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diff --git a/24753-h/24753-h.htm b/24753-h/24753-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbdf03b --- /dev/null +++ b/24753-h/24753-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3329 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Who Are Happiest? and Other Stories, by T. S. Arthur</title> + <style type="text/css"> +<!-- + + body {margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%;} + + p {text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em;} + + .ctr {text-align: center;} + .sc {font-variant: small-caps;} + .sig {margin-left: 65%;} + .chapter {margin-top: 4em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + text-align: center; + font-size: 110%; + font-weight: bold;} + + .head {margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + text-align: center; + font-size: 102%; + font-weight: bold;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: smaller;} + + .figcenter {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1.5em; + margin-bottom: 1.5em;} + + p.firstword {text-indent: 0 ! important; } + p.firstword:first-letter {font-size: 250%; + float: left; + line-height: 95%; + padding-right: 4px;} + + h1 {text-align: center; + margin-bottom: .85em; + line-height: 1.3em; + letter-spacing: 2px;} + + h1.pg {text-align: center; + margin-bottom: 0em; + line-height: 1em; + letter-spacing: 0px;} + + h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {text-align: center; + margin-top: .5em; + margin-bottom: .85em; + line-height: 1.3em;} + + h4.pg {text-align: center; + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + line-height: 1.1em; } + + hr {background-color: black; color: inherit; padding: 0;} + + hr.long {width: 90%; + height: 1px; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: 2em;} + + hr.med {width: 65%; + height: 2px; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: 2.5em;} + + hr.short {width: 35%; + height: 1px; + margin-top: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: 1.25em;} + + hr.pg {width: 80%; + height: 1px; + margin-top: 25px; + margin-bottom: 25px;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + td.text {vertical-align: top; + text-align: left;} + + td.pg {vertical-align: bottom; + text-align: right;} + + a:link {color: #33C; + background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: underline;} + link {color: #33C; + background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: underline;} + a:visited {color:#33C; + background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: underline;} + a:hover {color:#F00; + background-color: inherit;} + + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + pre {font-size: 85%; } + // --> + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Who Are Happiest? and Other Stories, by T. S. +Arthur, Illustrated by Croome</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Who Are Happiest? and Other Stories</p> +<p>Author: T. S. Arthur</p> +<p>Release Date: March 4, 2008 [eBook #24753]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHO ARE HAPPIEST? AND OTHER STORIES***</p> +<br><br><center><h4 class="pg">E-text prepared by David Edwards, Carolyn Bottomley,<br> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/c/">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br> + from page images generously made available by<br> + the State University System of Florida PALMM Project<br> + (<a href="http://palmm.fcla.edu/">http://palmm.fcla.edu/</a>)</h4></center><br><br> +<p> </p> +<table border=0 bgcolor="ccccff" cellpadding=10> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through the Florida + Board of Education, Division of Colleges and Universities, + PALMM Project (Preservation and Access for American and + British Children's Literature). See<br> + <a href="http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=juv&idno=UF00002157&format=jpg"> + http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=juv&idno=UF00002157&format=jpg</a> + <br> + or<br> + <a href="http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=juv&idno=UF00002157&format=pdf"> + http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=juv&idno=UF00002157&format=pdf</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/front.png" width="284" height="450" alt="Arthur's JUVENILE LIBRARY."> +</div> + +<h1>WHO ARE HAPPIEST?</h1> + +<h5>AND</h5> + +<h3>OTHER STORIES.</h3><br> + + +<h2><span class="sc">By</span> T. S. ARTHUR.</h2><br> + + +<h5>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS BY CROOME.</h5><br> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + +<h4>PHILADELPHIA<br> +LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & CO.<br> +1852.</h4> + +<hr class="pg"> +<h5> +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by +<br> +LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & CO. +<br> +in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of +<br> +Pennsylvania. +</h5> +<h5> +STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON & CO. +<br> +PHILADELPHIA. +</h5> +<hr class="pg"> +<p class="ctr"> +<b>CONTENTS.</b> +</p> +<table summary="Contents" width="50%" cellpadding="1"> + <tr> + <td class="txt"> </td> + <td class="pg"><small>PAGE</small></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">WHO ARE HAPPIEST?</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#WHO">9</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">DICK LAWSON, AND THE YOUNG MOCKING-BIRD.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#DICK">21</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">THE MEANS OF ENJOYMENT.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#ENJOYMENT">60</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">MAN'S JUDGMENT.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#JUDGMENT">72</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">WHAT FIVE DOLLARS PAID.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#FIVE_DOLLARS">89</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">LOOK AT T'OTHER SIDE.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#TOTHER">97</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">THIN SHOES.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#THIN_SHOES">115</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">THE UNRULY MEMBER.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#UNRULY">131</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="txt">THE RICH AND THE POOR.</td> + <td class="pg"><a href="#RICH_POOR">149</a></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<hr class="med"> +<h3>INTRODUCTION.</h3> + + +<p>In this volume, the stories are not illustrative of childish +experiences. Most of the actors are men and women,—and the trials and +temptations to which they are subjected, such as are experienced in +mature life. Their object is to fix in the young mind, by familiar +illustrations, principles of action for the future. While several of the +volumes in this series will be addressed to children as children, +others, like this one, will be addressed to them as our future men and +women, toward which estate they are rapidly progressing, and in which +they will need for their guidance all things good and true that can be +stored up in their memories.</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="WHO"></a>WHO ARE HAPPIEST?</h2> + +<p class="firstword">"<span class="sc">What</span> troubles you, William?" said Mrs. Aiken, speaking in a tone of +kind concern to her husband, who sat silent and moody, with his eyes now +fixed upon the floor, and now following the forms of his plainly-clad +children as they sported, full of health and spirits, about the room.</p> + +<p>It was evening, and Mr. Aiken, a man who earned his bread by the sweat +of his brow, had, a little while before, returned from his daily labour.</p> + +<p>No answer was made to the wife's question. A few minutes went by, and +then she spoke again:</p> + +<p>"Is any thing wrong with you, William?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing more than usual," was replied. "There's always something wrong. +The fact is, I'm out of heart."</p> + +<p>"William!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Aiken came and stood beside her husband, and laid her hand gently +upon his shoulder.</p> + +<p>The evil spirit of envy and discontent was in the poor man's +heart,—this his wife understood right well. She had often before seen +him in this frame of mind.</p> + +<p>"I'm as good as Freeman; am I not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and a great deal better, I hope," replied Mrs. Aiken.</p> + +<p>"And yet he is rolling in wealth, while I, though compelled to toil +early and late, can scarcely keep soul and body together."</p> + +<p>"Hush, William! Don't talk so. It does you no good. We have a +comfortable home, with food and raiment,—let us therewith be contented +and thankful."</p> + +<p>"Thankful for this mean hut! Thankful for hard labour, poor fare, and +coarse clothing!"</p> + +<p>"None are so happy as those who labour; none enjoy better health than +they who have only the plainest food. Do you ever go hungry to bed, +William?"</p> + +<p>"No, of course not."</p> + +<p>"Do you or your children shiver in the cold of winter for lack of warm +clothing?"</p> + +<p>"No; but"——</p> + +<p>"William! Do not look past your real comforts in envy of the blessings +God has given to others. Depend upon it, we receive all of this world's +goods the kind Father above sees best for us to have. With more, we +might not be so happy as we are."</p> + +<p>"I'll take all that risk," said Mr. Aiken. "Give me plenty of money, +and I'll find a way to largely increase the bounds of enjoyment."</p> + +<p>"The largest amount of happiness, I believe, is ever to be found in that +condition wherein God had placed us."</p> + +<p>"Then every poor man should willingly remain poor!"</p> + +<p>"I did not say that, William: I think every man should seek earnestly to +improve his worldly affairs—yet, be contented with his lot at all +times; for, only in contentment is there happiness, and this is a +blessing the poor may share equally with the rich. Indeed, I believe the +poor have this blessing in larger store. You, for instance, are a +happier man than Mr. Freeman."</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure of that."</p> + +<p>"I am, then. Look at his face. Doesn't that tell the story? Would you +exchange with him in every respect?"</p> + +<p>"No, not in <i>every</i> respect. I would like to have his money."</p> + +<p>"Ah, William! William!" Mrs. Aiken shook her head. "You are giving place +in your heart for the entrance of bad spirits. Try to enjoy, fully, what +you have, and you will be a far happier man than Mr. Freeman. Your +sleep is sound at night."</p> + +<p>"I know. A man who labours as hard as I do, can't help sleeping +soundly."</p> + +<p>"Then labour is a blessing, if for nothing else. I took home, to-day, a +couple of aprons made for Mrs. Freeman. She looked pale and troubled, +and I asked her if she were not well."</p> + +<p>"'Not very,' she replied. 'I've lost so much rest of late, that I'm +almost worn out.'</p> + +<p>"I did not ask why this was; but, after remaining silent for a few +moments, she said—</p> + +<p>"'Mr. Freeman has got himself so excited about business, that he sleeps +scarcely three hours in the twenty-four. He cares neither for eating nor +drinking; and, if I did not watch him, would scarcely appear abroad in +decent apparel. Hardly a day passes that something does not go wrong. +Workmen fail in their contracts, prices fall below what he expected them +to be, and agents prove unfaithful; in fact, a hundred things occur to +interfere with his expectations, and to cloud his mind with +disappointment. We were far happier when we were poor, Mrs. Aiken. There +<i>was</i> a time when we enjoyed this life. Bright days!—how well are they +remembered! Mr. Freeman's income was twelve dollars a week; we lived in +two rooms, and I did all our own work. I had fewer wants then than I +have ever had since, and was far happier than I ever expect to be again +on this side of the grave.'"</p> + +<p>Just then a cry was heard in the street.</p> + +<p>"Hark!" exclaimed Mr. Aiken.</p> + +<p>"Fire! Fire! Fire!" The startling sound rose clear and shrill upon the +air.</p> + +<p>Mr. Aiken sprang to the window and threw it open.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Freeman's new building, as I live!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Aiken dropped the window, and catching up his hat, hurriedly left +the house.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 388px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="388" height="450" alt="MR. AIKEN'S RETURN FROM THE FIRE."> +<span class="caption">MR. AIKEN'S RETURN FROM THE FIRE.</span> +</div> + +<p>It was an hour ere he returned. Meanwhile the fire raged furiously, and +from her window, where she was safe from harm, Mrs. Aiken saw the large +new factory, which the rich man had just erected, entirely consumed by +the fierce, devouring element. All in vain was it that the intrepid +firemen wrought almost miracles of daring, in their efforts to save the +building. Story after story were successively wrapped in flames, until, +at length, over fifty thousand dollars worth of property lay a heap of +black and smouldering ruins.</p> + +<p>Wet to the skin, and covered with cinders, was Mr. Aiken when he +returned to his humble abode, after having worked manfully, in his +unselfish efforts to rescue a portion of his neighbour's property from +destruction.</p> + +<p>"Poor Freeman! I pity him from my very heart!" was his generous, +sympathising exclamation, as soon as he met his wife.</p> + +<p>"He is insured, is he not?" inquired Mrs. Aiken.</p> + +<p>"Partially. But even a full insurance would be a poor compensation for +such a loss. In less than two weeks, this new factory, with all its +perfect and beautiful machinery, would have been in operation. The price +of goods is now high, and Mr. Freeman would have cleared a handsome sum +of money on the first season's product of his mill. It is a terrible +disappointment for him. I never saw a man so much disturbed."</p> + +<p>"Poor man! His sleep will not be so sound as yours, to-night, William."</p> + + +<p>"Indeed it will not."</p> + +<p>"Nor, rich as he is, will he be as happy as you, to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"If I were as rich as he is," said Mr. Aiken, "I would not fret myself +to death for this loss. I would, rather, be thankful for the wealth +still left in my possession."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Aiken shook her head.</p> + +<p>"No, William, the same spirit that makes you restless and discontented +now, would be with you, no matter how greatly improved might be your +external condition. Mr. Freeman was once as poor as you are. Do you +think him happier for his riches? Does he enjoy life more? Has wealth +brought a greater freedom from care? Has it made his sleep sweeter? Far, +very far from it. Riches have but increased the sources of discontent."</p> + +<p>"This is not a necessary consequence. If Mr. Freeman turn a blessing +into a curse, that is a defect in his particular case."</p> + +<p>"And few, in this fallen and evil world, are free from this same defect, +William. If wealth were sought for unselfish ends, then it would make +its possessor happy. But how few so seek riches! It is here, believe me, +that the evil lies."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Aiken spoke earnestly, and something of the truth that was in her +mind, shed its beams upon the mind of her husband.</p> + +<p>"You remember," said she smiling, "the anecdote of the rich man of New +York, who asked a person who gave utterance to words of envy towards +himself—'Would you,' said he, 'take all the care and anxiety attendant +upon the management of my large estates and extensive business +operations, merely for your victuals and clothes?' 'No, indeed, I would +not,' was the quick answer. '<i>I get no more</i>,' said the rich man, +gravely. And it was the truth, William. They who get rich in this world, +pass up through incessant toil and anxiety; and, while they <i>seem</i> to +enjoy all the good things of life, in reality enjoy but little. They get +only their victuals and clothes. I have worked for many rich ladies, and +I do not remember one who appeared to be happier than I am. And I am +mistaken if your experience is not very much like my own."</p> + +<p>One evening, a few days after this time, Aiken came home from his work. +As he entered the room where his wife and children sat, the former +looked up to him with a cheerful smile of welcome, and the latter +gathered around him, filling his ears with the music of their happy +voices. The father drew an arm around one and another, and, as he sat in +their midst, his heart swelled in his bosom, and warmed with a glow of +happiness.</p> + +<p>Soon the evening meal was served—served by the hands of his wife—the +good angel of his humble home. William Aiken, as he looked around upon +his smiling children, and their true-hearted, even-tempered, cheerful +mother, felt that he had many blessings for which he should be thankful.