Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1853-12-03
(Writen for the SkepherdstOlcn RegiStsr.j
A Lesson for the Young or, A Story with

Stepping into the barber-shop a few
days since,I met with our old friend Gen.
/ B-, who in the course Of uonversa-
ton related the circumstances ofhis "Start
in Hfe," which think would be interest
ing TO your readers, and ought to awaken
the youths of our village to the folly of
extravaganza or useless expenses. Gen
era B. you know, is now considered rich,
and he has made It all from the "Start" of
half cent.
81 was poor boy--a Uery poor boy
he said, Gin those days money was very
scarce and hard 10 come at We had
coin which passed for half cent, it was
called 50 "copper"" and two Of those "cOp-
pers" passed for one cent. We had no
pape- money. | had one Of those "cop-
pers," and the only thing then coveted
in life was fish hook ; but fish hooks
sold for cent piece, and could not
compass so large a sum. How 10 realize
the deficiency | knew not, and after in
vain exercising my poor brain for several
! days to achieve the necessary sum, |
eventually determined to try if some one
! of the "store keepers would not let me
have fish hook For my copper 70 my
astonishment succeeded, and now behold
me with the fish hook clutched fast in my
hand running home--the happlest mortal
on earth. You may imagine my feelings
of delight, and the number Of fish had
already caught in my imagination. A
hundred times that evening | looked atmy
hook, after had made the necessary ar
rangements for all early start, upon my
fishing excursion. | dreamt Of fish and
fish hooks all night--got my line entang-
led--my hook fast in some hidden root
broke it--and awoke in tears of distress
at my great misfortune. But "dreams
! 90 by the contrary" they say, and the
event proved the truth of the adage.
Before the lark in the meadow shook
the dew from her wings | might have
been seen throwing my line into the broad
Potomac. and throwing out the fish as
fast as could bate my hook. All day |
labored, nor thought of breakfast or din
ner. By evening | had caught as many
7 as | could carry so carefully gathered
up my line--put away the coveted fish
hook carefully in my pocket and proceeded
| to town, where | offered the fish FOR sale
at the several houses of the wealthy.
When the sale had been completed |
counted my money, and found that l had
exactly One Dollar. This treasure, this
pile of silver was to me untold wealth,
but | confded my riches to no one--en-
veloping il in several folds of paper and
rags, boarded 1t about my person, and
envied no Gerard or Astor of the village.
In a few years, by various investments,
| became the owner Of q gold watch.
/ Watches of any kind were scarce in those
days, and gold watches a very great rar
ly. A rich farmer in The ueighbOrhood
becoming enamoured of my watch, offer
! ed me one hundred bushels of wheat for
it--payabIe out of the growing crop, with
six bushels of wheat per annum interest.
/ Wheat was then worth not more than
! fifty cents per bushel but | closed the
bargain and took his bond. 1t so happen
ed that did not cal! for the payment of
the bond for many years, but the price OF
wheat, from some cause, having run up
to two dollars and fifty cents PEE bushel
| asked for my wheat which | received
and sold at that price. The proceeds |
invested in land adjoining town, which is
now worth thousands of dollars.
Thus the saving of haBof one cent
enabled me to become rich man. Had
| have spent my copper" as poor boys
now spend their cents should have re-
mained poor boy and died poor man;
whilst now am in easy circumstances
and my children respected.
THRIFTY.