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MY SIXTY YEARS. My sixty years! My sixty years! Shall I look ceck with oya or team. Across life's track, at duties done, At battles lost and victories won? At sad mistakes that I have made? At hopes that blossomed but to fade? Or, at the fruit that now appears, of seed well sown, in sixty years? My sixty years! My sixty years! What lights and shadows, hopes and fears. What glimpses of the good and true. .. What friendships_all the journey through. hat mercies have around me shown. What honest hands have clasped my own. Since that eventful time, below. My birthday, sixty years ago! The man who lets the days pass by. From youth to late maturity. In carelessness of acts and deeds. Unmindful of his nature's needs— When opportunity has gone. And still the days are passing on. Will never know as, evening years. What may be done in sixty years. My sixty years! My sixty year at The western horizon now clears. And I can see with calmer eyes the hand that leads me toward the skies. And listening, I can hear to-day. A still small voice, that seems to say: ““What man hath sown he reaps, alone: In sixty years, what have you sown? Mrs. M.A. Kidder, in Demorest’s Monthly. HE HAD A HEART, “As heartless as a Jew” is an’ ex pression that long since passed into a proverb, but why ‘‘as heartless as J ew’? would probably puzzle the invent or of the expression were he now liv ing. ‘Its survival only shows that we have not, even in the Nineteenth Century, outgrown the blind and unreasonable prejudices of the Middle Ages. The story of Abraham Levi, dealer in second-hand clothing and purveyor of cast-off trifles, is a notable example showing that the much-abused Israelite has a heart. His place of business is a tumble down old house in Webster Avenue, in the smoky city of Pittsburgh. . The ex terior of his shop and dwelling reminds one of the tenements of the Five Points, while the interior presents a veritable curiosity shop, filled with every imag inable second-hand article, as though a whole colony of enthusiastics. ‘Toodleses had consolidated their auc tion treasures for the purpose of giving a grand exhibition. Overcoats and dress coate in various stages of dilapidation, broken-winded pianos and melodeons, torn music and broken-backed books, door plates and bootjacks,and every imaginable odd and end.of domestic or personal ‘ap pointment are to be found’ piled up on boxes, shelves and in dusty’ corners. ~ Every day Mr. Levi sallies forth with a dirty black and green piano cover under his arm, and comes back laden with a miscellaneous collection of books, broken ‘crockery, dilapidated hats, old boots, and all manner of cast off articles to add to his collection, and meet the wants of his customers who live on the ‘hill? 27. 7 Mr. James Harbison was one of the iron kings of the Smoky City, a widow er with one son and two daughters, and a million in solid cash. . Emma Harbison‘ was not a favorite with her brother, Arthur and her sister Samantha. She had been her mother's favorite, but her father never ¢ exhib ited much partiality for her! She was as reserved and shy as her brother and sister were forward and boisterous... Mr. Harbison had removed to Pitts burgh from the interior of the State upon the death of his wife, while his children were yet small, and Emma, as she grew up, still kept the rural ways of her early childhood, which gave mortal offense to her fashionable broth er and sister. Fashionable life and flush society had no charms for her, and she was soon ignored in the house hold; even her father lavished all of his attentions, and paternal regards upon his two eldest children. At length Mr. Harbison died, and was buried, and the will, which he had taken good care to make, was admitted to probate. It was short and to the point: “Yo Emme Harbison I bequeath the work-box that belonged to my dear wife, with the trink ets it contains. To my dear children, Arthur and Samantha Harbison, I bequeath all the re mainder of my estate, bonds, stocks, lands, tenements and property of whatever kind. “It is also my wish that my two children, Ar thur and Samantha, give Emma a home until ahe marries, 5 (Signed) JAMES HARRIsoOn.” The friends of the family were astounded at the provisions of the will, and were still more astonished when Arthur and Samantha openly pro claimed that Emma was not their sis ter at all, but a pauper whom their father had adopted out of charity. And as such they treated her and made her the household drudge.For months she acted the part of a servant almost uncomplainingly, and then she was discharged from service and turned out upon the world, her only earthly possessions being a little bundle of clothes,her mother’s work-box, and ten dollars, her earnings during six months of slavery. She went forth fully resolved to main tain herself by her labor, but misfortune still followed her. Being frail and delicate she found it impossible to keep her place as a house servant, and she could get no other employment. All length her last penny was gone, and starvation stared her in the face. Hunger at last drove her to the shop of Abraham Levi. She must part with her mother’s work-box for bread! “Mr. Levi,’’ she said, ‘‘I am in great need, and any compelled to part with this box for a little ready