Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-07-31
SELECT TALE
. From Arthmr's Home Gazette.
THE DROP GAME.
BY JOHN JONES, JR.

certain village of New Jersey, situated with
in . few miles Of Philadelphia - you must take
apaper this year. How can you live, man,
without the uewst' 4f 5t tn'f q. s<t
The news, returned Lee. Humph. Ihave
more news now than is agreeable. In fact,
don't believe in your news mongers, no how
Every man mind his own business-that is nv
motto
Yes, but friend Lee, it is of interest to know
what is going on in the world ~tNal
No special interest to me- What do care
about other peoples concernss 1t won't make
my cows give more milk, nor my land grow
more bushels to the acre. 41' sE
Il am not SO sure Of that '. r.F. sI.'
Amt your ....l'.-.
NO .., t...
well, l am, them . t. -..,.. H4.
There are farmers. whose cows give more
milk than yours, and whose land yields bet
ter increase. From these you might learn
something to your advantage. .s,,..
But what has that got to do with newspa-
pers,'
A great deal. Intelligent farmers inform
the public of their agricultural experiments !;
and give the new methods by which they OBJ
tain large yields of produce
Book farming,' exclaimed Lee, in tone
Of oontempt. Never believed in it; and new
er expect to. The old fashioned way is good
enough for me. Industry and economy-that
is my motto, and teach it daily to my chill
drea. Hand work is worth all the newspapers
in the world
Il am not so sure of that returned the Post
Master. Hand ~ork is badly off without
head work, and will soon find itself in the
rear
I'm not ia the least anxious said Lee, with
selfsatished ait, as he turned off and went
on his way towards the city, hs tubs well fill
ed with butter, and his wagon loaded with a
goodly stock of poultry and fruit A bird ia
the hand Is worth t~o in the bush, he kept
on talking to himself. When there is
dollar in cay pocket, know what I've got
But, if [ spead it for newspaper, what is
there to show for it, aever knew Of any
good to come Of taking the papers. They on
ly put nonsense into the Young peoples heads,
and make them think themselves wiser than
their parents. Dad a0d they shan'i come in
to my hou se.'
Laban Lee, if the truth must be told, had a
sordid love "f money. The dollar was al
ways held so close to the axis of his visioa,
that very little beyond the rooad bright coin
was ever discernible. By his hard work, in
dustry and economy, he had gradually gained
upon the world, until he vas the owner of a
snug piece of ground covering about fifty
acres, which was well stocked, and as well till
ed as his good old-fashioned' way of farming
would permit -.
The over careful in saving, when love OF
mooey sabdues almost every other sentiment,
are not generally very honest in getting. The
every-one-for-himsel principle of action gen.
orally leads to disregard of others interests,
a trespass upon other rights, and departure
from truth in dealing Into these defects La
ban Lee naturally fell, as many citizen, who
had bought tough chickens, bad butter, and
spoiled turkeys, from the fair and honest coun-
trymaa,' could testify. Lee knew how much
was gained in these transactions bat never
had any idea how much he lost Far oftener
than any Of his customers guessed, his butter
OF, at least J. carefully arranged portion con-
tained iu his tubs, lacked several ounces of its
true weight; aud more than once had he come
near losing goodly number thereof, at the
hands of the Clerk Of the Market. Such a man
was Laban Lee. -...r-- .-r r. ....
As the countryman wended his way towards
the city, his thought were busy in summing
sp the probable amount he would receive for
the coateots Of his -marke,-wagon; yet this oc.
cupied state Of mind did not keep his eyes from
resting with intelligent discrimination upon the
road he travelled. Money, aud articles Of val.
ne had been found by others, and why nigh,
he not be SO fortunate Such things were
frequently lost BY The careless. The idea q
restitution never occurred to him; this wa.
kept obscured by the pleasurable anticipation
of gain, as the finder of lost property. Once
and only once, had Laban Lee been fortunate
On certain occasion as he walked along the
-oad, he espied, a short distance in advance
bright object partially concealed in the sand
Eagerly he sprang forward, snatched it from
the ground, and was rewarded by obtaining
half dollar Small as the sum was. to gain
it thus, awoke in his mind the most PLEASING
sensations. From that time, whether in town
or esnntsy. few square rods Of earth or pave
mepi over which be passed, escaped his watch
fnl eyes. ais -f-at4 s.l Ei Il ' ..t.aa
On tho present occasion, notwithstanding
Lee examined the road by which he travelled
to the city with his usual care. no treasure wa
fouad. Better fortune, however, attended hin
on the day following He had sold out hi,
bpuer. posltry and fruit. and over thirty dol
lars received in exchange therefor, were in .h
pocket. Prices had ranged pretty high. am
the farmer felt satisfied with his sales. Jus
as he was preparing to leave, the sudden ex
clamation Of man by his side started him
and iurning quickly, he saw a eentlemanl,
hooking stranger, with well.6lled poke
book 10 his hand. =ai ta7as5. srsf .,sr.-.
Semebody has dropped this.' said III,
stranger. addressing Lee, And it's flie,
with money.'rp .aol .H-e3 5aa .ssalalaF .sfs