</p> + +<p>"I saw something, a little while ago, that I shall not soon forget," +said he, when alone with his wife.</p> + +<p>"What was that, William?"</p> + +<p>"I had occasion to call at the house of Mr. Elder, on some business, as +I came home this evening. Mr. Elder is rich, and I have often envied +him; but I shall do so no more. I found him in his sitting-room, alone, +walking the floor with a troubled look on his face. He glanced at me +with an impatient expression as I entered. I mentioned my business, when +he said abruptly and rudely—</p> + +<p>"'I've no time to think of that now.'</p> + +<p>"As I was turning away, a door of the room opened, and Mrs. Elder and +two children entered.</p> + +<p>"'I wish you would send those children up to the nursery,' he exclaimed, +in a fretful half-angry voice. 'I'm in no humour to be troubled with +them now.'</p> + +<p>"The look cast upon their father by those two innocent little children, +as their mother pushed them from the room, I shall not soon forget. I +remembered, as I left the house, that there had been a large failure in +Market street, and that Mr. Elder was said to be the loser by some ten +thousand dollars—less than a twentieth part of what he is worth. I am +happier than he is to-night, Mary."</p> + +<p>"And happier you may ever be, William," returned his wife, "if you but +stoop to the humble flowers that spring up along your pathway, and, like +the bee, take the honey they contain. God knows what, in external +things, is best for us; and he will make either poverty or riches, +whichsoever comes, a blessing, if we are humble, patient and contented."</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="DICK"></a>DICK LAWSON,</h2> +<h3>AND THE YOUNG MOCKING-BIRD.</h3> + + +<p>"<span class="sc">Dick</span>!"</p> + +<p>"Sir."</p> + +<p>"I want a young mocking-bird. Can't you get me one?"</p> + +<p>"I d'no, sir."</p> + +<p>"Don't you think you could try?"</p> + +<p>"I d'no, sir. P'r'aps I might."</p> + +<p>"Well, see if you can't. I'll give you half a dollar for one."</p> + +<p>"Will you? Then I'll try."</p> + +<p>And off Dick started for the woods, without stopping for any further +words on the subject.</p> + +<p>The two individuals introduced are a good-natured farmer in easy +circumstances, and a bright boy, the son of a poor woman in the +neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>As Dick Lawson was hurrying away for the woods, his mind all intent upon +finding a nest of young mocking-birds, and despoiling it, he met a +juvenile companion, named Henry Jones.</p> + +<p>"Come, Harry," said he, in an animated voice, "I want you to go with +me."</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" asked the friend.</p> + +<p>"I am going to look for a mocking-bird's nest."</p> + +<p>"What for?"</p> + +<p>"To get a young one. Mr. Acres said he would give me half a dollar for a +young mocking-bird."</p> + +<p>"He did?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he did so!" was the animated reply.</p> + +<p>"But don't he know that it's wrong to rob bird's nests!"</p> + +<p>"If it had been wrong, Harry, Mr. Acres wouldn't have asked me to get +him a bird. He knows what is right and wrong, as well as anybody about +here."</p> + +<p>"And so does Mr. Milman, our Sunday-school teacher; and he says that it +is wicked to rob bird's nests. You know he has told us that a good many +times."</p> + +<p>"But Mr. Acres knows what is right as well as Mr. Milman, and if it had +been wrong, he'd never have asked me to get him a bird. And then, you +know, he says he will give me half a dollar for a single one."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't touch a bird's nest for ten dollars," rejoined Henry Jones, +warmly.</p> + +<p>"I would then," replied Dick, from whose mind the promised reward had, +for the time, completely dispelled every tender impression received +both from his mother, who had been very careful of her child, and his +teacher at the Sunday-school. "But come," he added, "you'll go with me, +anyhow."</p> + +<p>"Not, if you are going to rob a bird's nest," firmly responded Henry. +"It is wicked to do so."</p> + +<p>"Wicked! I don't see any thing so very wicked about it. Mr. Acres is a +good man, so everybody says, and I know he wouldn't tell me to do a +wicked thing."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure it is wicked," persevered Henry Jones, "for isn't it taking +the poor little birds from their mother? Don't you think it would be +wicked for some great giant to come and carry your little sister away +off where you could never find her, and shut her up in a cage, and keep +her there all her life?"</p> + +<p>"No, but birds are not little children. It's a very different thing. But +you needn't talk, Harry; for it's no use. If you'll go along, you shall +have half the money I get for the bird—if not, why, I'll go myself and +keep the whole of it."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't go with you for a hundred dollars," said Harry +half-indignantly, turning away.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll go myself," was Dick Lawson's sneering reply, as he sprang +forward and hurried off to the woods.</p> + +<p>He did not, however, feel very easy in mind, although he attempted first +to whistle gayly, and then to sing. The remonstrance of Henry Jones had +its effect in calling back previous better feelings, awakened by the +precepts of a good mother and the instructions of a judicious +Sabbath-school teacher. To oppose these, however, were the direct +sanction of Mr. Acres, towards whom he had always been taught to look +with respect, and the stimulating hope of a liberal reward. These were +powerful incentives—but they could not hush the inward voice of +disapprobation, that seemed to speak in a louder and sterner tone with +every advancing step. Still, this voice, loud as it was, could not make +him pause or hesitate. Onward he pursued his way, and soon entered the +woods and old fields he had fixed in his mind as the scene of his +operations.</p> + +<p>An hour's diligent search ended in the discovery of a nest, in which +were two young ones, with the mother bird feeding them. This sight +softened Dick's heart for a moment, but the strong desire, instantly +awakened, to possess the prize for which he had been seeking, caused him +to drive off the old bird, who commenced fluttering about the spot, +uttering cries and showing signs of deep distress. These, although he +could not help feeling them, did not cause him to desist. In a few +moments he had one of the birds safely in his possession, with which he +bounded off in great delight.</p> + +<p>"Well, Dick, have you got my bird?" said Mr. Acres, as Dick came puffing +and blowing into his presence.</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed!" returned Dick with a broad smile of pleasure, presenting +the bird he had abstracted from its warm, soft nest.</p> + +<p>"You are a fine smart boy, Dick, and will make a man one of these days!" +said Mr. Acres, patting Dick on the head encouragingly. Then, taking the +bird, he toyed with it for a while fondly—fed it, and finally placed it +in a cage. The promised half-dollar, which was promptly paid to the +lad, made him feel rich. As he was about leaving the house of Mr. Acres, +the latter called to him:</p> + +<p>"Look here, Dick, my fine fellow, don't you want a dog? Here's Rover, +the very chap for you."</p> + +<p>"May I have Rover?" eagerly asked Dick, his eyes glistening with +delight.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I've more dogs now than I want."</p> + +<p>"He fights well!" ejaculated Dick, surveying the dog proudly. As he did +so, the animal, seeing himself noticed, walked up to Dick, and rubbed +himself against the lad familiarly.</p> + +<p>"He'll whip any dog in the neighbourhood," said Mr. Acres.</p> + +<p>"And you'll give him to me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. I've got too many dogs now."</p> + +<p>"Here, Rover! Here, Rover! Here! Here! Here!" cried Dick in an animated +tone, starting off. The dog followed quickly, and in a few moments both +were out of sight.</p> + +<p>"A smart chap that," remarked Mr. Acres to himself, as Dick bounded +away. "He'll make something before he dies, I'll warrant."</p> + +<p>The possession of the dog and half-dollar, especially the latter, were +strongly objected to by Dick's mother.</p> + +<p>"How could you, my son, think of robbing a poor bird of her little young +ones?" said she seriously and reprovingly.</p> + +<p>"But, mother, Mr. Acres wanted me to get him a bird, and of course I +could not say 'no.' What would he have thought of me?"</p> + +<p>"You never should do wrong for any one."</p> + +<p>"But if it had been so very wrong, Mr. Acres never would have asked me +to do it, I know," urged Dick.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson would have compelled her son to take back the money he had +received, if almost any other person in the village but Mr. Acres had +been concerned. But he was well off, and influential; and, moreover, was +her landlord; and, though she was behindhand with her rent, he never +took the trouble to ask for it. The dog, too, would have been sent back +if any one but Mr. Acres had given it to her son. As it was, she +contented herself with merely reprimanding Dick for robbing the bird's +nest, and enjoining on him not to be guilty of so cruel an act again.</p> + +<p>About three days after this event, Dick, accompanied by Rover—now his +inseparable companion—met his young friend, Henry Jones, who had with +him his father's large house-dog, Bose.</p> + +<p>"Whose dog is that?" asked Henry.</p> + +<p>"He's mine," replied Dick.</p> + +<p>"Yours!"</p> + +<p>"Be sure he is."</p> + +<p>"Why that is Mr. Acres's Rover."</p> + +<p>"Not now he isn't. Mr. Acres gave him to me."</p> + +<p>"What did he give him to you for?"</p> + +<p>"For getting him a young mocking-bird."</p> + +<p>"I thought he promised you half-a-dollar?"</p> + +<p>"So he did; and what is more, gave it to me, and Rover into the +bargain."</p> + +<p>"Well, I wouldn't have robbed a bird's nest for a dozen Rovers," said +Henry Jones, warmly.</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't you, indeed?" returned Dick, with a sneer.</p> + +<p>"No, I would not. It's wicked."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you're very pious! But Rover can whip your Bose, anyhow."</p> + +<p>"No, he can't, though," replied Henry quickly, who could not bear to +hear his father's faithful and favourite old dog's courage called in +question.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but he can, ten times a day. There, Rover! There, +<i>sck!—sck!—sketch him</i>!" At the same time pushing Rover against Bose.</p> + +<p>Both dogs growled low, and showed their teeth, but that was all.</p> + +<p>"Rover's afraid to touch him!" said Henry, a good deal excited.</p> + +<p>"No, he is not, though!" returned Dick, his face glowing with interest; +and, lifting up the forefeet of Rover, he threw him full against old +Bose, who received the onset with a deep growl and a strong impression +of his teeth on Rover.</p> + +<p>This brought on the battle. Bose was nine or ten years old, and somewhat +worn down by age and hard service, while Rover had numbered but two +years, and was full of fire and vigor. Still the victory was not soon +decided. During the fight, each of the boys entered into the spirit of +the contest almost as much as the dogs. First one would interfere to +secure for his favourite the victory, and then the other, until, at +last, Dick struck Henry; and then they went at it likewise, and fought +nearly as long, and certainly with as much desire to injure each other, +as did the dogs themselves. The result was that both Henry and Bose had +to yield, and then the parties separated, indulging against each other +bitter and angry feelings. But with Dick there was an emotion of cruel +delight at having triumphed over his friend. As he was crossing a field, +on his way home, he met Mr. Acres.</p> + +<p>"Why, what's the matter with you and Rover?" the farmer asked.</p> + +<p>"Rover's had a fight," replied Dick.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Who with?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Jones's Bose."</p> + +<p>"Well, which whipped?"</p> + +<p>"Rover, of course," replied Dick, with a smile of triumph; "and I can +make him whip any thing."</p> + +<p>"You're a keen chap, Dick," said Mr. Acres, patting the boy on the head, +"and are going to make a man one of these days, I see plainly enough. So +Rover whipped. I knew there was prime stuff in him."</p> + +<p>"There isn't another such a fellow in these 'ere parts," was Dick's +proud answer.</p> + +<p>"But <i>you</i> look a little the worse for wear, as well as Rover. Have you +been fighting, too?"</p> + +<p>Dick held down his head for a moment, and then looking up into Mr. +Acres's face, said—</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," in rather a sheepish way.</p> + +<p>"Ah! well, who have you been fighting with?"</p> + +<p>"With Harry Jones. He didn't want to give Rover fair play; and once, +when he had Bose down, he kicked him."</p> + +<p>"And then you kicked him for kicking your dog?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"That was right. Never permit a friend to be imposed upon. And after +that you had a regular fight?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"Which whipped?"</p> + +<p>"I gave him a bloody nose; and shouldn't wonder if he had a black eye +into the bargain. And what is more, made him cry 'enough.'"</p> + +<p>"That was right. Never fight but in a good cause, and then be sure to +whip your man."</p> + +<p>"It'll take a smarter boy than Harry Jones to whip me," said Dick +proudly.</p> + +<p>"And you think Rover can whip any thing about here?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed. And I'm going to make him do it, too."</p> + +<p>"You'd better not try him against Markland's old Nero."</p> + +<p>"He'll whip him in ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure of that. Nero is a great deal bigger and stronger."</p> + +<p>"I don't care if he is. I'm learning Rover a trick that'll make him whip +a dog twice his size."</p> + +<p>"What is that?"</p> + +<p>Dick called Rover, and the dog came up to him wagging his tail.</p> + +<p>"Give us your paw," said the boy, in a tone of authority.</p> + +<p>The dog instantly lifted one of his forefeet, which Dick took in his +hand, and began to squeeze gently at first, and then, by degrees, harder +and harder, ejaculating all the while, in a quick distinct tone—"Leg +him! leg him! leg him!" until the dog, from first indicating signs of +pain, began to whine, and then to yell out as if in agony. At this, Dick +dropped the foot, and looked up into the farmer's face.</p> + +<p>"Well, Dick, what does all that mean?" asked Mr. Acres.</p> + +<p>"I'm learning him to catch hold of the foot," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>"The mischief you are!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. And when he's fairly up to it, he can whip any dog, if he's +as big as an elephant."</p> + +<p>"But can you learn him?"</p> + +<p>"I made him catch Jones's Bose by the foot this morning, and it would +have done your heart good to have heard him yell. If he isn't lame for a +month, then I don't know any thing about it."</p> + +<p>"There's no fear of you, I see," was Mr. Acres's encouraging reply to +this, again patting Dick on the head.</p> + +<p>In about two weeks from that time it was pretty well known through the +neighbourhood that Dick Lawson had given out that he could make his +Rover whip Markland's Nero, a noble animal that had never been matched +by any dog around. Markland's son felt his pride in his dog touched at +this, and challenged Dick to a battle. The time was set, and the place, +a neighbouring field, chosen. Old and young seemed to take an interest +in the matter, and when the time arrived, and Dick appeared on the +ground with his dog, there were assembled, men and boys, at least one +hundred persons, and among the rest, Mr. Acres, who began to feel +somewhat drawn towards his protegé Dick.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 395px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="395" height="450" alt="CRUEL SPORT."> +<span class="caption">CRUEL SPORT.</span> +</div> + +<p>The two dogs were brought forward by the two lads, whose parents knew +nothing of the affair, and by pushing them against, and throwing them +upon each other, irritated and angered them until they finally went to +work in real earnest, greatly to the delight of the lookers-on. Rover +fought bravely, but he was evidently no match for his larger and +stronger antagonist, who tore him savagely, while he seemed unable to +penetrate Nero's thick yielding skin. The shouts that arose from the +group around were all in favour of Nero, who was a general favourite—as +he was one of those large, peaceable, benevolent fellows, belieing his +name, whom all liked, while there was something of the churl and savage +about Rover, that caused him to have but few friends.