money.” Mr. Levi looked at it critically, and inquired: ‘‘Wot you ask for him?” *‘) could put no valuation on it, as it is priceless to me. Let me have five dollars on it, and I will redeem it in the future.” . “Oh! Mein Gott! fife dollar? Vy, it would bankrupt me if I git you a dollar. I not care to take him at that.” In vain did Emme Harbison plead the sacredness of the keepsake. Mr. Levi was inflexible, and at last she parted with her inestimable treasure, receiv ing a single dollar in exchange. But this pittance only kept off starvation for a day or two, and at last she was picked up one night by the police, wandering in the streets, and taken before an alderman. She told her pitiful story to the mag istrate, and her brother and sister were sent for. They came and disowned her, and declared her an impostor; and she was consigned to the House of Refuge, which was then under the su perintendence of the worst tyrant that ever disgraced a reformatory institu tion. A Legislative committee, years ago, brought to light the horrible practices that had been carried on for years. How delicate girls were horse-whipped, and tied up by the thumbs, and sub jected to a very conceivable torture at the caprice of the officials. Poor Em ma, 80 gentle and uncomplaining, came in for a share of the punishment, and her recital before the committee made strong men weep in, very indignation. A wealthy lady, hearing the story of the poor girl’s Wrongs,adopted her and gave her a home full of every comfort, and her young life became joyous once more But how fared it with the unnatural brother and sister? For a while they led the fashionable portion of society, and lived magnificently. They out rivaled all in the magnificence of their entertainments and splendor of their equipates. Arthur prided himself on his finan cial sagacity, and invested his and his sister's fortune in paying stocks that brought handsome dividends. But the financial crash of 1873 brought them ruin. ‘The collapse of the National ‘Trust Company, Brady Co.’s banking -house, and other banks where Arthur had invested, beggared them, and swept almost a million dol lars out of their selfish grasp. They were in as great straits for the necessaries of life as poor Emma had been, and lived,solely on, the charity of a few of their wealthy friends, a little less heartless, than the most who had once fawned upon them,but knew them no more. . . Abraham Levi valued Emma's work box at ten dollars, but found no pure chaser. After trying vainly to sell it one day, he shook it indignantly at the customer as he was leaving the shop, and was surprised to hear some thing move inside of it. Taking the key he unlocked it, but it was empty. Holding it open he again shook it, and again heard something moving. Ex amining the interior more closely he observed a minute spring, against which he pushed, and a false bottom sprang up. And such a sight as met the aston ished eyes of the Jew. Spread out on the bottom of the box was a ten-thou sand dollar United States bond with ten years’ coppons unclipped. He picked it up and another precisely like it met his gaze. Grasping the second the third appeared, and so on until they numbered thirty-five. Here was greater fortune than Abram ‘Levi had ever dreamed of. He seized 2 pencil and calculated the interest. The bonds and coupons were worth more than six hundred thousand dollars in the money market. They were his. He was wealthy at last. He replaced them in the box, put down the false bottom and locked it up in his safe. . . But Abraham. Levi’s peace of mind was gone. He no longer took any in terest in his business and began to lose his customers. Several times he had taken the box and started to New York to get the bonds exchanged, but his heart always failed him. He knew that he ran no risks, and yet he had not the courage to realize on his for tune. One day, after musing for nearly an hour, s.strange mile crossed his face, and he said: ‘Dot's shust vat I vill do?’ He opened his safe, took out the box and placed it under his arm. Just as he reached the street a carriage stop ped in front of his store and Miss* Em ma alighted. . “Oh, Mr. Levi,” she exclaimed, ,“‘I am just in time. I see you were going out to sell my box. I have come to re deem it.” “‘No, Miss, * replied Levi, “I not go out to sell him. “So go to take him to you. But coomin young lady, I wish to explain.” Emma entered the dingy place, and Mr. Levi told her the whole story in a straight forward way, and then showed her the fortune he had guarded so care fully and so ignorantly for so many years and which he had tried to sell for ten dollars. ‘sAnd how can I ever reward you, Mr. Levi?’? asked Emma, grasping his hand. ‘ *Well,”’ said he, ‘‘I dink ash you might gif me a hundred dollar.” ‘No! no!’ said Emma, and seizing one of the bonds, said, ‘‘you shall take one of these, at least,”’ is But Levi hesitated for a long time,in sisting that one hundred dollars was a sufficient reward. Finally Emma in duced him’ to accept a ten-thousand dollar bond, and‘to-day Abraham Levi is one of the happiest of men, although he still keeps up his endless variety of odds and ends and goes from’ house'to house in search of “‘old olo's.” Emma Harbison was too sensible to act like the girl in the story and divide her fortune with her ungrateful brother and sister. She did nothing of the kind. She secured the position of ship ping clerk in a rolling mill for Arthur, and the position of music teacher for Samantha. She treats them in the most sisterly manner, but insists that they shall earn a living for themselves, and to this, all who know the trio,say amen. ~Cleveland Ledger. The Bondage of English Women. Marriage means slavery—notwith standing the song of 1596, which claims that ‘‘the wife of every Englishman is counted blessed.”