Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-01-15
The HipOchOndriac.

From "SelfReliance" volume recently published b the
Am. 5. s. Union.
AT last all things were arranged for James
to enter upon his studies. John proposed to
take him up, but james preferred to walk, and his
trunk was to be sent up by some wagon.
'Wel, let it be So" said the elder brother; "the
walk will do you no harm, and think you must
| go and make your own arrangements As for the
means. can only tell You that will let YOU have
one hundred dollars year, in quarterly instaIments
and the rest you will find it beneficial to your health
to earn for yourself by manual labor"
NO fear of me in that respect, my dear broth
err said James, feelingly; shall be able to ret
| along; only am afraid that it will incommode YOU
to do so much as you propose"
Never fear, James" said john with warm
grasp of the hand "neyer fear; when / find can
not help you, will give you timely rotice"
That morning our student went forth with hap
py heart. His active habits had made him robust,
and he felt that he could endure anything in the
way of hardship. He had twenty-five dollars in
his pocket and now how should he make it 90 the
farthest in the work before him?
"lf l board in the academy it will cost me one
dollar and half week My room-rent, fuel.
lights, and tuition will take all Of the hundred dol
lars at that rate and where are books and clothes
to come from? L must try if cannot cut down
the board bill in some way, and to do this l must
board myself. l must get some room out of the
academy, and then l will make it 60"
Mr.. Bright was already on the ground; and when
James told him his plan he smiled rather doubt
fully, and told james he must be careful or his
health would suffer. However, James and another
student of limited means were fortunate enough to
get very good room in the village, where they
could practice their economy as far as they chose
The good woman of whom they rented told them
she would lend them frying-pan. but James told
her they did not intend to any meat
la me, eat no meat" said their hostess; "yhy
you can't live. 1t will dry up all your marrow,
and you will look like scare-scrows in month"
NO, | guess not" said James; but you shall
have the privilege of lending US pot to boil our
potatoes in, and then will pay you what Is right
for baking our bread. We are going to study hard
and must live low"
"We, WELL young men, I'll do your baking for
you for three cents loaf; but bless me. to think
of living on bread and potatoes! You'll both of
you look look like wited cabbages. I don't be-
lieve natur viii be trifed with So"
In day or two James had cot bedstead (pro-
vided for him by his brother) put up, and when
spread up with the nice clothes Johns wife had
furnished it looked very CHEEKY. They borrowed
a rickety old table OF their andlady which she de-
clared was good for nothing but James soon mend
ed it. A couple of chairs completed their furni-
ture.
They bought few bushels Of potatoes for twen-
tv-fve cents bushel; hundred pounds of rye
-four for two dollars, and little corn meal, and
supply of wood, very cheap. In the meantime
james had purchased secondhand textbooks of
some more advanced paid for his provisions, his
quarters rent, his wood, his lights his books, and
his tuition and had little money left for emergen
ccs. In truth his close calculations had been car
ried much farther than his brother intended. The
cash was intended to be an addition to the income
from his work. and not for his entire support
His companion was mostly dependent on his own
work so that he avoided the danger which now be-
set James
II do not see the use of my using three hours
day for work, as have made the ends meet with
nv present means am going to study all cam
u am afraid you will break down under it,"
said his companion, "for you have been used to a
very active life and now suddenly to stop all IT.
Dor, l am afraid II won't work well!'
Il am not afraid said James, as he glanced in
TO the little mirror at his own ruddy face and ro-
bust frame,
Our young student carried out his plans with
the exactness of anchorite, and to make the mat
ter worse, he and his "chum' one Saturday cut up
all the wood so that all his exercise amounted TO
carving in firewood and walking to the academy.
He made good progress in his studies, and with
this we must pass over some few months.
The young men were sitting at their comfortless
dinner one Saturday, when James said, Il am be
ginning to FEEL very strangely"
Il don't wonder at it, for you have been as tor
pid as bear in winter, so far exercise is con-
cerned, and have studied very hard" replied his
chum.
81 don't believe that is the matter with me. l
think | have some fatal disease on me-"
"Pshaw, chum, physical lazinesy is the only fatal
disease you have yet. Go and work two or three
hours day, aud you will find that rye-bread and
potatoes are quite wholesome sort of living, es-
peciallv when our good landlady occasionally sends
dish of SOUP half boiled chicken, or piece OF
beef-steak."
II don't think it very kind and sympathizing in
you to call me lazy.' said James with some little
Indignation "My head is troubled with dull
aching pain, and l do not sleep well. And just see
my hand how it trembles And when eat any
thing it oppresses me!' --------
"Ha! ha. ha it would serve any animal so who