</p> + +<p>The contest had waged about ten minutes, fiercely, and Rover was +evidently getting "worsted," when Dick, who had been constantly +encouraging his dog, stooped close to his ear, and spoke something in a +low, quick, energetic tone.</p> + +<p>Instantly Rover crouched down, and darting forward, seized the forepaw +of Nero in his mouth, and commenced gnawing it eagerly. The noble +animal, thus unexpectedly and basely assailed, found the pain to which +he was suddenly subjected so great as to take away all power of +resistance. He would not utter a cry, but sat down, and permitted the +other dog to gnaw away at his tender foot without a single sign of +suffering. As the cry of pain, the dog's "enough," was to terminate the +battle, the fine fellow was permitted thus to suffer for several +minutes, before the bystanders came forward and pulled Dick Lawson's dog +off. Nero would have died before a sound could have been extorted from +him.</p> + +<p>As Nero had not cried "enough," Bob Markland contended afterwards that +his dog had not been whipped, to settle which difference of opinion he +and Dick had several hard battles, in which the latter, like his dog, +always came off the victor. The upshot of all these contests was, the +expulsion of Dick from the Sabbath-school, into which he carried the +bickerings engendered through the week. Another reason for his expulsion +was the frequency with which he played truant, and of his having, in +several instances, enticed other boys away from the school for the same +purpose.</p> + +<p>Except Mr. Acres, nearly every man, woman and child in the neighbourhood +sincerely disliked, and some actually hated Dick Lawson, for there was +hardly a family some member of which had not been annoyed by him in one +form or another. But Mr. Acres liked the spirit of the lad, as well as +his thorough independence in regard to the opinion of others.</p> + +<p>This man, who had first thrown temptation into the lad's way, and +encouraged him to persevere in a conduct which nearly all condemned, was +not a wilfully bad man. By most people he was called a good-hearted, +benevolent person. The truth was, he was not a wise man. When young, he +had indulged in such amusements as catching young birds, fighting dogs +and cocks, and attending horse-races, and all the exciting scenes to +which he could get access. But none of these things corrupted him so far +as to make him a decidedly bad man in the community. As he grew up, he +gradually laid aside his boyish follies; saved up his money; bought +himself a small farm, and, in time, became quite a substantial man, so +far as worldly goods were concerned.</p> + +<p>Contrasted with himself were several lads whose parents had been +exceedingly strict with them, and who had, as they grew up, shaken off +the trammels of childhood and youth, run into wild extravagances of +conduct, and some into wicked and vicious habits, from which they were +never reclaimed. Comparing his own case with theirs, his short-sighted +conclusion was that boys ought to be allowed as much freedom as +possible, and this was why he encouraged Dick, who was an exceedingly +bright lad, in the course he had been so willing to pursue. He knew +nothing at all of the different hereditary tendencies to evil that exist +in the mind. His observation had never led him to see how two persons, +raised in precisely the same manner, would turn out very +differently—the one proving a good, and the other a bad citizen. His +knowledge of human nature, therefore, never for a moment caused him to +suspect, that in encouraging a feeling of cruelty in Dick Lawson, he +might be only putting blood upon the tongue of a young lion—that there +might be in his mind hereditary tendencies to evil, which encouragement +to rob a bird's nest, or to set two dogs to fighting, by one occupying +his position and influence, might cause to become so active as to +ultimately make him a curse to society.</p> + +<p>And such, in a year or two, Dick seemed becoming. He had in that time, +although but fourteen years of age, got almost beyond his mother's +control. His dog and himself were the terror of nearly all the dogs and +boys in the neighbourhood, for both were surly, quarrelsome, and +tyrannical. Even Mr. Acres had found it necessary to forbid him to +appear on his premises. Rover having temporarily lamed, time after +time, every one of his dogs, and Dick having twice beaten two of his +black boys, farm-hands, because of some slight offence. To be revenged +on him for this, he robbed a fine apricot-tree of all its fruit, both +green and ripe, on the very night before Mr. Acres had promised to send +a basket full, the first produced in the neighbourhood that spring, to a +friend who was very much esteemed by him.</p> + +<p>Though he strongly suspected Dick, yet he had no proof of the fact, and +so made no attempt to have him punished.</p> + +<p>Shortly after, the boy was apprenticed to a tanner and currier, a severe +man, chosen as his master in the hope that his rigid discipline might do +something towards reclaiming him. As the tanner had as many dogs as he +wanted, he objected to the reception into his yard of Dick's ill-natured +cur. But Dick told his mother that, unless Rover were allowed to go with +him, he would not go to the trade selected for him. He was resolute in +this, and at last Mrs. Lawson persuaded Mr. Skivers, the tanner, to take +him, dog and all.</p> + +<p>In his new place he did not get along, except for a very short time, +without trouble. At the end of the third month, for neglect of work, bad +language, and insolence, but particularly for cruelties practised upon a +dog that had gotten the mastery over Rover, Mr. Skivers gave him a most +tremendous beating. Dick resisted, and fought with might and main, but +he was but a boy, and in the hands of a strong and determined man. For a +time this cowed Dick, but in the same ratio that his courage fell when +he thought of resisting his master single-handed, rose his bitter hate +against him. Skivers was a man who, if he had reason to dislike any one +about him, could not let his feelings remain quiescent. He must be doing +something all the while to let the victim of his displeasure feel that +he was no favourite. Towards Dick, he therefore maintained the most +offensive demeanour, and was constantly saying or doing something to +chafe the boy's feelings. This was borne as patiently as possible, for +he did not again wish to enter into a contention in which he must +inevitably get severely beaten. Skivers was not long in perceiving that +the way to punish Dick the most severely was to abuse his dog; and he, +therefore, commenced a systematic process of worrying Rover. This Dick +could illy bear. Every time his master would drive Rover from the yard, +or throw sticks or stones at him, the boy would make a new and more +bitter vow of retaliation in some form.</p> + +<p>One day, Rover and a large dog belonging to Skivers got into a fight +about something. Dick's interest in his dog brought him at once to the +scene of action. His master, seeing this, ordered him, in a harsh, +angry tone, to clear out and mind his own business. As he did so, he +took a large club, and commenced beating Rover in a most cruel manner. +Dick could not stand this. His blood was up to fever heat in an instant. +Seizing a long, heavy pole, used for turning and adjusting hides in the +vats, he sprang towards Skivers, and giving it a rapid sweep, brought it +with tremendous force against his head, knocking him into a vat +half-full of a strong infusion of astringent bark, to the bottom of +which he instantly sank.</p> + +<p>So incensed did the lad feel, that he made not the slightest attempt to +extricate his master from a situation in which death must have +inevitably ensued in a few minutes, but walked away to another part of +the yard. Two or three journeymen, however, who witnessed the whole +affair, were on the spot in a moment, and took out the body of Skivers. +He was completely insensible. There was the bloody mark of a large wound +on his head. A physician was immediately called, who bled him +profusely. This brought him back to consciousness. In a day or two he +was out again, and apparently as well as ever. In the mean time, both +Dick and his inseparable companion, Rover, had disappeared, and gone no +one knew whither. No effort was made to discover the place to which the +boy had fled, as every one was too much rejoiced that he had left the +village, to care about getting him back. About twelve months after, his +mother died—her gray hairs brought down to the grave in sorrow. Year +after year then passed away, and the memory of the lad was gradually +effaced from the minds of all, or retained only among the dim +recollections of the past.</p> + +<p>Mr. Acres, who had first placed temptation in the way of Dick Lawson, +continued to prosper in all external things, and to hold his position of +influence and respectability in the neighbourhood. He, perhaps, more +than others, thought about the lad in whom he had once felt a good deal +of pride and interest, as exhibiting a fair promise for the future. But +he never felt exactly easy in mind when he did think of him. Something +whispered that, perhaps, he had been to blame in encouraging his wild +habits. But, then, how could he have dreamed, he would argue, that the +boy had in him so strong a tendency to evil as the result had proved. He +had once been just as fond as Dick had shown himself to be of +bird's-nesting, dog-fighting, &c., but then, as soon as he had sown a +few wild oats, he sobered down into a steady and thrifty farmer of +regular habits. And he of course expected to see Dick Lawson do the +same.</p> + +<p>"And who knows but that he has?" he would sometimes say, in an effort at +self-consolation.</p> + +<p>It was some five or six years from the time Dick left the village, that +Mr. Acres was awakened one night from sleep by a dream that some one had +opened the door of the chamber where he slept. So distinct was the +impression on his mind that some one had entered, that he lay perfectly +still, with his eyes peering into the darkness around, in order to +detect the presence of any one, should the impression on his mind really +be true. He had lain thus, with every sense acutely active, for only a +moment or two, when a sound, as of a stealthy footstep, came +distinctly upon his ear, and at the same moment, a dark body seemed to +move before his eyes, as if crossing the room towards that part of it +where stood a large secretary, in which was usually contained +considerable sums of money.</p> + +<p>Mr. Acres was a brave man, but thus suddenly awakened from sleep to find +himself placed in such an emergency, made him tremble. He continued to +lie very still, straining his eyes upon the dark moving object intently, +until the figure of a man became perfectly distinct. The robber, for +such the intruder evidently was, had now reached the secretary, where he +stood for a few moments, quietly endeavouring to open it. Finding it +locked, he moved off, and passed around the room, feeling every chair +and table that came in his way. This Mr. Acres could now distinctly +perceive, as his eyes had become used to the feeble light reflected from +the starry sky without. At last his hands came in contact with a chair +upon which the farmer had laid his clothes on disrobing himself for bed. +These seemed to be the objects of his search, for he paused with a quick +eager movement, and commenced searching the ample pockets of a large +waistcoat. The slight jingle of the farmer's bunch of keys soon +explained the movement. Before the robber had fairly gotten back to the +secretary, Mr. Acres's courage had returned, and with it no small share +of indignation. He rose up silently, but, unfortunately, as his foot +touched the floor, it came in contact with a chair, which was thrown +over with a loud noise. Before he could reach a large cane, for which he +was making, a heavy blow from the robber laid him senseless.</p> + +<p>When again conscious, Mr. Acres found himself still in total darkness. +On attempting to move, there was an instant, almost intolerable pain in +his head, as if from a violent blow. On lifting his hand and placing it +upon the spot where the pain seemed most severe, it came in contact with +a cold, slimy mass of what he at once knew to be blood. His first effort +to rise was accompanied by a feeling of faintness, that caused him to +stretch himself again upon the floor, where he lay for some time +endeavouring to collect his scattered senses. After he had fully +comprehended the meaning of his alarming situation, he made another and +more successful effort to rise. Sitting up in the middle of the room, +and straining his eyes into the darkness, he began to see more and more +distinctly each moment. He was soon satisfied that he was alone. It did +not take long after this to arouse the whole house. An examination +resulted in ascertaining the fact that his secretary had been robbed of +five hundred dollars in gold.</p> + +<p>By daylight, the whole neighbourhood was aroused, and some twenty or +thirty men were in hot pursuit of the robber, who was arrested about +twenty miles away from the village and brought back. The money taken +from the secretary of Mr. Acres, was found upon his person, and fully +identified. The man proved to be quite young, seeming to have passed but +recently beyond the limit of minority. But even young as he was, there +was a look of cruel and hardened villany about him, and an expression of +settled defiance of all consequences. He gave his name as Frederick +Hildich. A brief examination resulted in his committal to await the +result of a trial for burglary at the next court.</p> + +<p>The day of trial at length came. The action of the court was brief, as +no defence was set up, and the proof of the crime clear and to the +point. During the progress of the trial, the prisoner seemed to take +little interest in what was going on around him, but sat in the bar, +with his head down, seemingly lost in deep abstraction of mind. At the +conclusion of the proceedings, when the court asked what he had to say +why the sentence of the law should not be pronounced upon him, the +prisoner slowly arose to his feet, lifted his head, glanced calmly +around for a few moments, until his eyes rested upon Mr. Acres, whom he +regarded for some time with a fixed, penetrating, and meaning look. +Then, turning to the Bench, he said in a firm, distinct voice:</p> + +<p>"<span class="sc">Your Honour</span>—Although I have nothing to urge against the execution of +the laws by which I am condemned, I would yet crave the privilege of +making a few remarks, which may, perhaps, be useful. The principal +witness against me is Mr. Acres,—and upon his testimony, mainly, so far +as positive proof goes, I am convicted of a crime, the commission of +which I have no particular reason for wishing to deny. But, if I have +wronged him, how far more deeply has he wronged me. If I have robbed him +of a few paltry dollars, he has robbed me of that which he can never +restore, either here or hereafter. In a word, your honour, I stand here, +in the presence of this court, and the people of this town, and charge +upon that man (pointing to Acres) the cause of my present condition. My +real name is Richard Lawson!"</p> + +<p>As he said this, the prisoner's voice failed him, and he paused for a +few moments, overcome with emotion. A universal exclamation of surprise +passed through the court-room, and there was scarcely an individual +present who did not wonder why he had not discovered this fact for +himself long before. For, sure enough, it was Dick Lawson, and no one +else, who stood there humbled under the iron hand of the law. As for Mr. +Acres, he became instantly pale and agitated—and when the prisoner +again looked up and fixed his eyes upon him, his own fell to the floor, +as if he were conscience-stricken.