“I looked at him, his eyes were filled with tears. My heart softened; I saw the tender emotion as it lit up his face until a halo seemed to surround his head. I knew that I loved him yet. I heard his trembling voice, as he pleaded with me, I saw his soft, white hands as they reached out to me in mute appeal; I think the tears which now half blinded me must have had a softening effect on my callous nature. Then with a flash I thought of a son without a father, I again went through years of toil, and as if a panoramic view was being unrolled before me, I saw a house in mourning, a hearse drawn by black horses, draped with great, black nets, whose fringe hung almost to the ground. I saw a line of vehicles moving slowly, a man opened the door, then I heard a voice say, ‘No, I do not care to take any servants.’ Then with the pride wrought by the tingling of the warm blood which coursed through my veins, I said, ‘Well, Mr. Sunderman, I am sorry, but I must ask you and your family to forego this one pleasure.’ “He did not mistake my sarcasm; he only asked me what would be the consequences, if he refused. “‘If you are anxious to know,’ said I, ‘just refuse and wait twenty-four hours.’ “Within two days the papers were full of Mr. Sunderman’s withdrawal on account of a sudden breaking down of his health. He had many applicants for his influence, but he did not tell anyone that he had given up the only position over which he had any influence for reasons of his own. “In less than thirty days, a rural looking man called at my husband’s place of business, and stated that he was looking for an opportunity to buy a store something on the order of his; my husband priced the store, and the man took it without a word; my husband is industrious and I had a hard time keeping him in a contented frame of mind for thirty days more, but I insisted so strongly on his taking a much needed rest, that he was still idle when he was notified that he had been selected to fill a position as a postoffice inspector. His instructions were for him to proceed to headquarters at once to qualify. Our boy, Roy’s and mine, is in a military school and I anticipate that he will be selected as a West Point cadet, when he has made the proper advancement.” “And does your husband know?” “He knows nothing, except that five thousand a year is better than running a shop.” TALE NINETEEN. A STORY OF THE LEVEE. “Ah, yes, ’tis sweet still to remember, Though ’twere less painful to forget; For while my heart glows like an ember. Mine eyes with sorrow’s drops are wet, And oh, my heart is aching yet. It is a law of mortal pain That old wounds, long accounted well, Beneath the memory’s potent spell, Will wake to life and bleed again.”