? She is blessed if the Englishman be a good fellow, but cursed if he be otherwise. How dreadful may be the conse quences of scandalous legislation was shown several years ago.in the case of Susannah Palmer, who could not obtain a legal order to receive her own earn ings, although her husband kicked her, knocked her teeth down her throat, committed every possible outrage on her and her children, robbed her, and then turned her out into the street! Had the noble creature deserted his family, the law at the end of two years could have given the wife the order necessary for her existence. Desertion is absence without cause for two zone and upward; but what brute is idiotic enough to desert a woman whom he can pound and torture to his bad heart's content, and whose money will supply him ‘with gin and beer? A wife's clothes and ornaments, owned by the husband during her life time, become her property after his Sheihe provided they are not seized by his creditors. ‘There is, however, one magnanimous provision for ‘ which married women can not be too grateful. A widow is not bound to bury her dead husband. That duty falls upon his legal representative. Upon a judicial sepa ration, all the property subsequently acquired by the wife becomes her own, and devolves on her demise as if she were single. If she and her husband live together again, the property subse quently belonging to her is considered as settled to her separate use, but in other respects the separation ceases. A widower may not marry his de ceased wife’s sister, nor a widow her deceased ‘husband’s brother, nor a widower his deceased wife’s sister's daughter; nor nmmy he marry the daugh ter of his deceased wife by a former husband, nor his deceased wife's moth er’s sister. ‘There is no blood relation between these parties, therefore’ ‘no physical or mental deterioration can possibly arise from such alliances; but cousins may marry ift ‘are married constantly, and lunatics may contract marriage ‘during lucid intervals’.Can insane legislation go further?’ Never theless, marriage with a deceased wife's sister is valid in England if it has been celebrated in a country where such mar riage is legal, provided the contracting parties were domiciled there at the time of the ceremony. In 1857 one Mr. Brook married his first wife's sister in Denmark, and ‘the question . being raised as to the legality of this union in England, it was decided that, as the arties were domiciled in England, they had been guilty of an illegal action! Widows may suffer, but the crown al ways comes in for tid-bits. If a man dies intestate, his widow is entitled to one-third of the personally; if there be no children, to one-half. The rest goes to the husband's next of kin, among whom the widow is not counted. If there be no kin, the moiety goes to the crown. If the British husband enter tain special animosity toward the dear est partner of his premiesyy he can, by will, deprive her of all rights in his per sonalty and realty. Being unjust, of course the law steps in to negative it self where its fulfillment would be ab surd in the eyes of the world; there fore, the Queen is unlike other married women. She is a law unto herself. She purchases land and makes leases, re ceives gifts from her husband, can sue but not be sued; in fact she has more rights and fewer disabilities than a mar ried woman in the State of New York. ‘Though the highest office in the land may be held by a woman, almost every other is closed to her. Occasionally women are governors of prisons for their own sex, overseers of the poor, and parish clerks. A woman may be a ranger of a park, and it has been held that women are eligible to the office of high chamberlain, high constable, com mon constable,sexton, church-warden, and returbing officer at a primary elec tion; but the eligibility is “more hon ored in the breach than in the observ ance. A woman duly qualified can vote upon parish questions and for par ish officers, overseers, surveyors, vestry clerks, etc., and women are at last tak ing their place upon school boards, to the intense satisfaction of an enlight ened public. But does the first lady in the land give‘aid and comfort to re form? She has been known to make a gift of twenty pounds to the writer of a pamphlet denouncing any change in the legal and political condition of her sex. Is it not time that marriage in Eng land was more like roses and less like thorns than it is in the present year of our Lord? The status quo allows a heavy premium on vice, and thin kind, unthinking people wonder why virtue is not rampiant.---Matefield, te Demo rests Monthly.
Newspaper Details
Goshen Times
Goshen, Indiana, US
Thu, Aug 24, 1882
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Michael F.
NA, 22 May 2026
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