</p> + +<p>"To that man," resumed the individual, at the bar, pointing steadily +toward the farmer, "as I just said, am I indebted for my ruin. A wild, +but innocent boy, he first led me into conscious wrong, by tempting me +with money to rob a bird's nest. The young mocking-bird was procured for +him, but at the expense of a violated conscience; for a voice within me +spoke loudly against the act of cruelty about to be practised upon the +mother-bird and her young. But I stifled that inward monitor, and +stilled the voice that urged me to depart not from the path of +innocence. I saw that the act was a cruel one, and felt that it was a +cruel one—but to be asked to do even a wrong act by a man to whom I +looked up, as I then did to Mr. Acres, was to rob the wrong act of more +than half of its apparent evil—and so I performed the cruel deed, small +as it was, deliberately. From the moment I took the young bird in my +hand, all my scruples were gone, and after that it was one of my +greatest pleasures to rob birds' nests, and to kill the older birds with +stones. My dog Rover, who is no doubt as well remembered as myself, was +given me by Mr. Acres, and I was, moreover, encouraged by that +individual to make Rover fight, and to fight myself, whenever it came +in the way. Had he discouraged this in me; had he told me that fighting +was wrong, his precept for good would have been as powerful as his +precept for evil. He was kind to me, and had gained my entire +confidence, and could have made almost any thing of me. My cruel, +tyrannizing temper, thus encouraged, grew rapidly, until at last I took +no delight in any good. Finally expelled from the Sabbath-school, and +persecuted for my ill-behaviour and annoyance of almost every one, I +became reckless, and finally left this neighbourhood. Five or six years +of evil brought me at last into a strait. I could not gain even a common +livelihood. I must starve or beg. In this state I thought of my +corrupter—of the man who had been the cause of my wretchedness, and I +resolved that he should, at least, pay some small penalty for what he +had done. In a word, I resolved to rob him—and did so. And now I stand +here to await the sentence of the law for this crime."</p> + +<p>The prisoner then suffered his head to fall upon his bosom, and sank +slowly into the seat from which he had arisen. A profound and oppressive +silence reigned through the court-room, broken at last by the judge, who +said—</p> + +<p>"Richard Lawson, <i>alias</i> Frederick Hildich, stand up, and receive the +sentence of the law."</p> + +<p>The prisoner arose, and looked the judge steadily in the face, while a +sentence of imprisonment in the penitentiary for three years was +pronounced upon him in a voice of assumed sternness.</p> + +<p>When the unfortunate man was removed by an officer, the crowd slowly +withdrew, conversing in low, subdued voices, and Mr. Acres turned his +step homeward, the unhappiest man of all who had stood that day in the +presence of offended justice.</p> + +<p>And here we must leave the parties most concerned in the events of our +brief story—Richard Lawson to fill up the term of his imprisonment in +the penitentiary; and Mr. Acres to muse, in painful abstraction, over +the ruin his thoughtlessness had wrought—the ruin of an immortal +soul—the corruption of a fellow creature, born to become an angel of +heaven, but changed by his agency into a fit subject for the abodes of +evil spirits in hell.</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="ENJOYMENT"></a>THE MEANS OF ENJOYMENT.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword"><span class="sc">One</span> of the most successful merchants of his day was Mr. Alexander. In +trade he had amassed a large fortune, and now, in the sixtieth year of +his age, he concluded that it was time to cease getting and begin the +work of enjoying. Wealth had always been regarded by him as a means of +happiness; but, so fully had his mind been occupied in business, that, +until the present time, he had never felt himself at leisure to make a +right use of the means in his hands.</p> + +<p>So Mr. Alexander retired from business in favour of his son and +son-in-law. And now was to come the reward of his long years of labour. +Now were to come repose, enjoyment, and the calm delights of which he +had so often dreamed. But it so happened, that the current of thought +and affection which had flowed on so long and steadily, was little +disposed to widen into a placid lake. The retired merchant must yet have +some occupation. His had been a life of purposes, and plans for their +accomplishment: and he could not change the nature of this life. His +heart was still the seat of desire, and his thought obeyed, +instinctively, the heart's affection.</p> + +<p>So Mr. Alexander used a portion of his wealth in various ways, in order +to satisfy the ever-active desire of his heart for something beyond what +he had in possession. But, it so happened, that the moment an end was +gained—the moment the bright ideal became a fixed and present fact, its +power to delight the mind was gone.</p> + +<p>Mr. Alexander had some taste for the arts. Many fine pictures already +hung upon his walls. Knowing this, a certain picture-broker threw +himself in his way, and, by adroit management and skilful flattery, +succeeded in turning the pent-up and struggling current of the old +gentleman's feelings and thoughts in this direction. The picture-dealer +soon found that he had opened a new and profitable mine. Mr. Alexander +had only to see a fine work of art to desire its possession; and to +desire was to have. It was not long before his house was a gallery of +pictures.</p> + +<p>Was he any happier? Did these pictures afford him a pure and perennial +source of enjoyment? No; for, in reality, Mr. Alexander's taste for the +arts was not a passion of his mind. He did not love the beautiful for +its own sake. The delight he experienced when he looked upon a fine +painting was mainly the desire of possession; and satiety soon followed +possession.</p> + +<p>One morning Mr. Alexander repaired alone to his library, where, on the +day before, had been placed a new painting, recently imported by his +friend the picture-dealer. It was exquisite as a work of art, and the +biddings for it had been high. But he succeeded in securing it for the +sum of two thousand dollars. Before he was certain of getting this +picture, Mr. Alexander would linger before it, and study out its +beauties with a delighted appreciation. Nothing in his collection was +deemed comparable therewith. Strangely enough, after it was hung upon +the walls of his library, he did not stand before it for as long a +space as five minutes; and then his thoughts were not upon its beauties. +During the evening that followed, the mind of Mr. Alexander was less in +repose than usual. After having completed his purchase of the picture, +he had overheard two persons, who were considered good judges of art, +speaking of its defects, which were minutely indicated. They likewise +gave it as their opinion that the painting was not worth a thousand +dollars. This was throwing cold water on his enthusiasm. It seemed as if +a <a name="vail">veil</a> had suddenly been drawn from before his eyes. Now, with a clearer +vision, he could see faults, where before every defect was thrown into +shadow by an all-obscuring beauty.</p> + +<p>On the next morning, as we have said, Mr. Alexander entered his +library, to take another look at his purchase. He did not feel very +happy. Many thousands of dollars had he spent in order to secure the +means of self-gratification; but the end was not yet gained.</p> + +<p>A glance at the new picture sufficed, and then Mr. Alexander turned from +it with an involuntary sigh. Was it to look at other pictures? No. He +crossed his hands behind him, bent his eyes upon the floor, and, for the +period of half an hour, walked slowly backwards and forwards in his +library. There was a pressure on his feelings—he knew not why; a sense +of disappointment and dissatisfaction.</p> + +<p>No purpose was in the mind of Mr. Alexander when he turned from his +library, and, drawing on his overcoat, passed forth to the street. It +was a bleak winter morning, and the muffled passengers hurried shivering +on their way.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 386px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="386" height="450" alt=""OH! I WISH I HAD A DOLLAR.""> +<span class="caption">"OH! I WISH I HAD A DOLLAR."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Oh! I wish I had a dollar."</p> + +<p>These words, in the voice of a child, and spoken with impressive +earnestness, fell suddenly upon the ears of Mr. Alexander, as he moved +along the pavement. Something in the tone reached the old man's +feelings, and he partly turned himself to look at the speaker. She was a +little girl, not over eleven years of age, and in company with a lad +some year or two older. Both were coarsely clad.</p> + +<p>"What would you do with a dollar, sis?" replied the boy.</p> + +<p>"I'd buy brother William a pair of nice gloves, and a comforter, and a +pair of rubber shoes. That's what I'd do with it. He has to go away so +early, in the cold, every morning; and he's 'most perished, I know, +sometimes. Last night his feet were soaking with wet. His shoes are not +good; and mother says she hasn't money to buy him a new pair just now. +Oh, I wish I had a dollar!"</p> + +<p>Instinctively Mr. Alexander's hand was in his pocket, and a moment +after, a round, bright silver dollar glittered in that of the girl.</p> + +<p>But little farther did Mr. Alexander extend his walk. As if by magic, +the hue of his feelings had changed. The pressure on his heart was gone, +and its fuller pulses sent the blood bounding and frolicking along every +expanding artery. He thought not of pictures nor possessions. All else +was obscured by the bright face of the child, as she lifted to his her +innocent eyes, brimming with grateful tears.</p> + +<p>One dollar spent unselfishly brought more real pleasure than thousands +parted with in the pursuit of merely selfish gratification. And the +pleasure did not fade with the hour, nor the day. That one truly +benevolent act, impulsive as it had been, touched a sealed spring of +enjoyment, and the waters that gushed instantly forth continued to flow +unceasingly.</p> + +<p>Homeward the old man returned, and again he entered his library. Choice +works of art were all around him, purchased as a means of enjoyment. +They had cost thousands,—yet did not afford him a tithe of the pleasure +he had secured by the expenditure of a single dollar. He could turn from +them with a feeling of satiety; not so from the image of the happy child +whose earnestly expressed wish he had gratified.</p> + +<p>And not alone on the pleasure of the child did the thoughts of Mr. +Alexander linger. There came before his imagination another picture. He +saw a poorly furnished room, in which were an humble, toiling widow, and +her children. It is keen and frosty without; and her eldest boy has just +come home from his work, shivering with cold. While he is warming +himself by the fire, his little sister presents him with the comforter, +the thick gloves, and the overshoes, which his benevolence had enabled +her to buy. What surprise and pleasure beam in the lad's face! How +happy looks the sister! How full of a subdued and thankful pleasure is +the mother's countenance!</p> + +<p>And for weeks and months did Mr. Alexander gaze, at times, upon this +picture, and always with a warmth and lightness of heart unfelt when +other images arose in his mind and obscured it.</p> + +<p>And for a single dollar was all this obtained, while thousands and +thousands were spent in the fruitless effort to buy happiness.</p> + +<p>Strange as it may seem, Mr. Alexander did not profit by this +lesson—grew no wiser by this experience. The love of self was too +strong for him to seek the good of others—to bless both himself and +his fellows by a wise and generous use of the ample means which +Providence had given into his hands. He still buys pictures and works of +art, but the picture in his imagination, which cost but a single dollar, +is gazed at with a far purer and higher pleasure than he receives from +his entire gallery of paintings and statues.</p> + +<p>If Mr. Alexander will not drink from the sweet spring of true delight +that has gushed forth at his feet, and in whose clear waters the sun of +heavenly love is mirrored, we hoped that others, wiser than he, will +bend to its overflowing brim, and take of its treasures freely. Some one +has beautifully said—"We only possess what we have bestowed." Something +of the meaning of this will be understood by such of our young readers +as have perused this story thoughtfully. Benevolent actions ever bring +their own reward. Far more happiness is gained in seeking to bless +others, than ever comes from efforts to secure merely our own good. God, +who is infinitely good and wise, and from whom comes all true happiness, +is ever seeking to bless others. If we would truly enjoy life, we must +be like Him.</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="JUDGMENT"></a>MAN'S JUDGMENT.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword">"<span class="sc">I wouldn't</span> give much for his chance of heaven!" was the remark of a +man, whose coarse, well-worn garments contrasted strongly with the dark, +rich broadcloth of the person to whom he referred. In the tones of the +individual who uttered this sentence was a clearly apparent satisfaction +at the thought of his rich neighbour's doubtful chance of admission into +heaven. It was on the Sabbath, and both had just passed forth from the +sacred edifice, to which each had that morning gone up for the avowed +object of worship.</p> + +<p>"Why do you say that?" asked the friend to whom the remark was +addressed.</p> + +<p>"You know the Scriptures," was the confident answer. "'How hardly shall +they who have riches enter the kingdom of heaven.'"</p> + +<p>"You believe, then, that the mere fact of possessing riches will keep a +man out of heaven?"</p> + +<p>"No; I wouldn't just like to say that. But, riches harden the heart, and +make men unfit for heaven."</p> + +<p>"I doubt if riches harden the heart more than poverty," was replied.</p> + +<p>"How can you say so?" was warmly objected. "Isn't the promise everywhere +to the poor? To whom was the gospel sent?"</p> + +<p>"The rich and poor spoken of in the word of God," said the friend, "do +not, it is plain, mean simply those in the world who possess natural +riches, or who are in natural poverty. Remember, that the Bible is a +revelation of heavenly truth, for man's eternal salvation; and that its +teachings must have primary regard to what is spiritual, and refer to +man's internal state rather than to his mere worldly condition. +Remember, that the Lord, while on earth, said, <i>Blessed are the poor in +spirit</i>, (not the poor in this world's goods,) <i>for theirs is the +kingdom of heaven</i>. And we may, without violence to even the letter of +the word, conclude that when He speaks of its being hard for the rich +to enter the kingdom of heaven, that only the proud in spirit, those who +rested self-confident on the riches of their worldly and natural wisdom, +were meant. That it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of +a needle than for such rich men to enter heaven, is plain from our +Lord's words when he set a child in the midst of his disciples, and told +them that, unless they became as that little child, they could not enter +the kingdom of heaven. Not externally and naturally as that child, for +that was impossible; but poor in spirit, teachable, and innocent as a +child."</p> + +<p>The first speaker, whose name was Maxwell, tossed his head, and slightly +curled his lip as he replied—</p> + +<p>"I believe just what the Bible says. As for your forced meanings, I +never go to them. A plain matter-of-fact man, I understand what is +written in a plain, matter-of-fact way. The Bible says that they who +have riches shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven. And I can see how +true the saying is. As for Clinton, of whom I spoke just now, I repeat +that I wouldn't give much for his chance. It is well that there is a +just God in heaven, and that there will come a day of retribution. The +Diveses have their good things in this life; but our turn will come +afterwards. We sha'n't be always poor. Lazarus went, a beggar, from the +rich man's door, and was received into Abraham's bosom."</p> + +<p>"What has made you so bitter against Clinton, just now?" inquired the +friend.</p> + +<p>"I'm not bitter against him in particular—I speak of rich men as a +class. They are all selfish, unfeeling, and oppressive. Look at the +good Clinton might do, as a steward of God's bounty, if he chose. He +might make our wilderness blossom as the rose. But settlement-day will +come, ere long, and then a sorry account of his stewardship will he have +to render."</p> + +<p>"How do you know that the account will not be approved in heaven?" was +asked in a quiet voice.</p> + +<p>"Approved? How do I know?" ejaculated Maxwell, impatiently. "Any man +can see that he is an unfaithful, hard-hearted, and oppressive steward."</p> + +<p>"Has he oppressed you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I was not aware of that. I didn't know that you had any claims upon +him as an almoner of heaven."</p> + +<p>"My claims are those of common humanity. But you shall know all, and +judge for yourself. I am a poor man"——</p> + +<p>"Well"——</p> + +<p>"With a wife and four children, whom I love as tenderly as Clinton, or +any other purse-proud oppressor of the poor can possibly love his wife +and children. They are dependent for daily bread upon my daily labour. +With the sweat of my brow, I keep hunger from my door, and cold from +entering therein."</p> + +<p>"An independent man," said the other.</p> + +<p>"Yes, an independent man; as independent as any nabob in the land."