Weekly Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-07-12
DoarmaL attu Sstatesmtall.
symkin Sinks MOney-Bag.
CHAPTER I.
HOW III WAS rILLEn.

Symkin Stink was tinker by trade but bu.
ness somehow did not thrive with him he eoui
: manage from his earnings to live, but that VII
oil he resided 10 small house, Oonsstag
one room, which was senntiy furnished In ffoi
of his little dwelling, he had erected himself
booth in which to display his wares, and woul
set there day after day watching for customer
to cpme and buy, who never did come, and, q
Of course, didn't buy. His father hal bega
tinker before him with equal success. Old slim
had once been a rich man, at least so he boastel
hut misfortune had fallen thick upon him. au
he had to work hard to gain living for hiusael
and son. When talking Of his former state
plenty, he would refer to nn old canvass haa
which, he declared, he once kept full of III
gol pieces.
"My son, Symkin,' lie would say, 'whep,yis
can ill Tint bag as it was once filed You -gii
be rich man, and need envy no noble in all lhi
land !"
And thercnpon he would take mighty draugh
of ale inhp |, he was rather too fond Of mighty
draughis aud was, am sorry to say, rathcs-n
disreputable character, and finished by drinking
himself out of this world.
Sympkin was not of q depending mind, so
when left to shit for himself, he worked man
folly, AMI always looked upon the bright side Of
things. What happy gift that is, to be able 90
sec the silyery lining and take no note of ihe
| sable clouds; some people like fools, of course,
when they find themselves usTlo Qdeoif',ssIB Bench
will not be merry and joyia but curse their iie
aud say they arc miserable creatures hus
others, the true philosophers of this world, whsn
they march of 10 that place Of confinement, ony
think of the great pleasure il will he when they
get ont again. "No, one" the jesial philosopher
will say, "whO has always heen At large can kndG
such pleasure as this." Aud is he not right
As cannot speak from experience, had better
not speak at all.
Symkin worked hard, say, nnd If each man
had his deserts, he would have been overlooking
with wealth. But it was to be, and Symkin toos
it all for the best lie had hung up tho old
money-bag in his room, aud when he had an
lit come upon him, he would look upon Ss
fathers legacy.
"Symkin," he would say at such times, "yoa
have got to fill that bag with broad pieces, SO
get to. work, you lazy dog !"
With all his poverty, Symkn was happy
man We, speak OF the middle class, are ut
to wonder how the mechanic who worked SO hard
all day, can he content with his lot, aud does not
long live in such houses MS we do. No doubt The
mechanic thinks the same of the Irish laborer,
and the duke and duchess of us. But are Va
the less happy for that OF course all men
wish for more but is not our ambition for a
large house and carriage and six-foOt funkies
and know not what, the same thing as tho
mechanics lodging for little less work, little
more pleasure and little less pain, and so on?
And so Symkin Stink was happy-and would
have been able to supply the sultan, in the East.
ern story with that celebrated shirt which was
necessary to his health-but for one thing for
which he still onged. lie wished to be married,
and how could he marry on such ridiculous
earning as his ? And he thought the only wa.
to get out the difficulty was to fill that money
bag at home; but, ali he never could fill it.
He had fallen in love all ready, as sort Of
preparation for the event which he had hoped
would some day haDRaAs Gs" who bs.; iy5S 4
"G6iden Bell ,'') was his choice, and it was set.
tied that as soon as that wonderful inoney-bsg
was filled, they should he man and wife, but not
till then.
One evening symkin took his parting cup at
the Golden Bell, and was stridipg on us fnst as
his long legs would carry him. when he fell a
thinking Of his affairs; and he thought great
deal about them, too he turned them this way
and he turned them that, but always came TO
the same conclusion, which was, that the bag
had nothing in it, and he saw no chance ofany.
thing getting there and so he thought, and
thought, aud thought. when-clink-his foot
struck against something, and of course it was
n purse. Ay and purse worth the finding, |
too it was one Of those bags, embroidered on |
the front, which the nobility at that time wore
at their girdles With trembling fingers Symkn 1
undid the button, peeped iI, cut caper, threw
his stick into the river. and ran home as fast as
he could.
Once there, he boltel the door, looked to the
of the shutter, and proceeded to ex- (
anime his treasure there were plenty of gold I
pieces there, and he counted them over and over !
again, and chinked them on the table, placed |
them on line, in a circle, tumbled them into q !
heap, and run them through his fingers. Besides
the gold, he found some rich Jewels, gold chain,
or necklace with large ruby hanging thereto), |
a bracelet and a brooch.-The next thing he did, |
was to take down his money. bag, and cram it |
full of the precious metal
"Ahl all !" said he, rafting it against the |
table, "tiled at last, old boy need envy no
nobeman now"
When the first transports of his joy were over,
be dug hole in the clay floor beneath his straw
palat, and there buried the bag securely, and ,
retired for the night. But he could not sleep;
every noise be heard he fancied was q thief, the
swinging Of the sign-board sounded like come
1ne forcing the door, the whistling Of wind down
the narrow lane he imagined was asi4aselar
signalling to his comrade, the splash of the river
he took Tor footsteps; so be was obliged to take
down large bill, aud stand guard over his
treasure until daylight s'reamed in at the chinks
of the windows
lie shut up his house that day earlier than
usual, and digging up his bag, secured it on his
person, having first examined the contents q
second time. fear he never thought OF seeking
who was the righttul owner but if he had
there were no police in those days-ouly the
v atch, who were anything but detective; so he
took out the brooch as present for Joan. He
didn't walk so jAuntily as usual, but looked at
every one whom he met with suspicion, and
grasped his cudgel firmly. lie was not used to
be disturbed in his sleepat nights, but last night
he certainly was wakeful; he was not used to
bolt and bar the door, but rest in ease, with the
idea that nobody would think it worth their
while to enter; heretofore, when he walked
abroad, he had merry greeting for all, and was
in fear of foot-pads, for all they could expect
from him was broken head. But, ah he was
q rich man now, and had something to lose SO
he walked and slept uneasily, and was in con-
stant fear. In this uneasy manner he sped on,
until he came in sight of the Golden Bell, when
he breathed more freely SO he stepped on
auntily, strobe across the threshold of the
avern into the little parlor, aud roared "a cup
1f mulled sack, drawer !"