The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-01-30
The Man who ouidn't say 'No.'.

ooiie Wuot oNcl1 uouy aShSt
him to do, even 10 the extent of mpossibli
ties, but in which of course he failed
Whether il was that his heart beat respon-
sive to every other heart, or that he did no,
like to give offence, or that he ''could not be
bolher'd" 10 resist importantly, we could
never precisely ascertain; but certain it is,
that he was rarely or never asked TO sign a
requlsilion, 10 promise a vote, TO lend mon.
ey, or to endorse a bill that he did not al
once comply. He couldn't say "no;' aud
there were many. who knew him well, who
SAID he had not the courags TO do SO.
knew him when mere boy. He was
then the scape goat of the school.-Every
mad cap trick which came 10 the masters
ears was. .laihered on sPaul.---peerda,as IA
gross calicature of the master, drawn with
chalk on the black boarl, met his eyes on
entering the school room when least expect
ed. "Wnose trash is this 4 Is it yours, sir
rah 7" beloved The algebraic Triton, turn.
ing to quakiny youth, with chalky fingers,
suspieiously near the black board "Nop.
was the bold answer, and he looked in the
direction of little Paul. "Then, 1t was you,
scoundrew Paul could not say "no = OF
course he was thrasAed as usual-ior there
was little mercy shown in that school, as in
most other schools in our yourger days.
Another time, when some Of the boys,
among them Paul, were out at their usual
forenoon interval, the masters big dog came
bounding into the school room with great
'ln.pan tied 10 its tail, and few along the
passage between the forms, where the mas
ter was hourishing his cane over the heads
OF his trembling infantry the dog caught
him under the legs, and capled bsV>oyer in
a instant, his heavy body falling between
The dog aud the pan. You may conceive
the howling of the dog, the CONSERVATION
the pupils, and the Tremendous Indignation
of the fallen peiagosue. OF course, The
mischief was fathered on poor Panl. as he
couldn't say "no," OF, at least said il as If it
were unnatural TO him, or untrue, he suffer
ed as usual
Any idle truant who wanted compan ion,
and asked Paul 10 accompany him, was sure
ct his acquiescence. He was on all imagi.
nable errands; to bookseller, 10 ask if he
had copy of"TEe History of Adam s Grard
faiher;" TO grocer, for penny worth oil
''dove's milk = or to saddler, for some
''~'sap ai,i' uAiS -4s.r,s,l.ii q.
warming. He would be presented with an
egg, which OH being deposited for a safety in
his hr'eches.pocket, his temper would
"squash" forthwith by n blow, and then
Paul had 10 dig the remains from amidst
penknives, whipchord, and marbles. Once,
doctors boy tempted him 10 rub his checks
with canlharides plas'er, 10 make the hair
grow;' but after nights smarting which
Paul suffered patiently, in hope of The re.
suits, wLat was his surprise, on con;empa.
tine himself in the glass next morning, to
find crop, not of whiskers, but blslers!
But he grew ont Of jackets and buttons,
and left school 10 enter Tie world, where
consequences arising from saying yes' and
mo" are more serious than at school. Panls
in6rmity accompanied him. He was i'm.
portuned-as who is not !-to do this, that,
and the other thing, for the advantage or the
pleasure of others. He had not The heart TO
refuse. A party of pleasure was proposed
Paul could never say "no" 10 this. "Sh III
we have a glass of something short this cold
eveningp Paul was unanimous with the
proposer; and, on these occasions, Paul's
habi: of acquiescence no, unfrequently led
to his being selected as the paymaster. Of
ten he promised what he could not perform,
for instance, to be in two places at the
same time, for he could say ono" 10 neither
. solicitation add he began to have bad
name his friends said they could not rely
upon him-he was not man ofhis promise
! He promised too much; lie promised TO
lend money before he had earned it; he
promised 10 go 10 the theatre with one party,
and to join an evening party elsewhere on
the same night. He refused ne,hiHg-couldn't
say "no" TO any solicitation.
His father left snug little fortune, and he
) was at once beset by persons wanting a
share of it, Now was the time TO say "no,"
if he could but he couldn't. His habit of
! yielding had been formed! he did not like
TO be bored; could not bear to refuse; could
moi stand importantly; and almost invaria.
bly, yielded 10 the demands made upon his
: purse. AT one time ii was a baby linen pfo-
vidins society, at another time an associa.
tion for the prosecution of crimes now, a
} subscription for a monument TO some decea-
Sed railwayman, or some great stump-oraor
Gao matter what his politics y and again a
joint. stock company, for the supply of sweet
milk for the metropolis; ori was new
theatre, or temperance hall or a chapel, or
a charity ball for the Poles; had il been n
gin palace, be sure you would have seen
Paul Trotter'sname in the lsl Of patrons and
subscribers.
} While his money lasted, he hal no end Of
f,:ends tie was universal reieree--every
body's bondman. "Just sign me this little
BIT Of paper" was request often made to
him b. particular friends. "What isit!'
he would millly ask,--not for the purpose of
raising any objection, far from it, but simply
for information-tors satisfaction for with all