The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-14

>tracted manner which a close obser er
would have marked as indicative of some
unusual trouble.
Father" The idle girl leaned back
in the rocking clair that held her almost
u eless person, and turned her head part
" around towards the sofa on which her
ather was sitting
He did net answer
Father! Do you hear me ?"
Yes; what is it?' The voice of Mr.
Dunlap was neither clear nor steady.
Cant | have sables this winter? I've
set my heart on it. / saw muff and
tippet to-day, for two hundred and fifty
dollars, that are superb. Just what l
want, and must have
| Mr. Dunlap did not reply, and so his
daughter came again to the charge.
You say yes. of curse. When shall
| get them? Tomorrow ?"
He was still silent
Very we'll Silsnce gives consent
III call at the store tomorrow morning,
and get the money [ knew you would
let me have them 0, but they are ele-
CANT The handsouest set [ have seen
this season."
And the young laly rocked herself with
an air of the most psrtect self-satisfaction.
But her father had not said a word
There was something in his manner that
caused Mrs. Dunlap to let her hands fall
in her lap, aud look towards him with an
expression of concern on her face. He
had again lelapsed into the state of alb
straction from which the remarks of his
daughter had abused him, and now sat
with his chin almost touching his breast
What was the picture in his mind? We
will make an efbrt to reproduce IT,
A small room; the floor covered with a
poor quality of striped carpet-walls not
even papered A cherry breakfast table !;
four Windsor chairs pair of bass candle
sticks on the nantel piece and figured
paper blinds at the windows. This is
nearly compltte schedule of the furni-
The inmates are himself and young wife.
He had iu returned from his days work
as porterin large drug store. The leaves
of the cherry breakfast table are spread
open, and the toy covered with snowy
table cloth, made white by the hands of
his wife. The same hands have prepared
their evening meal and though the tea
service is .scalt and plain, yet love and
hope are smiling above their humble
board, as theF sit together, and talk of the
coming future.
That was the picture! But it faded
soon, though while it remained distinct,
it was vivid as life itself Poor, industri-
Gus, frugal self-relant, Mr.. Dunlap and
his wife had started 10 the world just
twenty years before. Step By step had
they ascended the ladder of fortune, until
they stood high up among their fellows.
Like pictures in a kaleidoscope, life
scene after life-scene came and vent, each
showing some marked change in their ex-
ternal condition, until wealth and luxury
crowned their toll and self-denial.
Mr.. DUrlap had been naturally proud
of his success in life; and we will not
wonder that, from the eminence upon
which ne Stood he sometimes looked down
with feelings of selt.confdence and self
cOngratulatIon.
Bu; to night self-confdence and self
reliance wde gene He had built his for
tune on what seemed an immovable found
alton. But it proved to be of sand, yield
ing with strange and frightfuI suddenness,
aud letting the beautiful edi6ce he had
erected with such care and labor, sink in
to hopeless ruin.
Sables at two hundred and fifty dollars !.
No wondtr the unhappy man, in whose
mind the certainty ofruin, as a merchant,
was gaining more palpably from every mo-
ment, dia not reply. And no wonder the
indolencs and pride of his INDUCED and
spoiled child, intruding at the moment,
sent memory back to wipe the dust from
pictures of the long ago.
Was she better than they were? Bet
ter thanthe faithful wife, her mother. who
had walked in patient, humble industry
by his Side in the Spring time of life !?
Even 10 his deep trouble Of mind, the
thought disturbed, and almost angered Mr.
Dunlap. Not the incident of this evening
alone, SO far as Jane was concerned, now
tretted him but many incidents which in
truded themselves like unwclcome guests,
involving such false ideas of life, and such
miserable pride and vanity, that he turn
ed half loathingly, from the mental image
Of his child.
"If riches come at price like this,
then wealth is a curse instead of bless
ing"
The thought seemed scarcely his own,
as he gave it involuntary mental utter
ance. Yet, almost strange to say, the
fearful image of misfortune, which had
glared in the face of Mr.. Dunlap, lost some
Of its repulsive features.
eThe stern discipline of misfortune, l