Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

" GIVE WISELY." AN ANECDOTE. [From Dickens Household Words.]

, One evening, a short time since, the curate of 15.,- a small village in the north of France, returned much fatigued to his humble dwelling. He had been visiting a poor family who were suffering from both want and sickness; and the worthy old man, besides administering the consolations of religion, had given them a few small coins, saved by rigid self-denial (torn his scanty income. He walked homewards, leaning on his stick, and thinking, with sorrow, how very small were the metns he possessed of doing good and relieving miiery. As be entered the door, he heard an unwonted clamour of tongues, taking the form of a

by no means harmonious duet, — an unknown male voice growling forth a hoarse bass, which was completely overscreecbed by a remarkably high and thin treble, easily recognized by the placid curate as proceeding from the well-practised throat of his house-keeper, the shrewish Perpetua of a gentle Don Abbondio, " A pretty business tins, Monsieur!" cried the dame, when her master appeared, as with flashing eyes, and left arm a-kimbo, she pointed with | the other to a surly-looking man dressed in a blouse, who stood in the hall, holding a very small box in his hand. "This fellow," she continued, " is a messenger from the diligence, and he wants to get fifteen francs as the price of ihe carriage of that little box directed to you, which j I'm sure, no matter what it contains, can't be j worth half the money." " Peace, Nanette," said her master ; and taking the box from the map, who, at bis approach, civilly doffed his hat, he examined the direction. It was extremely heavy, and bore the stamp of San Francisco, in California, together with bis own address. The curate paid the fifteen francs, which left him but a few sous, and dismissed the messenger. He then opened the box, and displayed to the astonished eyes of Nanette an ingot of virgin gold, and a slip of paper, on which were written the following words :—: — JI To Monsieur the Curate of B. " A slight token of eternal gratitude, in remembrance of August the 28tb, 1848. Charles F . •'Formerly sprgeant-major in the — th regiment ; now a, gold digger in California." On the 28th August, IS4B, the curate was, as on the evening in question, returning from visiting his poor and sick parishioners. Not far from bis cottage be saw a young soldier with a haggard countenance and wild bloodshot eyes,, hastening towards the bank of a deep and rapid river, which ran through the fields. The venerable priest stopped him and spoke to him kindly. At first >he young man would not answer, and tried to break away from his questioner ; but the curate fearing that he meditated suicide, would not be repulsed, and at length, with much difficulty, succeeded in leading him to his house. After some time, softened by the tender kindness of his host, the soldier confessed that he had spent in gambling a sum of money which had been entrusted to him as sergeant-major of bis company. This avowal was made in words broken by sobs, and the culprit repeated several times, "My poor mother ! my poor mother ! if she only knew — " The curate waited until the soldier had become more calm, and then addressed him in words of reproof and counsel, such as a tender father might bestow on an erring son. He finished by giving him a bag containing one hundred and thirty francs, the amount of the sum unlawfully dissipated. " It is nearly all I possess in the world," said the old man, " but by the grace of Go ?, you will change your habits, you will work diligently, and some day, my friend, ycu will return me this money, which indeed belongs more to the poor than to me." It would be impossible to describe the young soldier's joy and astonishment. He pressed convulsively his benefactor's hand, and after a pause, said : " Monsieur, in three months my military engagement will be ended. I solemnly promise that, with the assistance of God, from that time I will work diiligently." So be departed, bearing with him the money and the blessing of the good man. Much to the sorrow and indignation of Nanette, her master continued to wear through the ensuing winter his threadbare suit, which he had intended to replace by warm garments : and his dintisr frequently consisted of bread and soup maigre. " And all this," said the dame, " for the sake of a worthless stroller, whom we shall never see or hear of again 1" " Nanette," said her master, with tears in his eyes, as he showed her the massive ingot, whose value was three thousand francs, "never judge hardly of a repentant sinner. It was the weeping Magdalen who poured precious ointment on her Master's feet ; it was the outlawed Samaritan leper who returned to give Him thanks. Our poor guest has nobly kept his word. Next winter my sick people will waut neither food nor medicine ; and you must lay in plenty of flannel and frieze for our old men and women, Nanette!"

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZSCSG18521013.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 751, 13 October 1852, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
861

" GIVE WISELY." AN ANECDOTE. [From Dicken's Household Words.] New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 751, 13 October 1852, Page 4

" GIVE WISELY." AN ANECDOTE. [From Dicken's Household Words.] New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 751, 13 October 1852, Page 4

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert