were, and as soon as Nettie saw who the newcomers
were she ran lightly to her mother as she said:
“Mother, there is a gentleman in the sitting room anxious to see you.”
Mrs. Spaulding came in, and Paul said, “Mrs. Spaulding, this is my
father. We have called to see how the little girl is getting along.”
Mr. Burton, senior, came to the lady and said, “Minnie, is this you, who
I thought dead so many years? My son has given me a happy surprise this
Christmas day.”
Mrs. Spaulding stood as one in a trance. Finally she said, “Sir, how
came you to think I was dead?” She spoke sorrowfully.
“Dear lady, or my dear Minnie, (if I may call you so as of old) when I
came home from the army my father told me you had sailed in the vessel
that sank off the coast of S——, and as none of the crew lived to tell
the sad tale, I supposed you suffered the same fate, as I could not get
any trace of you in Liverpool.”
“No,” answered the lady, “your father was mistaken in the ship, as we
landed safe, and I am among the living, as you see.”
As she extended her hand he grasped it and pressed it to his lips and
said, “Mrs. Spaulding, my first and only love, forget the past and let
us be friends as of old. My son has doubtless told you of my past
life—how I left his mother when he was a babe and I have been a wanderer
from my home ever since. I am very sorry. My past conduct does not
deserve any kindness from my noble son. He tells me my wife died loving
me, who does not deserve the love of any one. I married her because she
loved me and I supposed her rich; and thinking you dead, desired to try
to be happy with her; but it was not to be. She saw your picture, and it
made her angry to think I had loved one before her. She wanted me to
burn it. We had a few words about it, and she told me to go and never
let her see my face again. I went away. I was going home now to ask her
forgiveness when I met my son, he who I left in my old servant Pompey’s
arms. As God is my witness, what I tell you is the truth. Will you
forgive me, Minnie, and let the past be forgotten?” said Mr. Burton,
taking the hand of the lady and looking fondly in her face.
“Paul, can it be that after twenty-five years we are to meet in the
presence of our children?” said the lady, sinking on the breast of her
old lover.
“Mother and father,” said both the young people, advancing towards them
from the parlor, “give us your blessing, and God grant we may all be
happy together this ever-to-be-remembered Christmas.”
“What say you, my love,” asked the senior Paul Burton. “God bless you,
my children! May the blessing of God ever fall on your pathway and strew
it with flowers,” said the father, placing Nettie’s hand in that of his
son. “And if your mother will be my wife we will begin our lives anew.”
“One week from today; what say you, Minnie?” said the gentleman.
A letter was written then and two days before New Year’s they started
for that place, and when it became known at the house of Paul that he
was going to bring a wife home, and had found his father, what a
hustle-bustle there was among the servants to make everything look its
best. Pompey said, “Paul is coming home wid his fadder and wife, and day
shall see what a good ole man and woman Paul left to see to things.
Golly, I’s in hopes she’ll be a better wife to him than his mudder was
to his fadder.”
They did not know yet that the father was going to fetch a wife with
him, as that part was kept a secret, yet all the people about knew that
Paul was coming home with a wife and that he had found his father, who
they all supposed dead.
All was made ready at the farm house for the wedding. Just as the sun
was going down New Year’s evening the two couples came. Many kind
greetings, were exchanged between the parties, and Paul’s father was
kindly received by all.
Soon the minister came, and Paul and Nettie were made one, and the
minister was closing the book when Paul, senior, said, “One more couple
is waiting to be united.”
All eyes were turned to see who they could be, when he went to Mrs.
Spaulding and extending his arm they went before the minister and were
united. Only one person there had an idea who the second couple could
be, and that was John Hilton. He recognized Paul Burton, senior, but did
not mention it, as he did not wish his sister to know his thoughts.
Happy were all the friends on that New Year’s day.
The next morning the newly married couples went over to their home,
where Paul Burton, junior, called his servants together and told them
they had a new mistress, and he wished them to obey her and also his
father’s wife. They all seemed delighted.
Paul, senior, stayed until spring, then he took his wife over to England
to live there on the estate left him by his father.
* * * * *
Some ten years later we enter the home of Paul Burton, Jr. Two little
curly-headed boys are playing on the floor, and the mother, a frail,
sickly little being, was sitting in the arm chair where Paul’s mother
used to sit. Traces of tears were on her pale cheeks, when a familiar
voice said, “Cousin Nettie, why have you been weeping?”
“Oh, Warren, I suppose our house is to be sold if we can not raise the
balance of the mortgage. The mortgagee is a cold stern man, and will not
give Paul one day’s time on it, or part of it even. There is only five
hundred back. I don’t see how we can get it in five days. Oh, if I could
only sell my manuscripts and raise that amount, what a happy surprise I
could give my noble husband,” said Nettie, lowering her head on her
hands and weeping violently.
“Nettie, let me see the manuscripts and perhaps I can dispose of them
for you,” said her cousin.
She went to a secret drawer and brought him the writings.
He read them through and told her he was going to the city and he would
see what he could get for them, promising her he would be back in four
days’ time to pay the mortgage. She made him promise not to let Paul
know anything about it.
“I have written them unknown to him, and when I could not do anything
else,” she explained.
Warren took the papers, and the same evening started for the city.