</p> + +<p>"Do let the nabobs alone," was smilingly answered to this. "If you are +independent, why care for them? Why permit yourself to be fretted +because others are blessed by Providence with a greater abundance of +worldly goods? There is danger, in this thing, of going beyond the +nabobs, and arraigning the wisdom of Him who setteth up whom he will, +and whose bounty feeds even the young ravens. So go on with your story. +What is the crime that Mr. Clinton has committed against you and +humanity?"</p> + +<p>"I am a poor man, as I said."</p> + +<p>"I know you are; a hard-working, industrious, but poor man."</p> + +<p>"And as such, entitled to some consideration."</p> + +<p>"Entitled to a fair return for your labour, in all cases."</p> + +<p>"Of course I am; and to some favour, in the distribution of employment, +when I present equal capacity with those who are less needy than +myself."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that?"</p> + +<p>"A plain story makes all plain. Well: you are aware that Mr. Clinton is +about building a new dam for his mills?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"And that he asked for proposals?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I tried to get the contract."</p> + +<p>"You!" There was more surprise in this ejaculation than the friend had +meant to convey.</p> + +<p>"Certainly! Why not?" was petulantly remarked.</p> + +<p>"Of course you had a perfect right to do so?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I had; and of course my bid, though the lowest, was thrown +out, and the bid of Jackson, who manages to monopolize every thing in +the village, taken. He and Clinton are leagued together, and the offer +for proposals was only a sham."</p> + +<p>"That's assuming a good deal, friend Maxwell."</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't. It's the truth, and nothing else but the truth. He's the +jackal, and Clinton's the lion."</p> + +<p>"You speak without reflection," said the friend, mildly.</p> + +<p>"I'm not blind. I see how things are worked."</p> + +<p>"You say your bid was lower than Jackson's? How do you know this? I +thought his bid was not publicly known."</p> + +<p>"I knew it; and, in fact, knew what it was to be before I sent in my +proposals, and was, therefore, able to go below it. The truth is, I +managed, between you and I, to find out just what every man was going +to bid, and then struck a mark below them all, to make sure of the job. +I wanted a chance, and was determined to have it at all hazards."</p> + +<p>"I hardly think your mode of procedure was fair," said the friend; "but +waiving that, could you have made any thing by the job, at your +bidding?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I'd have made something—more, a good deal, than I can make by +day's work. The fact is, I set my heart on that job as a stepping stone +to contract work; and am bitterly disappointed at its loss. Much good +may it do both Jackson and Clinton. I shouldn't be much sorry to see the +new dam swept away by the next freshet."</p> + +<p>"Why, Maxwell! This is not the spirit of a Christian man. Envy, +malice—these are what the Bible condemns in the plainest terms; and for +these sins, the poor have quite as much to answer for as the rich—and +perhaps more. If you go from church on the Sabbath with no better +thoughts than these, I fear you are quite as far from the Kingdom of +Heaven as you have supposed Mr. Clinton to be."</p> + +<p>"Good day," said Maxwell, turning off abruptly from his friend, and +taking a path that led by a nearer course than the one in which they +were walking, to his home.</p> + +<p>A few weeks later, the person with whom Maxwell thus conversed, had +occasion to transact some business with Mr. Clinton. He had rendered him +a bill for work done, and called to receive payment.</p> + +<p>"You've made a mistake in your bill, Mr. Lee," said Clinton.</p> + +<p>"Ah? Are you certain?"</p> + +<p>"You can examine for yourself. I find an error of twenty dollars in the +additions."</p> + +<p>"Then you only owe me sixty dollars?" said Lee, with a disappointment in +his tones that he could not conceal.</p> + +<p>"Rather say that I owe you a hundred, for the mistake is in your favour. +The first column in the bill adds up fifty, instead of thirty dollars."</p> + +<p>"Let me examine it." Lee took the bill, and added up the column three +times before he felt entirely satisfied. Then he said,</p> + +<p>"So it does! Well, I should never have been the wiser if you had only +paid me the eighty dollars called for by the bill. You might have +retained your advantage with perfect safety."</p> + +<p>Lee said this on the impulse of the moment. He instantly saw a change in +Mr. Clinton's countenance, as if he were slightly offended.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no; not with safety," was gravely replied.</p> + +<p>"I never should have found it out."</p> + +<p>"But there is coming a day, with every man, when the secrets of his +heart will stand revealed. If not now, it would then appear that I had +wronged you out of twenty dollars."</p> + +<p>"True! true! But all men don't think of this."</p> + +<p>"No one is more fully aware of that than I am. It is for me, however, to +live in the present so as not to burden my future with shame and +repentance. Knowingly, Mr. Lee, I would not wrong any man out of a +single dollar. I may err, and do err, like other men; for, to err is +human."</p> + +<p>After the expression of such sentiments, Lee felt curious to know what +Mr. Clinton thought of, and how he felt towards Maxwell. So he said, +after referring to the new mill-dam in the process of erection—</p> + +<p>"You didn't take the lowest bid for its construction."</p> + +<p>"I took the lowest competent bid."</p> + +<p>"Then you do not think Maxwell competent to do the work?"</p> + +<p>"I do not think him a man to be trusted, and, therefore, would not have +given him the contract for such a piece of work at any price. You are +aware that the giving way of that dam would almost inevitably involve a +serious loss of life and property among the poor people who live along +the course of the stream below. I must regard their safety before any +pecuniary advantage to myself; and have given Mr. Jackson, who has the +contract, positive instructions to exceed his estimates, if necessary, +in order to put the question of safety beyond a doubt. I know him to be +a man whom I can trust. But I have no confidence in Maxwell."</p> + +<p>"A good reason why you declined giving him the job."</p> + +<p>"I think so."</p> + +<p>"Maxwell was greatly disappointed."</p> + +<p>"I know he has spoken very hard against me. But that avails nothing. My +principle of action is to do right, and let others think and say what +they please. No man is my judge. Maxwell is not, probably, aware that I +know him thoroughly, and that I have thrown as much in his way as I +could safely do. He is not, of course, aware, that one of my sons +overheard him, in reference to this very mill-dam, say—'I'm bound to +have that contract whether or no. I have learned the lowest bid, and +have put in a bid still lower.' 'How did you learn this?' was asked of +him. 'No matter,' he answered, 'I have learned it.' 'You can't go lower +and build the dam safely,' was said. To which he replied—'I can build +the dam, and make a good profit. As to the safety, I'll leave that in +the hands of Providence. He'll take care of the poor people below.' Mr. +Lee! I felt an inward shudder when this was repeated to me. I could not +have believed the man so void of common honesty and common humanity. Was +I not right to withhold from him such a contract?"</p> + +<p>"You would have been no better than Maxwell, if you had given it to +him," was answered. "And yet, this same man speaks against the rich, and +thinks their chance of heaven a poor one."</p> + +<p>"Simply because they are rich."</p> + +<p>"Or, it might with more truth be said, because they will not yield to +his covetous and envious spirit. He is not content with the equivalent +society renders back to him for the benefit he confers, but wants to +share what of right belongs to others."</p> + +<p>"That spirit I have often seen him manifest," was replied. "Well, if +simple riches are a bar to man's entrance into heaven, how much more so +are discontent, envy, malice, hatred, and a selfish disregard for the +rights and well-being of others. The rich have their temptations, and so +have the poor, and neither will enter heaven, unless they overcome in +temptation, and receive a purified love of their neighbour. This at +least is my doctrine."</p> + +<p>"Of the two, I would rather take Clinton's chance of heaven," said Lee +to himself, as he went musing away, "even if he is a rich man."</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="FIVE_DOLLARS"></a>WHAT FIVE DOLLARS PAID.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword"><span class="sc">Mr. Herriot</span> was sitting in his office, one day, when a lad entered, and +handed him a small slip of paper. It was a bill for five dollars, due to +his shoemaker, a poor man who lived in the next square.</p> + +<p>"Tell Mr. Grant that I will settle this soon. It isn't just convenient +to-day."</p> + +<p>The boy retired.</p> + +<p>Now, Mr. Herriot had a five-dollar bill in his pocket; but, he felt as +if he couldn't part with it. He didn't like to be entirely out of money. +So, acting from this impulse, he had sent the boy away. Very still sat +Mr. Herriot for the next five minutes; yet his thoughts were busy. He +was not altogether satisfied with himself. The shoemaker was a poor man, +and needed his money as soon as earned—he was not unadvised of this +fact.</p> + +<p>"I wish I had sent him the five dollars," said Mr. Herriot, at length, +half-audibly. "He wants it worse than I do."</p> + +<p>He mused still further.</p> + +<p>"The fact is," he at length exclaimed, starting up, "it is Grant's +money, and not mine; and what is more, he shall have it."</p> + +<p>So saying, Herriot took up his hat and left his office.</p> + +<p>"Did you get the money, Charles," said Grant, as his boy entered the +shop. There was a good deal of earnestness in the shoemaker's tones.</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied the lad.</p> + +<p>"Didn't get the money!"</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"Wasn't Mr. Herriot in?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; but he said it wasn't convenient to-day."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! I'm sorry!" came from the shoemaker, in a depressed voice.</p> + +<p>A woman was sitting in Grant's shop when the boy came in; she had now +risen, and was leaning on the counter; a look of disappointment was in +her face.</p> + +<p>"It can't be helped, Mrs. Lee," said Grant. "I was sure of getting the +money from him. He never disappointed me before. Call in to-morrow, and +I will try and have it for you."</p> + +<p>The woman looked troubled as well as disappointed. Slowly she turned +away and left the shop. A few minutes after her departure, Herriot came +in, and, after some words of apology, paid the bill.</p> + +<p>"Run and get this note changed into silver for me," said the shoemaker +to his boy, the moment his customer had departed.</p> + +<p>"Now," said he, so soon as the silver was placed in his hands, "take two +dollars to Mrs. Lee, and three to Mr. Weaver across the street. Tell Mr. +Weaver that I am obliged to him for having loaned me the money this +morning, and sorry that I hadn't as much in the house when he sent for +it an hour ago."</p> + +<p>"I wish I had it, Mrs. Elder. But, I assure you that I have not," said +Mr. Weaver, the tailor. "I paid out the last dollar just before you came +in. But call in to-morrow, and you shall have the money to a certainty."</p> + +<p>"But what I am to do to-day? I haven't a cent to bless myself with; and +I owe so much at the grocer's, where I deal, that he won't trust me for +any thing more."</p> + +<p>The tailor looked troubled, and the woman lingered. Just at this moment +the shoemaker's boy entered.</p> + +<p>"Here are the three dollars Mr. Grant borrowed of you this morning," +said the lad. "He says he's sorry he hadn't the money when you sent for +it awhile ago."</p> + +<p>How the faces of the tailor and his needlewoman brightened instantly, as +if a gleam of sunshine had penetrated the room.</p> + +<p>"Here is just the money I owe you," said the former, in a cheerful +voice, and he handed the woman the three dollars he had received. A +moment after and he was alone, but with the glad face of the poor woman, +whose need he had been able to supply, distinct before him.</p> + +<p>Of the three dollars received by the needlewoman two went to the grocer, +on account of her debt to him, half a dollar was paid to an old and +needy coloured woman who had earned it by scrubbing, and who was waiting +for Mrs. Weaver's return from the tailor's to get her due, and thus be +able to provide an evening's and a morning's meal for herself and +children. The other half-dollar was paid to the baker when he called +towards evening to leave the accustomed loaf. Thus the poor needlewoman +had been able to discharge four debts, and, at the same time +re-establish her credit with the grocer and baker, from whom came the +largest portion of the food consumed in her little family.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 389px;"> +<img src="images/004.png" width="389" height="450" alt="ANOTHER DEBT PAID."> +<span class="caption">ANOTHER DEBT PAID.</span> +</div> + +<p>And now let us follow Mrs. Lee. On her arrival at home empty-handed, +from her visit to the shoemaker, who owed her two dollars for work, she +found a young girl, in whose pale face were many marks of suffering and +care, awaiting her return.</p> + +<p>The girl's countenance brightened as she came in; but there was no +answering brightness in the countenance of Mrs. Lee, who immediately +said—</p> + +<p>"I'm very sorry, Harriet, but Mr. Grant put me off until to-morrow. He +said he hadn't a dollar in the house."</p> + +<p>The girl's disappointment was very great, for the smile she had forced +into life instantly faded, and was succeeded by a look of deep distress.</p> + +<p>"Do you want the money very badly?" asked Mrs. Lee, in a low, +half-choked voice, for the sudden change in the girl's manner had +affected her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, ma'am, very badly. I left Mary wrapped up in my thick shawl, +and a blanket wound all around her feet to keep them warm; but she was +coughing dreadfully from the cold air of the room."</p> + +<p>"Haven't you a fire?" asked Mrs. Lee, in a quick, surprised tone.</p> + +<p>"We have no coal. It was to buy coal that I wanted the money."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lee struck her hands together, and an expression of pain was about +passing her lips, when the door of the room opened, and the shoemaker's +boy came in.</p> + +<p>"Here are two dollars. Mr. Grant sent them."</p> + +<p>"God bless Mr. Grant!" The exclamation from Mrs. Lee was involuntary.</p> + +<p>On the part of Harriet, to whom one dollar was due, a gush of silent +tears marked the effect this timely supply of money produced. She +received her portion, and, without trusting her voice with words, +hurried away to supply the pressing want at home.</p> + +<p>A few doors from the residence of Mrs. Lee lived a man who, some months +before, had become involved in trouble with an evil-disposed person, and +been forced to defend himself by means of the law. He had employed Mr. +Herriot to do what was requisite in the case, for which service the +charge was five dollars. The bill had been rendered a few days before, +and the man, who was poor, felt very anxious to pay it. He had the money +all made up to within a dollar. That dollar Mrs. Lee owed him, and she +had promised to give it to him during this day. For hours he had waited, +expecting her to come in; but now had nearly given her up. There was +another little bill of three dollars which had been sent in to him, and +he had just concluded to go and pay that, when Mrs. Lee called with the +balance of the money, one dollar, which she had received from the +shoemaker, Grant.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later, and the pocket-book of Mr. Herriot was no longer +empty. His client had called and paid his bill. The five dollars had +come back to him.</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="TOTHER"></a>LOOK AT T'OTHER SIDE.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword">"<span class="sc">I don't</span> like Mr. Monto at all," said Mr. Jones.</p> + +<p>"Nor I," replied Mrs. Mayberry.</p> + +<p>"Take him for better or worse," added Mr. Lee, "and I think he is the +strangest and most inconsistent man I ever saw."</p> + +<p>"Inconsistent!" resumed Mr. Jones. "He is worse than inconsistent. +Inconsistencies may be pardoned, as constitutional defects and +peculiarities of character. But he is worse than inconsistent, as I +said."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that he is," chimed in Mrs. Mayberry. "What do you think I heard +of him last week?"