Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-12-06

old man; " prospect! oh, yes; beautiful, in
deed-cheering, delightful; hug it to your
young stupid heart. A prospect" reducing
his voice to whisper, "of driving pen the
best part of your existence for half what an
ordinary mechanic earns, and when too old
to get through your brief sheet per hour, to
be informed, in the most elegant manner,
that your services will for the future be dis
pensed with. | tell you from what | know
Of life, you might as well attempt to climb a
rainbow as expect to make headway in your
position"
"As to making headway," said the young
ster, emphasizing the last two words, cts
my opinion that, if you possess determination,
and have liking for your occupation, no
matter how low place you occupy at the
start there is not post in connection with
the same, however honorable or lucrative,
but you may attain to-"
"B-e-eautful, charming idea Fag on,
then," was the sarcastic reply. And then
in more earnest tone 81 once more tell YOU
youngster that there's no chance of getting
on in the law, without lots of money and
plenty of out-and-out friends Look at me,
a copying clerk, receiving the enormous salary
of 1915 per anum, out of which have to
support wife and four children, and am ex-
pected to make as bright an appearance as
double that income would legitimately war
rant"
"But, then I've heard you say" said the
boy, chat in your early life, you paid more
attention to private theatricals and play
writing than to your law studies"
The dialogue was here put stop to by
the appearance, from behind a green baize
door, which separated the clerks Office from
the staircase, of Mr. Goodwin, gentle
man in the true sense of the word, who was
serving his last year
"John,' said he in an amiable tone, pre-
senting the boy with two half-dollars, "there
is your money, and now you must run off to
the post-ofce with these two letters, as they
are of great Importance. Make all the haste
you can; you have but q few moments to
spare"
At this period the postage stamp now in
general use, had not long been invented, and
was very scantily adopted, even by merchants
and traders; hence John received two penny
peices, wherewith to pay the postage.
Delighted at the opportunity of getting
mouthful Of fresh air. he hurriedly thrust the
money into his pocket, caught up the letters,
and running out, cleared the whole fight of
steps at bound, and was in the act of gath
erng himself together for fair start at rail-
way speed, when his eye accidentally caught
sight of some very fine pippins, exposed for
sale upon the stall of a poor Irishwoman,
who as regularly as the day took up her stand
beside the office door Now, if John had one
failing more evident than another it was bis
excessive love for apples; and having once
caught sight of them the temptation was too
great to be successfully resisted. At once
then, giving way to his vegetarian propensity
he ran to the woman demanded cents
worth, and hastened away on his postal mis-
sion He reached the office barely in time; !;
for no sooner had he posted his letters than
bang went the little window through which
they had been received much to the vexation
of a whole host of persons, who came up at
the instant, breathless with running.