The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-26
FAILED.

Among the wonders that figure in the
Arabian tales, our juvenile credulity was par
ticularly startled by the description of tent
which could be held in the hollow of the
hand, but had the capacity for covering
mighty host. We have often been reminded
of that curiosity while dwelling upon the sig
nificance Of certain little monosyllables,
which are easily pronounced with single
breath, but enclose a world of meaning.
Smith failed yesterday. SO the papers report,
and many acquaintance Of Smith discuss the
event. As failure is not novel occurrence,
few persons pause to think over the peculiar
calamity that has beiallen Smith.
Yet the dreadful accidents" which gorge
the gossips, and loom largely in the public
prints, have frequently less of real tragedy,
and always less food for thought, than such
disasters as that which has overtaken this
man. Smith may have labored through
the best portion of lifetime, wasted the vigor
of youth, tasked his tact, strained his ener-
| gies, studied while others slept, to build up
a great business and achieve wealth. He
may have thrown his whole soul into his
pursuit, and shut himself from all unproduc-
tive pleasures.
AT length he has found himself at the head
of house, with hundreds of thousands in
vested in the transactions of trade, vast cir
Gle Of credit, and wide influence in the COM
munity. He has begun to turn his thoughts
to the enjoyment of means so hardly earned.
He has established his family In luxurious
house. The gayeties of fashion glitter around
those who are dear to him, and he himself for
sakes the counting-room to mingle among
those light-hearted ones who joyously dit
through life like butterflies among the blooms.
| Suddenlya cloud darkens the sky that seemed
so sunny.
| A storm crashes over the commercial
world, and sweeps away hundreds who but
| yesterday appeared to have built, like the
| wise man, upon a rock, but had really
raised their structures of trade upon the shift
| ing sands. Smith has trusted some of these
wrecked ones heavily, and when they fall the
| foundations of his house are shaken. He feels
his foothold giving way, but struggles man
fully, even desperately, to maintain his credit,
meet all his engagements, and ride out the
| gale. But the hurricane drives with fury,
hundreds of thousands ofdollars are swallowed
up by the advancing tide Of disaster, and on a
certain day Smith finds himself unable to
meet his notes. Appeals to the money lenders
are of no avail-his circumstances have been
opened to prying eyes, and his credit is not
worth a cent. He goes to his home a ruined
man. His best years have been spent in toll
for nothing.
He is a strong-souled man if he does not
yield to despair. All his work Is to do over
again If he would be man of wealth; but in
view Of what has happened, will he have the
heart for a second strlfeP Following the
breaking down of his business comes that
sore trial, the breaking up of a splendid home.
His wiie--now thoroughly woman Of fashion
and in love with luxury-must give up the
imposing palace, the carriage, the dazzling
assemblies, and the gorgeous furniture, and
preside over an humble household, where or
dinary comforts are alone TO be expected.
His daughters-equally habituated to a
brilliantly dissipated existence, and perhaps
about 10 achieve a fine matrimonial exploit -
viii fall out Of sight of their silken adorers
His son, Just graduating as a fast young man,
and learned in the art of doing nothing grace
fully, Is to become the contempt OF his COM
papions. with whom he will seek an intimacy,
thoueh without cent in his pocket. Such
changes are not always borne without break
ing hearts. II the strong VIII Of Smith finds
the struggle almost too fierce for him, bow
can he look for flrmness among the more
trivial members of his family? These are
some Of the incidents OF failure.
In the descent nom that palatial store In
the great avenue Of trade to the little shop in
the by-stresti and nom that gorgeous man