</p> + +<p>"What?" said Mr. Jones.</p> + +<p>"Yes, what did you hear?" asked Mrs. Lee.</p> + +<p>"You know Mr. Barker?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"There isn't a more gentlemanly man living than Mr. Barker."</p> + +<p>"Well, what of him?"</p> + +<p>"He was in Mr. Monto's store one day last week, and happened to say +something the little man did not like, when he fired up and insulted him +most grossly."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Mr. Barker told me himself. He said he was never more hurt in his +life."</p> + +<p>"He left the store, of course."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. He turned on his heel and walked out, and says he will never +darken the door of Monto's store again."</p> + +<p>"It is too bad, this habit of insulting people which Monto has. I know +several persons who are hot as fire against him."</p> + +<p>"If there were nothing worse about him than that," said Mr. Jones, "I +would be glad. His conduct towards the young man he raised was +unpardonable."</p> + +<p>"What was that? I never heard about it," remarked Mr. Lee.</p> + +<p>"He had a young man whom he had raised from a lad, and who, it is said, +was always faithful to his interests. Toward the last he became wild, +having fallen into bad company. If Monto had been patient and forbearing +toward him, the young man might have been reclaimed from his error; but +his irascibility and impatience with every thing that did not go by +square and rule, caused him to deal harshly with faults that needed a +milder corrective. The young man, of course, grew worse. At last he got +himself into a difficulty, and was arrested. Bail was demanded for his +appearance to stand a trial for misconduct and breach of law. Monto was +sent for to go his bail; but he heartlessly refused, and the poor fellow +was thrown into prison, where he lay four months, and was then, after a +trial, dismissed with a reprimand from the court. Feeling himself +disgraced by confinement in a jail, he enlisted in the army as soon as +he got free, and has gone off to the Indian country in the West. Isn't +it melancholy? The ruin of that young man lies at Monto's door. His +blood is on the skirts of his garments!"</p> + +<p>"Dreadful to think of! Isn't it?" said Mrs. Mayberry. "Just imagine my +son or your son thus cruelly dealt by! A fiend in human shape couldn't +have done more!"</p> + +<p>"It'll come back upon him one of these days. I believe in retribution. +No man can do such things with impunity," added Mr. Lee. "Mark my words +for it—Monto will repent of this, as well as a good many other acts of +his life, before he dies."</p> + +<p>"He's the meanest man I ever saw," said Mr. Jones. "I don't believe he +ever gave a dollar for charitable purposes in his life."</p> + +<p>"You may possibly err, there," remarked a fourth in the company, who had +not before spoken.</p> + +<p>"I should like to see the man, Mr. Berry, who can point to a benevolent +act of Monto's," returned Mr. Jones in a decided voice.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," said Mr. Berry, "if we were as willing to look at the other +side of men's characters, we should not entertain the poor opinion of +them we do. If we were to look as closely at the good as we do at the +bad, we might find, perhaps, as much to praise as we do to blame. When I +was a boy, I had a penny given to me, and was about buying a large, +seemingly fine apple, when my brother said in a warning voice, 'Look at +t'other side.' I did look, and found it rotten. When I became a man, I +remembered the lesson, and determined that I would not be deceived by +fair appearances of character, but would be careful to look at t'other +side for blemishes. I saw enough of these, even in the best, to sicken +me with mankind. A few years passed, and I was glad to change my habit +of observation. I began to look at the other and brighter side. The +result surprised and pleased me. I found more good in men than I had +supposed. Even in the worst there were some redeeming qualities."</p> + +<p>"You will find few in Monto," said Mr. Lee.</p> + +<p>"Do you see that man on the other side of the street?" asked Mr. Berry.</p> + +<p>"Who? Miller?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; that's the one I mean. I'll call him over, if you have no +objection, and ask him a question or two. I think he can say something +bearing on the subject of our present discourse."</p> + +<p>The man was called, and he came over and entered the store of Mr. Jones, +where the conversation happened to occur.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Miller! How are you to-day?" said Mr. Berry.</p> + +<p>"Good morning! You've quite a party here. All friends, I see."</p> + +<p>"We seem to have met by one of those happy accidents that sometimes +occur. How are you getting along now, Miller? You've been through some +pretty tight places, I believe."</p> + +<p>"Yes; and, thanks to a good Providence! I am through them with a whole +skin."</p> + +<p>"Cause for congratulation, certainly. We meet with some hard rubs in our +journey through life."</p> + +<p>"Indeed we do. Adverse circumstances try us severely, and try our +friends also. It has been so in my case. I thought I had a good many +friends, until trouble came; but, as you know, there were few to stand +by me when I most needed support."</p> + +<p>"But you met with friends?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, friends in need, who are friends indeed."</p> + +<p>"And they were among those who had made no professions, and upon whom +you did not feel that you had any claims?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly so. This was particularly the case in one instance. Through +losses, mistakes, and from errors on account of which I do not attempt +to excuse myself, my business became embarrassed. What little real +estate I had was thrown into market and sacrificed, but this did not +meet my necessities. In the hope of weathering the storm, I removed from +the handsome store I occupied into one at half the rent, reduced all +expenses both in my business and family, but still I was not able, +without the most untiring exertions, to meet my payments. More than half +my time I was on the street, engaged in temporary expedients to raise +money. I was harassed to death, and in daily dread of failure. In this +unhappy posture of my affairs, I tried to get some permanent assistance +from friends who were able enough to afford it, and who knew me well. +But they were all afraid to risk any thing.</p> + +<p>"One day I had been out from nine o'clock until two, using my best +efforts to obtain sufficient money to meet my notes. I had a thousand +dollars to pay, and could only thus far raise five hundred. Everywhere +that I could think of going I went, but no one would help me through my +difficulty. Dispirited and alarmed at the perilous position of my +affairs, I returned to my store, in order to sit down and reflect for a +few minutes. I thought over all my business acquaintance, but there were +none upon whom I had not already called, that I felt free to ask for the +loan of money. Things seemed desperate. Something must be done, or I +would be ruined. Already the finger of time was past the mark of two. In +less than an hour my paper would be dishonoured, unless I could in some +way command the sum of five hundred dollars. I thought, and thought, +until I felt stupid. At last a man whom I had never liked much came up +before my mind. I had some little acquaintance with him, and knew, or +supposed, that he had money. The idea of going to him I would not at +first entertain. But things were desperate. At last I started up, +determined to see this man.</p> + +<p>"'He can but refuse me,' I murmured to myself.</p> + +<p>"'It is past two o'clock,' said I abruptly, as I met him standing at his +counter, 'and I am still five hundred dollars short. Can you lend me +that sum for a few days?'</p> + +<p>"I expected him to say 'no.' What was my surprise then to hear him +reply—</p> + +<p>"'I can, and with pleasure.'</p> + +<p>"I could hardly believe my ears. But by the assistance of my eyes, when +he put a check for the amount I had asked for into my hands, I was fully +assured that he was in earnest. I don't know that I ever stopped to +thank him, so overjoyed was I at such unexpected and cheerfully tendered +relief. Three or four days afterward I took him the money he had loaned +me.</p> + +<p>"'Keep it longer, if you desire to do so. I have no present use for it,' +said he.</p> + +<p>"I hardly knew whether to take him at his word or not. But necessity is +an eloquent pleader.</p> + +<p>"'If you can spare it as well as not, it will be an accommodation. My +payments are heavy in the next ten days,' I replied.</p> + +<p>"'Retain the use of it and welcome,' said he kindly. After a pause, he +inquired how I was getting along, and did it with so much sincerity that +I was tempted to state frankly the position of my affairs, and did so. +He listened with a good deal of interest, and afterward asked many +questions as to the nature and profits of my business. I concealed +nothing from him in favour or against myself as a business-man.</p> + +<p>"'You must be sustained, Mr. Miller,' said he. 'I have a few thousand +dollars uninvested, that I will keep free for six months or so. As far +as you need assistance in meeting your payments, I will afford it. Pay +no more exorbitant interests; waste no more time in running about after +money; but put all your thoughts and energies down to your business, and +twelve months from to-day will see you freed from embarrassment.'</p> + +<p>"And he was right."</p> + +<p>"He was certainly a noble fellow," said Mr. Jones. "Pity there were not +more like him!"</p> + +<p>"That it is," remarked Mrs. Mayberry.</p> + +<p>"He belongs to another grade of beings than your Montos."</p> + +<p>"Who?" Miller spoke quickly.</p> + +<p>"We were talking of Monto when I called you," said Mr. Berry. "Our +friends have a very poor opinion of him."</p> + +<p>"Of Mr. Monto? Why, it is of him that I just now spoke."</p> + +<p>"Of Monto!" ejaculated Lee.</p> + +<p>"Certainly. He it was who so generously befriended me."</p> + +<p>"Impossible!" ejaculated Mrs. Mayberry.</p> + +<p>"Not at all, for it is true. I never was more mistaken in any one in my +life than in Mr. Monto. He has his faults and defects of character, as +all men have. He is irascible and impatient, and makes in consequence a +great many enemies."</p> + +<p>"He was certainly kind to you, Mr. Miller," said Mrs. Mayberry. "But +still, I don't believe in him. Look at the way he treated that poor +young man whom he raised from a boy. That stamps his character. That +shows him to be cruel and vindictive."</p> + +<p>"There is another side to that story, without doubt," remarked Mr. +Berry.</p> + +<p>"That there is," said Miller; "and suppose we look at it. Monto knew +that young man much better than you or I, or any of us. He had borne +with his irregular habits and evil conduct for years, as well as a man +of his peculiar temperament could bear with them."</p> + +<p>"A precious kind of forbearance it was, no doubt. It isn't in him to +bear with any one," broke in Mr. Jones.</p> + +<p>"Will you censure a man for what he can't help?" asked Mr. Miller.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that we should," was replied.</p> + +<p>"It is clear that we ought not; for to do so would be for us to ask of +him an impossibility, and censure him for not performing it. Mr. Monto +is a man, as we all know, of exceedingly impatient temper. Keep that in +view. He takes this boy when quite young, and educates him as well as +teaches him his business. Before he is of age he abuses the confidence +reposed in him by his benefactor, neglects his business, associates with +vicious companions, and purloins his money. Still Monto bears with him, +in the hope that he will change. But he grows worse and worse; and at +length, after a long series of peculations at home, gets into a +difficulty, and is sent to jail to await the judgment of the law in his +case. I happened to be in Mr. Monto's store when he was sent for to bail +the young man out.</p> + +<p>"'No,' he said firmly to the messenger, 'he is much better in prison +than out.'</p> + +<p>"The man went away, and Monto, turning to me, said—</p> + +<p>"'That, Mr. Miller, is the most painful thing I have done in my whole +life. But to have acted otherwise would have been wrong. Kind +admonition, stern reproof, angry expostulation, all have failed with +this young man, in whom I cannot help feeling a strong interest. I will +now leave him to the consequences of his own acts, and to the, I hope, +salutary results of his own reflections. If these fail to reform him, +there is no hope.' This was the spirit in which it was done. He did not +attend court when the trial came on, but he had a messenger there, who +kept him constantly advised of the proceedings. The acquittal gave him +great pleasure, and he expected the young man would return to him, +changed and penitent. He was, alas! grievously mistaken. The enlistment +hurt him exceedingly. I could perceive that his voice was unsteady when +he spoke of it. If he erred in his conduct, it was an error of judgment. +He meant to do good. But I do not believe he erred. In my opinion, the +young man is fit only for the grade he now occupies, and he is better +off where he is."</p> + +<p>"There is good in every one," said Mr. Berry, when Miller ceased +speaking; "and we will find it, if we look at the other side."</p> + +<p>"No truer word than that was ever spoken," returned Mr. Miller. "Yes, +there is good in every one; and more good than evil in Monto, you may +all be assured."</p> + +<p>The censurers of Monto approved the words by a marked and half-mortified +silence.</p> + +<p>Yes, there is good in every one; there is another side. Let us look for +this good rather than for what is evil, and we will think better of +mankind than we are now disposed to do.</p> + + + + +<hr class="med"> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"> +<img src="images/005.png" width="370" height="450" alt="THIN SHOES."> +<span class="caption">THIN SHOES.</span> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THIN_SHOES"></a>THIN SHOES.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword">"<span class="sc">Why</span>, Lizzy, dear!" exclaimed Uncle Thomas, to his pretty niece, Miss +Walton, as she stepped upon the pavement from her mother's dwelling, one +morning in midwinter—"You are not going in this trim?"</p> + +<p>"In what trim?" said Lizzy, glancing first at her gloves, then upon her +dress, and then placing her hand upon her neck and bosom to feel if all +was right there. "Is any thing wrong with my dress, uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Just look at your feet."</p> + +<p>"At my feet!" And Lizzy's eyes fell to the ground. "I don't see any +thing the matter with them."</p> + +<p>"Why, child, you have nothing on your feet but paper-soled French +lasting boots."</p> + +<p>"They have thick soles, uncle."</p> + +<p>"Thick! If you call them thick, you will have to find a new term for +thinness. Go right back, and put on your leather boots."</p> + +<p>"Leather boots!" Lizzy's voice and countenance showed an undisguised +amazement.</p> + +<p>"Yes, leather boots. You certainly wouldn't think of going out on a day +like this without having your feet well protected with leather boots."</p> + +<p>"Leather boots! Why, Uncle Thomas!"—and the musical laugh of Miss +Walton echoed on the air—"who ever heard of such a thing?"</p> + +<p>Uncle Thomas glanced involuntarily down at his own thick, double-soled, +calfskin understandings.</p> + +<p>"Boots like them!" exclaimed the merry girl, laughing again.</p> + +<p>"But come along, my good uncle," she added more seriously, drawing her +arm within his, and attempting to move away. "We'll have all the +neighbourhood staring at us. You can't be in earnest, I'm sure, about my +wearing clumsy leather boots. Nancy, the Irish cook, has a pair; but +I"——</p> + +<p>"And pray, Lizzy," returned the old gentleman, as he yielded to the +impulse given him by his niece, and moved down the street beside +her—"are you so much heartier than Nancy, so much stouter and stronger, +that you can bear exposure to damp and even wet pavements, in thin +shoes, while she will not venture out unless with feet well protected by +leather boots?"</p> + +<p>"My shoes are not thin, uncle," persisted Lizzy. "They have thick +soles."</p> + +<p>"Not thin! Thick soles! Look at mine."</p> + +<p>Lizzy laughed aloud, as she glanced down at her uncle's heavy boots, at +the thought of having her delicate feet encased in leather.</p> + +<p>"Look at mine!" repeated Uncle Thomas. "And am I so much more delicate +than you are?"</p> + +<p>But Miss Walton replied to all this serious remonstrance of her uncle +(who was on a visit from a neighbouring town) with laughing evasion.