The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-08-23
Gclcltc0.
a Blessing in Disguisc.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

but you are rich enough, Lauson.
Let US leave the great city, and seek
some more quiet home
No, no, Lydia. Business is my
very life; must make little more
money before | give it up
WIN you tell me, my husband, how
much you would have now, if you were
to settle your business all up:'
%, perhaps two hundred thousand
dollals.'
And think, Lauson, only think, how
easily, how sumptuously, we could live
upon the interest of that, and have much
too, to bcstow upon those who need our
charity. Come, tell me that you will
leave your business at once. | can see
what you do not see You are under
mining your constitution, and your
health is fast leaving you =
'Pshaw, Lydia, you croak Ike a ra-
ven. | should lose my health were |
to leave my business Don't say any
more now, for you see ain busy
AS the husband spoke, he turned to
the little ebony escritoir which he kept
in bis par,or, and tonnacne,d opei',aui-
ing and studying the various papers
which lay there.
Lauson Watkins had seen his thirtieth
year, and young as he was, he had be-
come what the world calls rich. At an
early age he had entered the mercantile
business, and fortune had smiled upon
him. He had already amassed an
abundant competency but while he
had been doing this, he had been losing
his health His organization was one of
those which will not bear great mental
excitement. His brain was large and
active, his exctabilty intense, and bis
mind easily worried and tortured and,
on the other baud, his physical conStitu
ton was slight, and Of highly nervous
temperament. For years he had appi-
ed himself to business without taking
any respite, and the faster money came
in upon him, the more anxious and nar-
vouS did be become as he labored over
bis shipment and invoices, and gradual
ly, but surely the joy of health was de-
parting from him.
Poor Lydia Watkins saw all this
She saw the fearful disease, marks that
we're growing upon her husbands coun-
tenancc, but she could not persuade
him to feel as she felt. He laughed at
her fears, and yet, while he laughed, he
felt the disease gnawing at his vitaIs.-
AS the merchant sat there at his work,
his anxious wife watched him with pain
ful interest. His face was pale in the
extreme, and the blue veins stood start
ingly out upon his high white brow and
temples. His eyes were large and bril-
liant, but their brilliancy was not natur-
Alt was false, nervous light that
cleaned there AS he poured over a
complicated invoice, reducing to his own
currency large amounts of foreign money,
his long, white fingers worked nervously
his hair, and bis wife heard him
breathe hard u, she knew that he
could not live long so.
When at late hour Watkins arose
from his task, he complained Of head
ache; but he had cleared ten thousand
dollars by the cargo he had just disposed
Of and he was pleased. That ten thous-
and did not help to give him content
it only served to spur him on to renew
ed exertion.
Lydia, said Mr.. Watkins, after he
had closed his escritoir, have you seen
your uncle Langrave to-day 2
mo-
Pm afraid he is going rather deeply
into dangerous speculatious. For a
week past have been endorsing papers
for him to a considerable amount. He
helped me without stint when | com
business, and | suppose | must
help him now; but hope he will be
careful i
Adam Langrave is a careful man.