The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-04-30
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
From the Wor. PaIIadlum.
Hard Times and che Cure for Them.

81 say, Ned Huntington, why don't you marry,
The young man, thus familiarity addressed, pointed
to a ~receipted bill which he CHANGED to hold in his
hand, and said laconically, {" That's why"
"Your salary, hey Three hundred dollars more
than L receive, and yet, will you believe it, I'm going
to be so f~ool-hardy as to make the attempt"
The young men were both employed In the count
ing-room of a merchant who was doing what is called
a " fair business, - in one Of ourlargest New England
cities. Huntington was the head clerk of the estab-
lishment, while Martyr had been employed but a
short time, and was in receipt of q smaller salary
than his companion with whom he was conyersing.
But, Of course, you are joking"
Joking? | never was more serious IN my Ite.'
"Then l must say you are not the sensible fellow
that I took you for"
"Be that as it may, Ned, I am telling you the
truth, as you may believe one of these fine days"
Fine days! Your wits have certainly gone wool
gathering. Precious little can | see fine or good IN
such times as these I'm sick of life, and wish l
vas well rid
"Hush p said Martyr, solemnly, g You have no
right to say what you were about to utter"
"No right? that l have, indeed. The right of
an injured and disappointed man, - said Huntington,
running his fingers through his long, black hair,
which fell over his brow like a dark cloud on a fair
sky.
Injured and disappointed What do youmeani"
Look at me, and then look at that pitiful salary.
| have worked like a slave ever since l was twenty
one, and that is the result of it-barely enough to
keep ones soul and body together"
Yet you fare better than any of US; and l am
sure |, for one, do not COMPLAIN
"That is true. You are q philosopher, | verify
believe; or else you are blind and do not see the traps
in your path, else you would never talk as you do to-
night of marriage And he threw his elbow upon
the desk at which he stood, and, frowning gloomily,
lost himself in deep thought. Martyr dared not dis
turb him. The time and the place Invited confidence,
and finding the shadow on Huntington's face growing
darker and darker, he touched him gently upon the
shoulder, and said,
"Tell me your troubles, and 1 will tell you my
hopes"
Starting from his reverie, he looked around him.
The gas, with the exception of o single small Jet, had
been turned off, and they two were alone where,
through the whole day, busy heads, hands and feet,
had thronged around the mart of trade.
agreed; if You would make an exchange, Of such
unequal commodities. Here am |, at the age of
twenty-eight, alone in the world, with the prospect
Of nothing better all my life than what / now live for.
Always to be homeless; always alone; cooped up in
the fourth story of a boarding-house with no pros
pect of change for the better-and then-then-yes
[ viii say ito see my inferiors-men with groveling
instincts and mean tastes-dwelling in splendor snd
riding in their coaches over the necks Of such as /
it is enough to make one mad 20
Hold, hold 20 cried Martyr. "For mercv's
sake, be not so excited You make the picture too
dark Think Of what you enjoy"
ENJOY - was the scornful interruption. ''Then
there is enjoyment in working like o slave for such
paltry stuff as I am paid. Oh. gold, gold, gold, 1 do
worship thee ~
Huntington, you know not what you are saying.
You invoke the very author Of your woes"
How? what mean you 90
"This gold you make your god, is your evil spirit
that brings you all this unhappiness aud is running
your YOUTH
" This to me, Martyr /! By heavens -"
"Hush, hush,'' was the calm and cool Interrupt
ton to his frenzy. "We were to unfold our thoughts,
each to the other; and for what purpose if not that
we might be benefited by it? When 1 tell my dreams,
you are to dampen my youthful zeal with the wisdom
Of years and experience. AS you relate your trials,
may I not seek to brighten them with the light OF
youths rainbow-Hope? 90
you may I nm weak and childish tonight.
Say on"
homeless and alone. VIII it always be so? Does no
bright angel hover DER you, cheering you on to new
exertion Huntington, you will excuse me. How is
it with the lovely Celia Raymond 20
sIt is we'll with her as long as she is Celia Ray
mond. Martyr, do you think [ would wed that girl
[, a poor clerk, and drag her down TO poverty and
misery 20
Martyr looked serious. cay, you may we'll pom
der; when, by your own confession, you are about to
do what I, with less reason, shrink from, as a crime
What mean you 20
Perhaps you may laugh at met would be very
natural-but, believe me, marriage in these days, is
a serious thing.''
So was it ever
"But 1 mean in another sense. Martyr, l would
not marry until my bride should vie with the proud
est in the land. The richest robes should deck her,
the "costliest Jewels add to her charms; she should
know not a wish ungratifed, and would point to her
as ma possession-one that should be the envy of all
eyes"
Martyr sighed-not for himself, but for his COM
panion, and the hundreds and thousands who are like
him. For a moment, neither spoke. The younger
broke the silence.
"You talk like one who dreams, ] feel like one
who is awake. My story would seem tame to you.
Excuse me till another time, and you shall hear it.
You have my promise and may hold me to it; only
let it be at my convenience. 1t is late, and our being
here at this hour may attract attention needlessly.
Good night, my dear fellow. 1 wish I could lift the
weight from your HEARTH MAY it not always rest
there; for q better fellow than Ned Huntington, with
all his whims, lives not On the face of the earth -
was his thought as ne went out into the dark street.
"Martyn,' said Huntington, q night or two after
this conversation, 6 you were to tell me of your fan
cies for the future. Let me hear them tonight. [
am moody, and in need of better company than my
miserable self"
"But you remember, do you not, that I was to
choose my own time for my part of the talk. Pa
tience, my dear fellow, and another week shall inform
which I beg you to receive with all possible indul-
gence, since they must necessarily conflict with
yours"
SNOW for my part of the bargain, Huntingdon -
said Martyr, as, one evening in a later week he drew
his arm within that of his fellow clerk and motioned
him in an opposite direction from that in which his
clearinghouse was situated. Your room will do
without you this evening, and I was to consult my
own convenience in regard to a little serious talk l
was to have with you. So come this way. I am