</p> + +<p>A week of very severe weather had filled the gutters and blocked the +crossings with ice. To this had succeeded rain, but not of long enough +continuance to free the streets from their icy encumbrance. A clear, +warm day for the season followed; and it was on this day that Miss +Walton and her uncle went out for the purpose of calling on a friend or +two, and then visiting the Art-Union Gallery.</p> + +<p>Uncle Thomas Walton was the brother of Lizzy's father. The latter died +some few years before, of pulmonary consumption. Lizzy, both in +appearance and bodily constitution, resembled her father. She was now in +her nineteenth year, her veins full of young life, and her spirits as +buoyant as the opening spring. It was just four years since the last +visit of Uncle Thomas to the city—four years since he had looked upon +the fair face of his beautiful niece. Greatly had she changed in that +time. When last he kissed her blushing cheek, she was a half-grown +school-girl—now she burst upon him a lovely and accomplished young +woman.</p> + +<p>But Uncle Thomas did not fail to observe in his niece certain signs, +that he understood too well as indications of a frail and susceptible +constitution. Two lovely sisters, who had grown up by his side, their +charms expanding like summer's sweetest flowers, had, all at once, +drooped, faded, withered, and died. Long years had they been at rest; +but their memory was still green in his heart. When he looked upon the +pure face of his niece, it seemed to Uncle Thomas as if a long-lost +sister were restored to him in the freshness and beauty of her young and +happy life ere the breath of the destroyer was upon her. No wonder that +he felt concern when he thought of the past. No wonder that he made +remonstrance against her exposure, in thin shoes, to cold and damp +pavements. But Lizzy had no fear. She understood not how fatal a +predisposition lurked in her bosom.</p> + +<p>The calls were made; the Art-Union Gallery visited, and then Uncle +Thomas and his niece returned home. But the enjoyment of the former had +only been partial; for he could think of little else, and see little +else, besides Lizzy's thin shoes and the damp pavements.</p> + +<p>The difficulty of crossing the streets, without stepping into the water, +was very great; and, in spite of every precaution, Lizzy's feet dipped +several times into little pools of ice-water, that instantly penetrated +the light materials of which her shoes were made. In consequence, she +had a slight hoarseness by the time she reached home, and Uncle Thomas +noticed that the colour on her cheeks was very much heightened.</p> + +<p>"Now go and change your shoes and stockings, immediately," said he, as +soon as they entered the house. "Your feet must be thoroughly +saturated."</p> + +<p>"Oh no, indeed they are not," replied Lizzy. "At the most, they are only +a little damp."</p> + +<p>"A little damp!" said the old gentleman, seriously. "The grass waves +over many a fair young girl, who, but for damp feet, would now be a +source of joy to her friends."</p> + +<p>"Why, uncle, how strangely you talk!" exclaimed Lizzy, becoming a little +serious in turn. Just then Mrs. Walton came in.</p> + +<p>"Do, sister," said the old gentleman, "see that this thoughtless girl of +yours changes her wet stockings and shoes immediately. She smiles at my +concern."</p> + +<p>"Why, Lizzy dear," interposed Mrs. Walton, "how can you be so imprudent! +Go and put on dry stockings at once."</p> + +<p>Lizzy obeyed, and as she left the room, her uncle said—</p> + +<p>"How can you permit that girl to go upon the street, in midwinter, with +shoes almost as thin as paper."</p> + +<p>"Her shoes have thick soles," replied Mrs. Walton. "You certainly don't +think that I would let her wear thin shoes on a day like this."</p> + +<p>Uncle Thomas was confounded. Thick shoes! French lasting, and soles of +the thickness of half-a-dollar!</p> + +<p>"She ought to have leather boots, sister," said the old gentleman +earnestly. "Stout leather boots. Nothing less can be called a protection +for the feet in damp, wintry weather."</p> + +<p>"Leather boots!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Walton seemed little less surprised than her daughter had been at +the same suggestion.</p> + +<p>"It is a damp, cold day," said Uncle Thomas.</p> + +<p>"True, but Lizzy was warmly clad. I am very particular on this point, +knowing the delicacy of her constitution. She never goes out in +winter-time without her furs."</p> + +<p>"Furs for the neck and hands, and lasting shoes and thin cotton +stockings for the feet!"</p> + +<p>"Thick-soled boots," said Mrs. Walton, quickly.</p> + +<p>"There are thick-soled boots."</p> + +<p>And the old gentleman thrust out both of his feet, well clad in heavy +calfskin.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Walton could not keep from laughing, as the image of her daughter's +feet, thus encased, presented itself to her mind.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," said Uncle Thomas, just a little captiously, "Lizzy has a +stronger constitution than I have, and can bear a great deal more. For +my part, I would almost as lief take a small dose of poison as go out, +on a day like this, with nothing on my feet but thin cotton stockings +and lasting shoes."</p> + +<p>"Boots," interposed Mrs. Walton.</p> + +<p>"I call them boots," said the old gentleman, glancing down again at his +stout double-soled calfskins.</p> + +<p>But it was of no avail that Uncle Thomas entered his protest against +thin shoes, when, in the estimation of city ladies, they were "thick." +And so, in due time, he saw his error and gave up the argument.</p> + +<p>When Lizzy came down from her room, her colour was still high—much +higher than usual, and her voice, as she spoke, was a very little +veiled. But she was in fine spirits, and talked away merrily. Uncle +Thomas did not, however, fail to observe that every little while she +cleared her throat with a low <i>h-h-em</i>; and he knew that this was +occasioned by an increased secretion of mucus by the lining membrane of +the throat, consequent upon slight inflammation. The cause he attributed +to thin shoes and wet feet; and he was not far wrong. The warm boa and +muff were not sufficient safeguards for the throat when the feet were +exposed to cold and wet.</p> + +<p>That evening, at tea-time, Mr. Walton observed that Lizzy eat scarcely +any thing, and that her face was a little pale. He also noted an +expression that indicated either mental or bodily suffering—not severe, +but enough to make itself visible.</p> + +<p>"Are you not well?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, very well," was the quick reply.</p> + +<p>"You are fatigued, then?"</p> + +<p>"A little."</p> + +<p>"Go early to bed. A night's sleep will restore all."</p> + +<p>Mr. Walton said this, rather because he hoped than believed that it +would be so.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes. A night's rest is all I want," replied Lizzy.</p> + +<p>But she erred in this.</p> + +<p>"Where is Lizzy?" asked Mr. Walton, on meeting his sister-in-law at the +breakfast-table on the next morning. The face of the latter wore a sober +expression.</p> + +<p>"Not very well, I am sorry to say," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"What ails her?"</p> + +<p>"She has taken a bad cold; I hardly know how—perhaps from getting her +feet wet yesterday; and is so hoarse this morning that she can scarcely +speak above a whisper."</p> + +<p>"I feared as much," was the old gentleman's reply. "Have you sent for +your doctor?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet."</p> + +<p>"Then do so immediately. A constitution like her's will not bear the +shock of a bad cold, unless it is met instantly by appropriate +remedies."</p> + +<p>In due time the family physician came. He looked serious when he saw the +condition of his patient.</p> + +<p>"To what are you indebted for this?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"To thin shoes," was the prompt reply of the uncle, who was present.</p> + +<p>"I have warned you against this more than once," said the doctor, in a +tone of gentle reproof.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no; brother is mistaken," spoke up Mrs. Walton. "She wore +thick-soled shoes. But the streets, as you know, were very wet +yesterday, and it was impossible to keep the feet dry."</p> + +<p>"If she had worn good, stout, sensible leather boots, as she ought to +have done, the water would never have touched her feet," said Mr. +Walton.</p> + +<p>"You had on your gums?" remarked the physician, turning to Lizzy.</p> + +<p>"They are so clumsy and unsightly—I never like to wear them," answered +the patient, in a husky whisper, and then she coughed hoarsely.</p> + +<p>The doctor made no reply to this, but looked more serious.</p> + +<p>Medicine was prescribed and taken; and, for two weeks, the physician was +in daily attendance. The inflammation first attacked Lizzy's +throat—descended and lingered along the bronchial tubes, and finally +fixed itself upon her lungs. From this dangerous place it was not +dislodged, as an acute disease, until certain constitutional +predispositions had been aroused into activity. In fact, the latent +seeds of that fatal disease, known as consumption, were at this time +vivified. Dormant they might have lain for years—perhaps through +life—if all exciting causes had been shunned. Alas! the principle of +vitality was now awakened.</p> + +<p>Slowly, very slowly, did strength return to the body of Miss Walton. Not +until the spring opened was she permitted to go forth into the open air. +Then her pale cheek, and slow, feeble steps, showed too plainly the +fearful shock her system had received.</p> + +<p>A week or two after his remonstrance with his niece about her thin +shoes, Mr. Walton returned home. Several letters received by him during +the winter advised him of the state of Lizzy's health. In the spring her +mother wrote to him—</p> + +<p>"Lizzy is much better. The warm weather, I trust, will completely +restore her."</p> + +<p>But the old gentleman knew better. He had been a deeply interested party +in a case like her's before. He <i>knew</i> that summer, with its warm and +fragrant airs, would not bring back the bloom to her cheeks. In July +came another epistle.</p> + +<p>"The hot weather is so debilitating for Lizzy, that I am about taking +her to the sea-shore."</p> + +<p>Uncle Thomas sighed as he read this, permitted the letter to droop from +before his eyes, and sat for some time gazing upon vacancy. Far back his +thoughts had wandered, and before the eyes of his mind was the frail, +fading form of a beloved sister, who had, years before, left her place +and her mission upon the earth, and passed up higher.</p> + +<p>"The doctor says that I must go South with Lizzy," wrote Mrs. Walton +early in December, "and spend the winter. We leave for Charleston next +Tuesday, and may pass over to Havana."</p> + +<p>Uncle Thomas sighed as before, and then became lost in a sad reverie. He +had been to Havana with both of his sisters. The warm South had been of +use to them. It prolonged, but did not save their lives.</p> + +<p>And so the months passed on—the seasons came and went—but health, +alas! returned not to the veins of the lovely girl.</p> + +<p>It was an autumn day, nearly two years after that fatal cold, taken in +consequence of wearing thin shoes, that Mr. Walton received a letter +sealed with a black seal.</p> + +<p>"As I feared," he murmured, in a low, sad voice, gazing +half-abstractedly upon the missive. He knew too well its contents. "Dear +child! I saw this from the beginning."</p> + +<p>And the old man's eyes became dim with moisture.</p> + +<p>He had not erred in his conjecture. Lizzy Walton was dead.</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="UNRULY"></a>THE UNRULY MEMBER.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword">"<span class="sc">In trouble</span> again, I find! Ah, Flora! That restless little tongue of +yours is a sad transgressor. Why will you not learn to be more careful? +Why do you not place a guard upon your lips, as well as upon your +actions?"</p> + +<p>"So I do, aunt, when I think myself in the company of tattlers and +mischief-makers."</p> + +<p>"I do not think Mary Lee either a tattler or a mischief-maker," replied +the aunt gravely.</p> + +<p>"Then why did she run off to Ellen Gray, and tell her what I had said?"</p> + +<p>"She might have done so from far different motives than those you are +inclined to attribute to her," said Mrs. Marion, the aunt of Flora Mere. +"And from my knowledge of her character, I feel very sure that her +conduct in this has been governed by a strict regard to right +principles."</p> + +<p>"But what possible end could she have had in view in repeating to Ellen +my thoughtlessly spoken words? It could do her no good."</p> + +<p>"There she is at the door now," Mrs. Marion replied, glancing out of the +window. "We will ask the question direct, as soon as Betty has admitted +her."</p> + +<p>The blood mounted to Flora's cheeks as her aunt said this, and her own +eyes caught a glimpse of the young lady whose conduct she had been so +strongly condemning. The aunt and her niece sat silent until Mary Lee +entered.</p> + +<p>Here we will take the opportunity to mention the cause of the unpleasant +state of affairs between Flora and her young friend. On the day before, +while in company with Mary Lee, and one or two other of her +acquaintances, she very thoughtlessly and not exactly in the right +spirit, repeated some remarks she had heard about Ellen Gray that +reflected upon her rather unfavourably. Mary Lee at once attempted to +vindicate her friend, but Flora maintained that the allegations were +certainly true, for she had them from an undoubted source. Mary asked +that source, but she declined mentioning it, on the ground that she did +not wish to violate the confidence reposed in her by the individual who +related the facts she had repeated.</p> + +<p>"It would, perhaps, be better not to mention any thing of this kind," +said Mary Lee, "unless the author be given, and full liberty, at the +same time, to make the most free inquiries as to the truth of what is +alleged."</p> + +<p>"And get up to your ears in hot water," returned Flora, tossing her +head.</p> + +<p>"Even that would be better than to let any one suffer from an untrue +statement."</p> + +<p>"Ah! But suppose it should be true?"</p> + +<p>"Let the guilt rest upon the right head—where it ought to rest. But +save the innocent from unjust allegations. That is my doctrine."</p> + +<p>"A very good doctrine, no doubt," Flora returned; "if you can act it +out."</p> + +<p>Here the subject was dropped. On the next morning, Mary Lee called in to +see her young friend Ellen Gray. After conversing for a short time she +said—</p> + +<p>"I heard, yesterday, Ellen, that at Mrs. Harvey's party, you acted +towards Mr. Evelyn with much discourtesy of manner, besides actually +telling an untruth."</p> + +<p>"I am unconscious of having done either the one or the other of these," +Ellen replied, in a quiet tone.</p> + +<p>"I believed you innocent," said Mary, with a brightening countenance. +"But what ground is there for the idle, ill-natured gossip that has got +on the wind?"</p> + +<p>"Not much, if any. I declined dancing with Evelyn, as I had a perfect +right to do."</p> + +<p>"Did you tell him you were engaged for the next cotillion?"</p> + +<p>"No, certainly not, for I had no engagement then."</p> + +<p>"It is said that when he asked you to dance, you excused yourself on the +plea that you were already engaged."</p> + +<p>"Who says this?"</p> + +<p>"Flora Mere."</p> + +<p>"How does she know?"</p> + +<p>"That I cannot tell. She declined giving her authority."</p> + +<p>"Then, of course, I must believe her the author of the fabrication."</p> + +<p>"No—that does not certainly follow. I do not believe Flora would be +guilty of such a thing. But, like too many, she is ready to believe +another capable of doing almost any thing that may happen to be alleged. +And like the same class of persons, too ready to repeat what she has +heard, no matter how injuriously it may affect the subject of the +allegation—while a false principle of honour prevents the open +declaration of the source from which the information has been derived."</p> + +<p>"Be that as it may, I shall see Flora Mere at once, and ask her for the +authority upon which the statement rests."</p> + +<p>"It was to give you an opportunity of doing this, that I have come and +freely told what I heard."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Mary. I wish all the world were as frank and as +conscientious as you are. I shall, of course, mention from whom I +derived my information."</p> + +<p>"You are at perfect liberty to do so. I try never to say or do any thing +that requires concealment."</p> + +<p>It was, perhaps, an hour afterward, that Flora Mere was surprised by a +visit from Ellen Gray. She had an instinctive consciousness of the cause +of this visit, which made the blood mount to her face, as she took the +hand of her friend. She was not long in doubt.