After Warren had gone Paul came home. He had been out to see if he could
raise the money. He was down hearted. He sat down by Nettie’s side as he
said. “In four days, we’re homeless if I cannot raise the money. If I
only had time to get it from over the water—but I cannot get it
anywhere. Oh, Nettie, what will we do? I have worked hard to pay this
old debt, but it is impossible for me to get that amount of any one, as
I have sold everything we can spare and the mortgagee will not release
it so I can give another mortgage on it to get the balance. Oh, dear,
what shall we do?”
“Trust in God. He will not see us suffer,” answered his trusting little
wife, as she put her arms around his neck and kissed his fair brow. “God
doeth all things well.”
Time flew drearily away. Four days were gone; the fifth came bright and
clear. The mortgagee had come for his pay, and the five hundred remained
unpaid.
With sad and sorrowful hearts the husband and wife sat, when a man drove
up to the door and handed the wife a package. She tore it open, and out
rolled eight hundred dollars. She handed it to her husband as she said,
“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
“My dear, how did you come to get such an amount of money?” asked her
husband, while the tears stood in his eyes.
“My dear,” answered his wife, “I have earned it, when I was not able to
do anything else, with my pen, and by God’s help I have been able to
help you a little while you were doing all you could.”
“God bless you, my noble little wife.”
The mortgage was paid, and one little home was made happy; and a happy
surprise it was to this noble young farmer to think he had a lovely
little helpmate.
The End.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transcriber’s Notes
The Table of Contents for this eBook was created by the transcriber for
the reader's convenience.
Except for the places noted below, spelling and grammar has been
retained from the original text
Pg. 5 - Corrected typo: Missing space inserted: “Warren,the eldest”
Pg. 5 - Corrected typo: ‘.’ > ‘,’: “pleasure it afforded. except”
Pg. 5 - Corrected typo: Missing ‘s’: “her cousin were”
Pg. 5 - Corrected typo: ‘boquet’ > ‘bouquet’
Pg. 5 - Corrected typo: “Her cousin. Nettie” > “Her cousin, Nettie”
Pg. 6 - Changed ‘surprized’ > ‘surprised’ to match rest of text
Pg. 7 - Corrected typo: ‘boquet’ > ‘bouquet’
Pg. 8 - Corrected typo: ‘your’ > ‘young’: “What a handsome your man”
Pg. 9 - Corrected typo: ‘for’ > ‘far’: “wandered for out”
Pg. 9 - Corrected typo: ‘.’ > ‘?’: “great act of kindness.”
Pg. 11 - Added missing close quote at chapter end
Pg. 12 - Removed extra comma: “Why, does mother not tell me”
Pg. 13 - Missing ‘.’ inserted at paragraph end: “this little lady”
Pg. 13 - Corrected typo: “resolved never to do” > “resolved ever to do”
Pg. 14 - Corrected typo: “The depth of love I owe” > “The debt of love
I owe”
Pg. 15 - Corrected typo: ‘.’ > ‘,’: “in the street. springing”
Pg. 16 - Changed Tis > ’Tis to match rest of text
Pg. 17 - Corrected typo: ‘boquets’ > ‘bouquets’
Pg. 17 - Corrected typo: ‘boquet’ > ‘bouquet’
Pg. 19 - ‘?’ moved inside quote: “where is cousin”?
Pg. 20 - Corrected typo: ‘.’ > ‘,’: “No. no, I can not”
Pg. 20 - Corrected typo: single quote to double: “since Monday?’”
Pg. 21 - Removed extraneous single quote: “‘As he spoke he”
Pg. 22 - Removed extraneous opening quote: ““Warren saw he was”
Pg. 22 - Missing double quote inserted at paragraph end: “packing your
trunk.”
Pg. 30 - Corrected typo: ‘then’ > ‘than’: “sooner then”
Pg. 31 - Changed double quotes to single: ““no” for an answer”
Pg. 32 - Removed extraneous opening quote: ““Nettie was speaking”
Pg. 33 - Corrected typo: ‘sustaine’ > ‘sustain’
Pg. 33 - Added missing ‘.’: “in this country”
Pg. 33 - Removed extraneous closing quote: “from the story.”
Pg. 34 - Corrected typo: ‘farwell’ > ‘farewell’
Pg. 35 - Corrected typo: ‘abscence’ > ‘absence’
Pg. 35 - Added missing opening quote: “The young man”
Pg. 35 - Corrected typo: “here in America” > “here to America”
Pg. 41 - Removed extraneous closing quote: “about her.””
Pg. 41 - Changed nested quote marks to single: ““No, no, I never ...
for a while.””
Pg. 42 - Removed extraneous closing quote: “dearly loved her.””
Pg. 43 - Missing closing quote added at paragraph end: “from prying
eyes.”
Pg. 45 - Corrected typo: ‘sincerly’ > ‘sincerely’
Pg. 46 - Added missing comma: “to his servant, saying “Keep”
Pg. 46 - Corrected typo: ‘bourne’ > ‘borne’
Pg. 47 - Corrected typo: ‘drearly’ > ‘drearily’
Pg. 49 - Corrected typo: ‘friends’ > ‘friend’: “to a friends”
Pg. 49 - Corrected typo: ‘passonate’ > ‘passionate’
Pg. 50 - Corrected typo: ‘hr’ > ‘her’
Pg. 51 - Changed single quote to double to match end: “‘Who is that
lady”
Pg. 52 - Added missing ‘.’: “see me again She burned”
Pg. 53 - Missing closing quote added at paragraph end: “of the past?”
Pg. 55 - Added missing opening quote: “And if your mother”
Pg. 56 - Corrected typo: ‘ond’ > ‘and’