The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-06-16
WESTERLY R. L, THURSDAY, JUNE 49, 1853,


industry, and now enjoyed by some
opulent merchant, lie cnvicd its possessor.
He sighed when II rich mans carriage
rolled by him in the street Nothing
rare, or new, or elegant gratified his
eye, because it was not his own.
Impelled by W ak and selfish desire
to be suddenly rich, few weeks after
he had come to the age of manhood, he
drew from his guardian five thousand
dollars, the hard earned and carefully
husbanded treasure left him by his
father, and threw himself with large
ideas and unwavering confidence upon
the troubled sea of merchandise. The
story of his adventure is soon told. In
two years he was compelled to wind up
his business, having lost his entire
capital.
This was painful shock. But it was
of use to him in unscaling his eyes, and
giving him truer view of life, and
ideas from which to act. Still
he could not think-having once boen
in business tor himself-of falling back
into the monotonous, dull, and humble
position of u clerk. There was some
thing in the fact of mingling with mer-
chants on plane of equality that fiat
tered his vanity He had thus mingled,
and thus felt hattered. The thought Of
taking his old position, and losing the
courtcsics that had been so grateful to
him, was more than he could think of
enduring. This feeling alone, had none
other operated upon his mind, would
have induced him again to make an
effort to get into business.
A few months enat led him so to ar
range his affairs as to be ready to 60 on
again. He found numbers ready to sell
him goods on short credit, and this de-
termined him once more to cast himself
upon the ocean. lie did 50. Two more
years passed on, and at their termina-
ton he found himself, alas again in u
narrow place. Much more than all his
profits in that time were locked up in
bad debts, remnants and unsaleable
goods. Fora time, by borrowing from
few friends, he had been enabled to
meet his payments but that resource
at last failed, and trouble again came
upon him. But it was a worse trouble
than before, and shocked his proud,
sensitive feelings severely. His goods
and accounts, after all had been given
up, were not sufficient to pay the claims
against him. lie was, therefore, an in-
solvent debtor.
AS fairy castles fade away under the
magician's touch, so faded away, at this
event, the glowing ideas of wealth and
splendor that had passed so tcmptiugly
before the eyes of Henry Grant. He
did not ask for his tens Of thousands, his
country-scats, glittering eQuipages, and
all the splendid paraphenalia attendant
upon high station in society, united with
immense wealth. To have possessed
the few thousand of dollars that were
exhibited as deficits in his accounts,
would have compasscd his dearest wish
es. But even this humble and honora-
bic desire was not granted. He was in
debt, and what was worse, with a sense
of helplessness and hopelessuess added
thereto.
In due course of time, his business
was settled and he again thrown upon
the world. While debating in his mind
the propriety of accepting an offer from
his old employer, and entering his store
as clerk, propositions were made to
him from an individual to accept share
in his business. He did so without con-
sultation with any friend. The result
was unfavorable. Scarcely a year had
elapsed, before crash went the whole
concern about his ears.
1t was under the disheartening effects
Of this last disaster that we have seen
him laboring. How far he had just
cause of dependency, or just cause to
suppose that the fates were against him,
the reader will be more likely to deter
mine more wisely, than he was able to
do himself.
Don't be discouraged, Henry !"
said his old employer to him few days
after the conversation between the