</p> + +<p>"Flora," said Ellen, a few minutes after she had entered. "Mary Lee came +in to see me this morning, and mentioned that you had made statements +about me which are not true—as that I refused to dance with Mr. Evelyn +under the plea of a prior engagement, when, in fact, no such engagement +existed."</p> + +<p>"I think Mary Lee had very little to do!" Flora returned petulantly, the +colour deepening on her face and brow, "to tattle about what she hears +in company."</p> + +<p>"But reflect," said Ellen, mildly, "that the charge against me was one +of falsehood—no light charge—and that Mary had every reason to believe +me incapable of uttering what was not true. And further, remember, that +you declined giving your informant, so as to place it in her power to +ascertain upon what basis the statement rested. Reverse the case. +Suppose I had heard that you had done some wrong act; and, instead of +carefully satisfying myself whether it were really so or not, were to +begin circulating the story wherever I went. Would you not deem her a +true friend, who, instead of joining in the general condemnation, were +to come to you and put into your power to vindicate your character? +Certainly you would. Just in the relation which that true friend would, +under the imagined circumstances, stand to you, now stands Mary Lee to +me. She has put into my power to arrest a report which I find is +circulating to my injury. It is true that I declined dancing with Mr. +Evelyn. But it is not true that I stated to him that I was engaged. I +was not engaged, and to have said that I was, would have been to have +told a deliberate falsehood. May I, then, ask you from what source you +derived your information?"</p> + +<p>Flora cast her eyes upon the floor, and sat silent for some time. Her +pride struggled hard with her sense of justice. At length she said, +looking up, and breathing heavily—</p> + +<p>"I would rather not mention my informant, Ellen. It will only make +difficulty. You will go to her, and then there will be trouble. I think +you had better let the matter rest where it is. I do not, now, believe +what I heard. The person who told me, was, no doubt, mistaken."</p> + +<p>"But, Flora, that would not be right. You have already repeated what you +heard so publicly, that it is possible at least fifty persons now +believe me guilty of having spoken an untruth. You should have reflected +beforehand. Now it is too late to let the matter drop. My character is +at stake, and I am bound to vindicate it. This I shall have to do in +such a manner as to fully clear myself from the charge. The consequence +will be, as you may at once perceive, that upon you will rest the burden +of having originated a false charge against me. Then, if not now, you +will feel it your duty to give the name of your friend. This, you had +much better do at once. No doubt she has been led into a mistake by a +too hasty judgment of my acts, but half understood. She may have +observed Mr. Evelyn ask me to dance, and have naturally inferred that I +declined on the ground of a previous engagement. This being in her mind, +she may have too hastily concluded, when she soon afterwards saw me +accept another offer, that I had not spoken the truth at the time I +refused to dance with Evelyn. All this can easily be explained, and the +matter put to rest."</p> + +<p>Flora hesitated for a short time, and then said—</p> + +<p>"It was Araminta Thomas who told me."</p> + +<p>"Thank you for this information. Will you now go with me to see +Araminta?"</p> + +<p>"I would rather not," Flora returned.</p> + +<p>"I think it would be better for you to do so, Flora," urged Ellen. But +she could not be persuaded.</p> + +<p>"I must then go alone," said Ellen, rising and bidding Flora good +morning.</p> + +<p>In a little while she was at the house of Araminta Thomas. Ellen entered +at once upon the business of her visit, by stating what she had heard. +Araminta looked confused, but denied saying that Ellen had actually told +Evelyn she was engaged for the next cotillion.</p> + +<p>"Then what did you say?" mildly asked Ellen.</p> + +<p>"I said," replied Araminta, "that I saw you decline Evelyn's offer for +your hand."</p> + +<p>"But did not say that I told him I was engaged?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Not positively</i>; I only <i>inferred</i>, as was natural, that you declined +on that ground."</p> + +<p>"Was your communication to Flora mere inferential?"</p> + +<p>"It was."</p> + +<p>"But she says you told her that you heard me say I was engaged."</p> + +<p>"In that she is mistaken. I inferred that your refusal to dance was for +the reason stated. But I did not <i>know</i> that it was, and, therefore only +gave my own impression."</p> + +<p>"Which Flora has taken for the truth, and so repeated."</p> + +<p>"On my authority?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. After having been pressed by me very closely."</p> + +<p>"In that she was wrong. But I suppose I was as wrong in giving an +impression which might not be a true one, as she has been in giving my +impressions as actual facts, and making me responsible for them. But +will you, as matters have taken this serious and unexpected turn, give +me the exact truth. I will then, so far as in my power lies, endeavour +to correct what I have done."</p> + +<p>"Most cheerfully. You know as well as I do, that Evelyn has not acted in +some things with that honour and integrity that becomes a gentleman?"</p> + +<p>"I do."</p> + +<p>"It was on this ground that I declined. He asked me if I was engaged in +the next set? I said no. He then proffered his hand, which I declined. +In a little while after, and while sitting beside you, a gentleman +wished to have me as a partner. I accepted his invitation. This is the +simple truth."</p> + +<p>"And so it seems," said Araminta with a sober face, "that while you were +rebuking vice, and standing up with dignified, virtuous firmness in the +cause of our sex, I was misjudging you. And not only that, was so far +influenced by an improper spirit as to impart to others my wrong +impressions to your injury. Alas! poor, weak human nature! I feel +rebuked and humbled. More for what I thought than for what I said, for +out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts. If I had not had something +wrong here, I would not have been so ready to misjudge you. But all that +I can do to repair the wrong, I am ready to do."</p> + +<p>"All I ask is, that you correct Flora, and take some little care, that, +where she has imparted a wrong impression, the true one is given in its +place."</p> + +<p>"That I will do with all my heart," Araminta replied. "I will see Flora +this very hour."</p> + +<p>"Do so, and you shall have not only my thanks, but my esteem and love. +We are all liable to do wrong. But to confess and repair the wrong we +have done, as far as we can, is noble. In so doing, power is given us to +conquer in all the temptations that may assail us."</p> + +<p>As soon as Ellen had retired, Araminta went out and called upon Flora. +She found her troubled and mortified at the turn matters had taken. She +tried to excuse herself for what she had done, and insisted, at first, +that Araminta had actually stated all she had said of Ellen Gray's +conduct. But this point she soon had to give up. Araminta was too +positive, and her own memory a little too clear on the subject. In fact, +when the whole truth came fully to the light, it was very apparent, that +if there were any falsehood in the matter, she was the most guilty. +Certain it was, that Ellen Gray was innocent, in every particular, of +the charge that had been made against her.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Marion knew nothing of all this, until the day after Ellen Gray had +called upon Flora. Then her niece, whose troubled looks had not escaped +her notice, gave a relation of what had occurred. It was in reply to +this that the opening remarks of our story were made. When Mary Lee came +in, as the reader has seen, Flora received her coldly. Mrs. Marion, on +the contrary, welcomed her with genuine cordiality.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to see you, Mary," she said—"and particularly at this time. +It seems there has been a misunderstanding among you young ladies, and +that Flora is not altogether pleased with the part you have taken."</p> + +<p>"It is to see her in regard to that very matter that I am here this +morning," Mary said. "I know she blames me for having told Ellen Lee +what I did. But in that I acted conscientiously. I did to another as I +would have another do to me. I acted towards Ellen as I would act +towards Flora, were I to hear any one making statements that were +calculated to injure her. The result, I think, should satisfy Flora that +I was right in doing what I have done. Ellen, it now appears, was +entirely innocent of the charge made against her—as I knew she must be. +Araminta Thomas, to whom the report has been traced, regrets extremely, +that upon her hasty inferences, so serious a matter has grown up. She +acknowledged that she only <i>inferred</i> that Ellen told an untruth. Flora +took this inference for a direct assertion, and thence came the charge +of falsehood against Ellen Gray. Has not, then, the result proved that +the course I took was the only right one? Does it not show that I would +have been guilty of a great wrong, if, to save the feelings of any one, +I had left an innocent person to bear the imputation of wrong?"</p> + +<p>"It certainly does, Mary. And Flora cannot but see it in the same +light."</p> + +<p>"And she will, surely, forgive me the pain I have occasioned her," +resumed Mary, "seeing that I had no selfish end to gain in what I did, +but was moved only by the desire to vindicate injured innocence."</p> + +<p>This appeal softened Flora's feelings toward Mary Lee. She saw that she +was wrong, and that Mary was right. Mary had been governed by a +high-minded regard for right. Pride soon yielded.</p> + +<p>"Mary," said she, taking her hand, while the tears came into her eyes, +"I confess that I have been wrong, and you right. I shall not soon +forget this lesson. Forgive the unkind thought I have had of you, and +say to Ellen, from me, that I do most sincerely regret the part I have +taken in this matter."</p> + +<p>"Will I ever learn to be guarded in my remarks!" Flora said, to her +aunt, after Mary had left them. "This is the third time I have been +called to account for speaking of others, within the last few months."</p> + +<p>"Never, I suppose," Mrs. Marion replied, "until you learn to guard your +thoughts as well as your words. If, like Mary Lee, you were less +disposed to give credence to every disparaging report circulated about +others, you would need no guard placed over your tongue. It is from the +abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh. <i>A good man, out of the +good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man, +out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things.</i> Try and keep this +in mind. If you are more ready to believe an evil than a good report of +others, be sure that all is not right with you, and more especially, if +you feel an inward pleasure in convicting them of wrong. A truly good +mind is always grieved at improper conduct in others, and ever seeks to +palliate, rather than to judge with severity. It gives but slow credence +to evil reports. Truly regard the good of all around you, and there will +be no need of placing a bridle on your tongue."</p> + + + +<hr class="med"> +<h2><a name="RICH_POOR"></a>THE RICH AND THE POOR.</h2> + + +<p class="firstword"><span class="sc">A hot</span> and sultry summer had passed away, and autumn was verging on +toward its cooler months, with their long and quiet evenings. +Occasionally a colder day than usual made a fire in the grate necessary +and drew closer together the happy family of Mr. Barton in their evening +circle. It was pleasant to all, thus to feel the warm fire again, and to +see its deep glow reflected from loving faces.</p> + +<p>"How good the fire feels!" said James, holding up his small hands to +receive its heat, and smiling as he looked upon it.</p> + +<p>"I think I love the winter best after all," remarked William. "It is so +pleasant to sit round the fire, and feel its warmth upon our hands and +face. Home feels more like home. Don't you think so, father?"</p> + +<p>"The change of season is always pleasant," replied Mr. Barton. "Have you +never noticed that, my son?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes! I always say, when spring comes, 'I am glad that it is spring.' +And in summer-time, when fruit and flowers are so plenty, I say, 'I am +glad it is summer.' And then I am glad again when the doors and windows +can be closed, and we can all gather around the fire as we do now in +autumn. In winter, when the snow begins to fall, I feel that it is +pleasant to see the light flakes flying about gayly in the air."</p> + +<p>"But I always think then," said Mary, the gentle, loving-hearted Mary, +"of the poor children who have no warm clothing, nor good fires, as we +have. I wish, sometimes, that it were always warm, for their sakes."</p> + +<p>"And yet, my dear, the Lord knows what is best," remarked Mr. Barton, +looking into Mary's sympathizing face. "The Bible says He is good to +all, and kind even to the unthankful."</p> + +<p>"I know it does; and it also says, that He pitieth us even as a father +pitieth his children. But, I can't help thinking, sometimes, that there +is a great deal of suffering in the world."</p> + +<p>"And so there is, Mary, a great deal of dreadful suffering, the reason +for which we sometimes find it very hard to understand. But one thing we +know, and this is, that it is all from man, and not from God; and that +God permits it for some good purpose—not to punish people; for the Lord +never punishes any one merely for the sake of punishment, but suffers +evil and sin to punish for the sake of reformation. You remember what I +read to you about the Divine Providence on last Sunday evening?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"What did I say the Divine Providence regarded?"</p> + +<p>"Eternal ends," replied Mary.</p> + +<p>"Do you remember what I then told you was meant by eternal ends?"</p> + +<p>"Whatsoever had reference to man's salvation in heaven."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is what I said. A great many people believe that the Lord's +Providence, which is over us all, even to the smallest things, has +reference to our worldly well-doing. I remember when a boy, hearing a +man pray, regularly, in his family, every day, and a part of his prayer +always was, that the Lord would increase his basket and his store."</p> + +<p>"What did he mean by that?" asked James, who was listening very +attentively to his father, and trying to understand all he said.</p> + +<p>"Why, that the Lord would make him rich."</p> + +<p>"Did the Lord make him rich?" asked Mary.</p> + +<p>"No, my daughter, the Lord knew that to make him rich would be the worst +thing for him, for it might be the means of destroying his soul."</p> + +<p>"Then it is best for some to be rich and some poor?" said William.</p> + +<p>"Undoubtedly it is, or all would be rich in this world's goods, and have +every comfort and luxury that earth could afford them. For the goodness +of the Lord would seek to bless every one in good things for the body as +well as good things for the mind, if the former blessings could be given +without injury to the latter. But where they cannot, they are always +withheld."</p> + +<p>"But all rich people are not good people," remarked William. "I think +they are, generally, more unfeeling and selfish than poor people. I have +often heard it said so; and that there was very little chance of rich +people's going to heaven."</p> + +<p>"I know this is said, but it is a great mistake. Poor people are, as a +general thing, just as unfeeling and selfish as rich people, and stand +no better chance of heaven. So far as poverty or riches are concerned, +there is an overruling Providence regarding each, and this, as I before +remarked, looks to the salvation of souls in heaven."</p> + +<p>"Then it isn't because one man is better than another, that he is +permitted to get rich, or has money left to him?"</p> + +<p>"Not by any means, William," replied the father. "No man's state can be +judged of by his external condition: for the external condition that is +good for one, may be very bad for another. Ever bear this in mind, as +you pass through life, and learn, no matter in what external condition +the Lord places you, therewith to be content."</p> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg"> +Transcriber's note for <i>Means of Enjoyment</i>: The word "vail" was replaced +with "veil" in the sentence <a href="#vail">"It seemed as if +a veil had suddenly been drawn from before his eyes."</a><br><br> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" noshade> + +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHO ARE HAPPIEST? 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