M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-01-12

hopes oil his family, had involved him
deeply; and at the moment when he was
making efforts to retrieve his losses and
reform his son, he sickened and-died.
This was a heavy blow to the family,
and the son being unified to take hold
oftbe business and garner the fragments
ere all was lost, the residue of the es-
tate was swept away in the scramble
OF creditors. The blow " as too much
for the mother, and a broken heart hur-
ried her to the grave; while the besot.
ted son wandered of to die beggar in
a distant land.
Yhese- successive blows almos! crush
ed the proud heart of Mrs. p; but,
clingi1g the more closely to her devo.
ted husband and blooming children, she
rose at length from the pressure, chas.>
ehed--s -subdued--and changed. She
began to see things in their proper light;
and estimate the world, not by the glare
Of tinSelry and fashion that flashed
around it, but by the intrinsic and in
teFnaT exceliencies she discovered. She
sti1l had her husband--her children--a
competence; and, more yet, though un>
known to her, was surrounded by a nu-
merous brotherhood, as reliable as
truth itself, and equal to every emergen-
cy that might arise in the future,
Things were in this condition when
the conversation occurred with which
our story commences. The hostility
OF Mrs. P. to the institution named,
had grown with her years, until it be-
came part of her nature-so inserwo.
ven with all her feelings as to be- al
most ineradicable. 1t had been long
since the subject had occupied her
thoughts, yet it was soon discovered
that the slumbering enmity was easily
awakened, and capable still OF control
| ing her judgement--matured though it
was by years and experience.
twas but few months after the re-
mark alluded TO, wheE, by the sudden
failures OF several who were largIy in>
de5ted to MIR. p, he sustained very
severe loss. His success in business had
made him more venturSome in his trans.
actions; his own honest and confding
nature could suspect no wrong inten-
tions in others, aud he had given liber-
al credits without exercising that eau
ton which is essential in heavy and ex-
Itensive business transactions. These
losses very much embarrassed him in
trade, and he found it extremely diff.
cult to meet his own Liabilities. He
continued, however, to struggle brave>
ly against the current; and with his in
dustry economy, and unimpeachable
character, he bade fair to weather the
stoTm. But misiortunes, it is often
said, never come singly; and such was
1.-THE experience OF Mr.. P. A financial
crisis in the affairs of the country fol-
loved close upon his losses, his busi-
ness began to decrease, and he very
soon discovered that il itwould be impos-
Sible for him to meet the heavy engage
ments he had made in more prosperous
times, without heavy loss of property
| Painful as this was to him, he de-
tetmined to make the sacrifice rather
than fail to meet his liabilities. Fol
this pupose he disposed of most of his
real estate at a price much below its
value, determined to maintain his credit
and discharge his debts. AT this par.
ticular juncture, as if his cup was no,
yet full, most destructive fire broke
out in the immediate vicinity Of his ex.
tensiye manufacturing establishment,
and before it could be arrested, it swept
away his entire property as with the
besom Of destruction. His sales hav,
ing been for some time limited, large
amount Of goods had accumulated h
his warehouse; and by some unaccount.
able fatality he had forgotten to renew
his insurances. The result was, tha
Mr.. p. was ruined! A few month,
before he could have commanded hi
thousands, and was justly regarded as ;
wealthy man; but these successive dis
asters had hurried him with accelerated
speed from opulence to bankruptcy,
and he now found himself without q
dollar in the world.
What little was left OF his property
he Immediately gave up to his creditors
and resolved to begin anew. His hon
! or was untarnished; his honesty no maj
! questioned; his failure was from caus
es which no human foresight coulc
have prevented; and, though pennyless
: he was not friendless. His long-trieC
and cherished friends, who had so Of
ten greeted him in mystic halls, wher'
"b.o .otherly love" is the theme, anC
"relies and truth" the objects aimed at
now crowded around him in the hou
t of his trial and misfortune, and assur
ed him Of their sympathy and assist
ance. Some of them had lost consid
cradle sums by his failure; but this diC
, not lessen their confidence in his integ
rity; they knew him to be true and trus
ty,' and were ready not only to encour
age him in his deep dependency, bu
to proffer assistance to the extent o
their ability, in making renewed effort
on the battle fields of life.
: fCOncLuSion merit treek,