Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-08
EVENING STAR.
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE.

"But you are rich enough, Lauson. Let Us
leave this great city, snd seek some more quiet
home
"No, no, Lydia; business is my very life.
/ must make little more money before 1 give
1t up" ..
"Will you tell me, my husband, how much
you would have now If you were to settle your
business all up7"
"Oh! perhaps two hundred thousand dol
lars
"And think, LausOn, only think how easily,
how sumptuOusly, we could live upon the in
tereSt Of that, and have much, too TO bestow
upon those who need our charity. Come, come.
tell Inc that you will .icave your business al
once. can see what you cannot see You
ale undermining your constitution, and your
health is fast leaving you -
"Pshaw, Lydia you croak like q raven L
should leave my health were / to leave nv
business. Don't say any more now, for you
see / am busy
As the husband spoke he turned to the little
ebony escritoire which he kept in his parlor
and commenced overhauling and studying the
various papers which lay there
I.auson Watkins had seen his thirtieth year,
and, young as he was he had become what
the world calls rich. At an early age he had
entered the mercantile business, aud fortune
had smiled upon him. He had already anassed
an abundant competency but while he had
been doing this, he had been losing his health
HIS organization was Eot one which would bear
great mental excitement His brain was large
and active, his oxcitability intense, and his
mind easily worried and tortured; and, en- the
ether hand, his physical constitution was
sight, and Of IA highly nervous temperament
Fer years he had applied himself 10 business
without taking respite, and the faster money
came In upon him, the more anxious and ner-
yous did he become Ia his labOrs. Night and
day did he labor over his shipments and in-
voices: and gradually, but surely, the Joy of
heath was departing from him.
Poor Lydia Watkins saw AL this She saw
the fearful disease marks that were growing
upon her husbands countenance but she
could not persuade him to feel as she felt He
laughed at her for her fears, and while be
laughed, he felt the disease growing at his vi
ti-s. As the merchant sat there at his work |
bis anxious wife watched him with painful |
interest. His face was pale in the extreme,
and the blue veins stood cut upon his high |
white brow and temples. His eyes were large |
and brilliant, but their hrlliancy was not nat /
ural--itwas false, nervous light that CLEANED /
there. As he pOrcd over a complicated in |
Voice, reducing TO his own currency large |
amounts of foreign money, his long, white |
hngeTs worked neTyOusiy through has hair l
and his wife heard him breathe hard. Oh,
she knew that he could net live long.
Then, at a late hour, ko complained Of /
headache, but he had cleared ten thousand /
dollars by the cargo nc had been dispnsing Of, |
and he was pleased. That ten thousand dol |
lars did not help to give him content-it only |
served TO spur him on to renewed exertiouS.
Lydia" said Mr.. Watkins, after be had /
closed his escritoire, {" have you seen your un-
Gle Langraye TO day !''
No"
q am afraid he is going rather deeply into |
dangerous speculation. For week past / |
have been endorsing papers for him to a con- |
siderable amount. lie helped me without /
stint when | commenced business, and I sup
pose L must help him now bu; hope he will |
be CAREFUL
Adam Langrave is a careful man, re-
t1rned Lydia, anu L ain sure ne would not |
do that which would cause you TO suffer-
"Oh, no, L don I think he would, ;" said Wat |
kins, and here the conversation dropped, for /
the young man S mind became again buried in /
his business.
Adam Langrave was an old man, and had /
been the toster-father Of Lydia. The girl had /
been left all orphan at an early age, ami her /
husband had commenced his career as Ian l
graves clerk, and thus he became acquainted /
with the fair, virtuOus girl, whom he made his /
wife. LangraYe had lately entertained a /
great project for ma king money, and it was in
pursuance Of this that he had called on Wat /
kins for assistance.
On the day following the scene described /
above, Mr. Langrave called at Watkins store, /
and opened to the young merchant more fully /
MS protest. 1t was vast one, but it promised |!
a golden harvest, and after much deliberatIcn,
LausOn entered into it, 1t looked feasible to
him; he promised himself rich return for his
venture.