Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-06-06

without him. Therefore, when the time
arrived at which he ceased to be clerk
and become himself an attorney, Uncle
John limited to his master that he was GO
ing to leave him. Cunning Uncle John!
You had no such intention; but you
knew that your master would take alarm.
beg you to stay, and offer you partner
ship. or course-and he did SO.
Uncle Johns path in life was from
henceforth comparatively smooth. He
was the working partner in business
which was both profitable and of good
quality. Within few years his partner
was foolish enough to quarrel with him,
and to demand dissolution OF the part
nership. Uncle John readily consented,
and all the clients knowing we'll who
was the man that understood the busi-
ness and transacted it, followed him; and
he became an attorney with practice
of two thousand year, and no. partner
TO share The profits.
His economical habits never forsook
him. He married and kept decent ia.
BILE; but cave in love of good wine Tor
at least what his uneducated taste con-
sidered so,) he had nothing but the ordi-
nary necessaries of life. How much
he saved each year who shall say? He
had no children, aud his practice increas-
ing while his wants stood still, he be-
came what he is nova prosperous and
highly respected old gentleman.
II is the fashion of the old to point
OCT such men as models for the imitation
Of the rising generation. The young,
on the contrary, make them the subjects
Of their ridicule, for their bad grammar
and worse manners. Let US see If we
can find. the truth, unbiased by eth
er parix:. Uncle John is now rich
man, an honorable man, hardworking
man, and in The main sensible man.--
He has attained his position In life by
patience, perseverance, and industry, fa-
vored also. by little OF that good luck
to which we first refered. But Uncle
John is deficient in meny Of the char
aclerisIcs which adorn human nature.
Is it not natural that he sheuld be so?--
Where was he TO tearn the gentler feel
ings of his kind--affection, sympathy,
benevolence! In hrs garret, alone and
unfriended! Heis mean and parsimo-
nious. He is worth forty thousand
pounds, aud his deceased brothers child
is starving with his wife in suburban
garret. Uncle. John viii not aid him
with penny. Who aided him? Did
lie not live in a garret, and save money,
too! Was he such.a fool to marry be-
fore he could keep wife! Uncle John
was guilty of no such weaknesses in
those days; he cannot forgive them in
another.
His only brother dies, leaving large
fl,nily and a widow --unproyided for;
for the children have eaten up all he
could ever earn. Uncle John does not
like the widow (perhaps because she had
so many children.) but he gives her ESQ
year. His own income is about four
thousand.
His only sister is also left a widow
without sixpence. Uncle John gives
her ESQ year. .People should not
marry impruden.ly. He can afford no
moie; he has great many calls upon
him." Perhaps so; but the answer 10
such calls is always, "not at home.
lie has many clerks now. lie makes
them all work twelve hours day. Why
not! He worked twelve hours a day.
He has anicled clerks, too. They
must work twelve houfs day also. HE
did it. True, Uncle John; but you had
your salary for it, while they on the con-
traiy, pay you for the privilege of work
ing for you.
There is an old adage that slave
makes the worst tyrant. Uncle John ex-
emplifes it. Because he suffered pow
erly and privation, he thinks that every
youth should suffer the same. Because
nature had given him The constitution OF
horse, he thinks that every one should
have similar one.
Such men as Uncle John are striking
examples of certain qualities; and OF
those particular qualities which conduce
to success in life. Their highest praise
(perhaps there is no higher praise in the
World is their unainching integrity. But
we cannot bring ourselves to think them
-on the whole-models for limitations.
After all, there is se.ishness at the bot
tom of their first mo.ives,-and this
quality grows with their growth and
strengthens with their strength. till, in
their old age, they are impatient at all
the enjoyments of youth. The hard
ships Of their younger days are not on
ly TO be pitied, but because they have
closed upon all the avenues through
which the gentler, nobler, and more gen.
erous sympathies of our nature find
their way into the heart. Their want
Of education has not been of the mind
alone, but Of the affections; and as it is
ten thousand times more difficult to learn
language or science in old age than in
youth, so It's infinitely more difficult (il
it be not impossible) to teach the science
Of the affections, and the language OF the
heart, to the OLD man whose youth has
known nothing of either. Affections
and adversely teach oft-times sympathy
and bencyolence-but to do so they
must have followed on happier times,
n pd MT ha va haan n birth porfiOn YOu