The Crock of Gold - A Rural Novel by Martin Farquhar Tupper
page 60 of 215 (27%)
page 60 of 215 (27%)
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would die to do it, Grace; indeed I would!"
The dear girl fell upon his neck, and they wept together like two loving little sisters. "Jonathan"--her duteous spirit was the first to speak--"forgive this weakness of a foolish woman's heart: I will not put away the help which God provides us at your friendly hands: only this, kind brother--let me call you brother--keep the purse; if my father pines for want of work, and the babes at home lack food, pardon my boldness if I take the help you offer. Meanwhile, God in heaven bless you, Jonathan, as He will!" And she turned to go away. "Won't you take a keepsake, Grace--one little token? I wish I had any thing here but money to give you for my sake." "It would even be ungenerous in me to refuse you, brother; one little piece will do." Jonathan fumbled up something in a crumpled piece of paper, and said sobbingly--"Let it be this new half-crown, Grace: I won't say, keep it always; only when you want to use that and more, I humbly ask you'll please come to me." Now a more delicate, a more unselfish act, was never done by man: along with the half-crown he had packed up two sovereigns! and thereby not only escaped thanks, concealed his own beneficence, and robbed his purse of half its little store; but actually he was, by doing so, depriving himself for a month, or maybe more, of a visit from Grace Acton. Had it |
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