The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-11-10

not troubled by any of his creditors claims
upon him-legally they had been settled
equtably so or not, they may not have given
him any uncasiness- he knew whether they
did or not, and, perhaps, he only. His
wife and family carried their heads very
high, and seemed to enjoy life to perfection
| What, indeed, had she TO do with her hus.
bands mode OF making money, or they with
their iathcr'ss As those that attend icast
never enquire If the caterers bin has been
paid, so Mr. Bowers family never asked hin,
how he became the posscssor Of his ample
fortune. Consistently with their pecunary
circumstances, they gave large parties
made great show of equipage-liyed very
gcnteelly and cut quite figure in the
world.
In the meantime Mr.. Merwin kept on in
the even tenor Of his way, and gradually
adding to his limited store, lived economical.
iy, always listening, with patience, to hi =
wiie's old story, that a man, that lived as lac
did, and believed in that old worn out maxim
Of his, was next akin to a fool if not one in
| fact.
/ At length he became possessed Of several
/ thousand dollars, laid up IN store for any ia
vorabe emergency.
/ The Bowers family, meanwhile, passed him
and his by, "unnOticcd and unknown, and
moved on smoothly, in the eyes Of the
world in their own more elevated sphere
They scOrned all Of the Merwin grade in So
cicty-though Mr. Merwin himself was far
more intelligent man than Bowers, and his
family more cultivated, Intellectually, than
than his, and of a higher order in society
| Mr. Bowers had now arrived at the acme
of his wishes in castc-bul,dng, and had now
gained, what he had always lougcd for, the
admiration Of the gazing world; and yet he
was not coutcuted. lie must try his hand in
the business line again. Accordingly he en-.
gagged in wild speculation with stranger,
and lost all ! Again, indeed, he wOIld have
compromised with his creditors; but, no.
they were incxorable, His castle must 90
by the board, at the bidding Of the auction
GER
What pity" said his friends "What
sacrifice. o! how sorry we feel for his
daughters /"
This his friends sail--not all that knew
him. The Merwin' didn't say SO, nor his
former creditors.
And there was weeping in that castle, as
the day Of the sale drew near, and weeping
out Of it for some Of Bowers daughters
had married while their fathers prosperity
continued, aud their hopes from that source
were now expiring. But tho day Of sale
came, and the auCtiOuecr cane, and the
bidders and amongst them the honest Mcr-
win. And as the auctoneer cried Out,
who bids the response was, "MerwIn.'
And as he cried out again and again to this
and to that artlcle,-t response still was
"Mcrwln and, as the sale closed, the
mansion, the coach and four, and the entire
cquipagc was att hCrwin's! the next day
Mr.. Mcrwin came into his house, having
completed all the requisite arrangements,
and said to h wife
"My dear, will you please to get ready to
remove: :"
"Removc :" said she, II don't understand
you
"You done! why, you have away. been
wishing to get out of this house, and have
1t Last conc! uiai u crafty you
"And how do ! know that, till | know
where you are going said She
"Wei, get your bonnet" said Mr. Mer,
win, "and 20 over to the house and see whe.
thcr you like it. Thought you would Ike
any rather than this"
"Wel, should" said she, "but didn't
think Of moving off 50 suddenly,-l can
walk there, | suppose"
"Walk - said he, "walk out to the gate
and you will hnd the carriage Ieady for
you"
On going to the gate Mrs. Merwin found
Bowers coach and four waiting for her, and
her husband urging her to get IN.
But don't understand this said She;
Il don't know what you are about Mr.
Mcrwiu"
"Gctin," said he, "gct in-what are you
waiting ior?'
"O" said she, "you have borrowed Mr.
Bowers carriage-well, that was a great act
of condcscenson on his part didn't sup
pose he ever did any one favor except the
rich"
Having arrived at the Bowers mansion,
Mrs. Merwn was helped out Of the carriage
by her husbond, and invited to walk in
And now she stopped again, and said
"Why, Mr.. Merwn, are you crazy =
You have brought me here in another mans
carriage, and now you have invited the TO 60
into another mans house,
"lIayc - said he, 81 have done no such
thing have brought you here in D,g o,cH
carriage, and have invited you into my
0Jca house,
"ls it poSsible!' said Mrs. Merwin, II
cannot believe it,
"You cannot" said he, at is true, never.
thelcsS.'
"What have you bought the castle, said
she. "and the coach ana iour:'
yes, everything" said he, 'and paid for
it all :"
Ever after this Mr.. Merwin heard no more
from his lady in regard to his old antquatcd
,naXims, and, probably, believed with him,
Mat hoaesty is tie best policy.