Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-12-27

"Thats true; but | can do better"
"There is Jacob Greene; he has fifteen
hundred. He owns the house he lives in
and has money at interest, besides"
Jacob is a lucky dog"
"He was married at the same time we
were, and had smaller salary than you,
then"
"He is lucky fellow. AS for me,
have always been unfortunate"
"Whose fault was that?"
"Why, nobody's that know of-have
been unlucky, that is ALL"
We will tell his story and the reader
may decide whether that was all, or not.
CHAPTER II.
Mr.. Pendants business career had been
an eventful one, as the world goes. He
had passed through many changes, which
had seldom been improvements in a pc
cuniary sense. When he was married he
was the recipient of salary of five hun
dred dollars, which was shortly after
wards raised to six hundred.
An opportunity offering for him to go
into business with partner, he abandon
ed his salary, and launched upon the tide
in his own bark. In one year he failed,
and was glad to return to salary of five
hundred again. For two or three years
he kept his position, and then made an
other adventure, which he was sure would
yield him a fortune. lie was mistaken
The scheme was failure, and again he
was thrown upon pittance. Several
times in this manner ho had given up
good situations, and plunged into schemes
of doubtful promise.
He had but little frmness, but little
stability, and his judgment was not en-
tirely reliable. At the time our story
opens he had good situation, with the
prospect of a gradual preferment for
many years to come; but the hope of be-
6 coming suddenly rich had taken posses
d sion of him, and he could only think OF
counting his income by thousands, in.
d stead of modest hundreds, as in times
l. past.
II Perhaps, too, as his wife had pointed
to Jacob Greene as a specimen of prog
e ress in the world, Peter was anxious tt
IL outdo him. If he could only get ahead
d of Jacob, he would ask no greater glory
v in this world. Now he confidently ex-
pected to put him in the shade at once.
,, The time came, and peter opened his
). office published an advertisement setting
st forth the advantages of insuring in the
s. new company, and entered with prodig
y ious satisfaction upon his new career.
d "Well, Peter, how do you get along?'
It asked Mary, after he had been in the bus
mess week.
u "First rate, my dear"
'r "Do you still think you shall make I
thousand dollars year?"
II have no doubt of it."
o "How many policies have you issuec
a this week."
l. Gone"
st "Only one.'
"That is doing we'll when we conside
to that it is new company, and that an
re new in the business"
Id Mary shook her head, and felt sur
d, that Peter was going through the perfor
mances he had undertaken several time
VS. before. She felt sick at heart in view g
in the overhanging misfort une, but in val
ne did she try ty open the eyes of her hus
We band. He was positive fortune was i
IN store for him, and he clung to his delu
sion with renewed ardor.
)" Another week passed by, and Pete
us by unremitting exertions, had obtaine
three or four risks for small amounts
u This was enough to keep his hope aliv
by for few weeks longer, but month wa
quite enough to burst the bubble, an
gs then Peter began to open his eyes,
Shrewd men said that the new compan
was a catchpenny affair, and very fe
ss would insure in it. After month {
. diligent drumming, Peter could not sho
ur the issue ofa dozen policies, and his il
come was not enough to buy his salt an
se potatoes.
ot Hard as it was, he was forced to COZ
ng fess to Mary that he had been mistake
again; that his new business would n,
n yield him hundred dollars year, in
stead of thousand, as he had predicted
J You told me so, Mary" said he.
he 81 know I did; but will not reproac
m you for it now, though it seems stranl
that you shonld repeat these blunders
"When get another good situation
of I will stick to it," replied Peter, vel
he humbly. ......
of You will not think it good stu
lot ton unless it pays you three thousand
al year."
ID "There comes Jacob Greene and h
the wife. would rather see anybody el
than them just now.'
rd "They have been coming over for Il
be last three months" added Mary.
be The Greenes were politely ushered in
the humble parlor ofthe Pendants, thoul
so Peter wished they were thousand mil
off.
in "Well, Pendant. how goes the ne
:, a agency?"
"Well-;" and Peter left the que
tion unanswered.
"Got any risks?"
la "Not many"
"Indeed?"
"In fact am going to give up t
so business. 1t don't pay"
lay "Is it possible?"
Eyes, sir; that's the whole story fro
ind beginning to end. In a word, tha
ust my luck?"
ing "Your luok?"