The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-09-24

CuuOuUkculys # Ks n -
"And do you not see that l have trans
formed all l possess into loaves Of sugar
and cakes OF chocolate p"
"Well transform your chocolate and sugar
into money!"
"Into money! How 500
"Sell out and give up your business. You
will receive nearly the value of your goods,
and at once become master Of your capital;
We will 60 together to the land of gold.
Come, summon your resolution; fortune
calls you to the other side of the water. In
three years we will return with our savings,
which Will permit US to have cook and
keep carriage"
Notwithstanding his quick and impatient
disposition, Giraud hesitated; but Crepin
gave him so eloquently the long expecta-
ton and the eternal efforts of his present
profession to the rapid and splendid results
Of an expatriation Of few years, that the
young merchant could not longer, resist
Seized by that malady which was then de-
populating the United States, and to which
had been given the name of the gold .ferer,
he decided to abandon bis humble business
for the chances of this country of the Arabian
Nights.
His resolution once formed, Giraud would
suffer neither compromise nor delay. Pro-
fitting by the absence of Crepin, who had
left him to pay two or three visits in the
village, he wrote to a commission merchant
to offer his goods for sale. A few days
would suffice to terminate the business, and
thenceforth he would be free.
lie would not stop to ask himself whether
he might not regret this sudden decision,
the peaceful condition he must renounce,
and the hopes of Union long desired.
Urged by his fatal impotence, he sealed the
letter, gave it to the boy that it might be
mailed Immediately, and resumed his accus-
toned place at the counter.
| Freed from that inward disturbance which
attends all desperate resolutions, he began
to prepare old waste papers and transform
them into bags.
While his fingers mechanically fulfilled
this Office, bis eyes rested for an instant on
the torn leaves, reading some words absently
and his mind continued to dwell on his pro-
jects.
''It is better thus" thought he ssinstead
OF remaining here, waiting for customers,
as a fisherman who extends his line all day
to catch few gudgeons, will spread my
nets in the open sea and catch the fishes by
the handful. We shall see what my fellow
citizens, who do not deign to honor me with
! their custom, will say wnen return mill
| ionaire! And NJ. Deyilliers. who does not
reply to the letters write him. | will take
him my visiting card in a carriage. Per-
haps the Carrot family and Madam oiselle
Rosalie will then have finished their retec-
tons. 1t will remain to be known whether
l have not finished minen'
And as he talked to himself thus, with
more vexation than satisfaction, the eyes of
Giraud fell upon the paper he was about to
make into a bag, and rested on it in spite
! of himself. He read, at first carelessly,
afterwards with more interest, the follow
ing:
"Meng Tren says: In human works, we
should do what is reas onable, without hur-
rying its accomplishment. Beware of re-
semblins a man Of the State of Soung.
"There was in the State of Soung, la
did not grow, and pulled it half up to make
with weary air, and said to his family: Il
am much fatigued to-day, for | have been
helping the wheat to grow His sons ca
gerly FASTENED to look at the wheat, but the
stalks were already withered.
"Those who have not, Ike this laboler,
the folly of helping their whcat to grou,
are very rare in this world.'
Giraud remained thoughtful. lie read it
second, then a third time, and, at each
perusal, the story of the deciple Of khoung
Tslen, (Confucius) made him more thought
full. Did not he also resemble the peasant
Of Soung? Was not his impotence to have
his harvest grow and tho desire of hasten
ing the future, urging him to a hazardous
proceeding? Was he not about to enter
the ranks of those who were helping their
wheat to grow, and exposing himself, like
the peasant, to see the stalks prcmaturely
withered?
At this moment the boy, who had been in
search of his jacket and cap, crossed the
shop for the letter to the commissary. On
raud hestated m oment, then recalled him,
and took the letter back.
after ALL" said be, :sthere is nothing
urgent" And he resumed the manufacture
Of his paper bags.
His resolution was somewhat shaken: he
pleaded the two causes before the tribunal
Of his reason, which had not vet given judy
ment; meanwhile, it inclined towards en-
grafton to the gold regions.
In the meantime, the po.tman came with
letter, which bore the stamp of IIayre.
Giraud recognized the writing of his old
master, and hastily opened it. NJ. Devil
llers responded in n tone Of cordial patron
age. lie explained that his absence had
prevented him from writing sooner, prom
Used to send the goods demanded, and
granted the terms solicited ly him.
This unexpected good fortune increased
the VI certaintirs Of the grocer. The con-
ditons made by the Uavre merchant were
evidently an important advantage to him
but there still! remained the difficulty to en-
surfing customers. lie was reckoning over
in his memory his insignificant sales during
the month in which his shop had been open,
when his neIghbor, the keeper of the cafe,
entered.
Surprised, the preceding day, by an uau-
sual number of customers, h. had exhausted
his provisions, and had come to obtain some
Of the grocer. He complmented Giraud
on their quality, seemed satisfied with the
prices, conversed for long time with the
young merchant, and ended by declaring
that he would henceforth address himself to
him for all he needed.
"Others will soon come" added he, ''but
ore does not easily lay aside his old habits
give them time to perceive that it will be
convenient and profitable to address them
! selves to YOU. Experience comes slowly,
but it comes sooner or later. You are be-
ginning to be known in the ncighborhood;
we see that YOU are an honest, Industrious
youth, and good neighbor. DO not be
uneasy as to the future; Paris was not built
in a dry.'
! he keeper Of the cafe went out, leaving
him more perplcxed than ever. DECIDEDLY,
circumstances seemed to be such as to give
him courage to combat his first resolution.
. Anxious and uncertain, he continued to
make his bags, now and then casting a
! glance on the fragment of Chinese philoso-
ply. In this struggle between fear and
/ hope, Crepin found him.
The future Californian was returning
from visiting some acQuaintances, anong
whom were the Carrot family. They had
made many inquiries respecting Giraud
whom they seemed to hold in much esteem,
and he had e4rned,.in conversation, that a
wealthy match had been refused for RosaIIc.
II believe the good people are really
thinking Of yo",' added he; ''for, at tH2
first word Of Your project of departure, they;
exclaimed, and the Young glrI changed