The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-10-13
Cast Down, but Not Des troysd,
BIT T 8. ARTHUR.

''Tripped again -a 4
Who? -''" ..
'Brantley.'
'Poor fellow! He has hard time of 1t.
Is he all the way down.
Il presume 60. When be begins to fall.
he usually gets to the bottom ofthe ladder
1t was true; Brantley had tripped again,
and was down. He had been climbing
bravely for three or four years, and was
we'll up the ladder Of prosperity, when, in
his eagerness to make two rundcs of the
ladder at a step instead of ono, he missed
bis footing aud fell to the bottom. Nv first
Knowledge of Inc fact came through the
conversation just recorded. From all
could hear, BraDtley's loss was a serious
one. knew him to be honorable and con.
sciencioua, and to have grea, deal of sen.
sitive pride. few days afterwards, while
passing the pleasant home whero Brantley
had been residing, saw q bill up giving
notice that the house was for sale. A fsw
days later / met him on the street. He
did not see me. His eyes wore on the pave.
ment; he looked pale and careworn; be
walked slowly and was in deep thought.
& "Ho 10 OF tougher material than most men
If the heart is not taken out of him. said
in speaking Of him to mutual friend.
And he is Of tougher MATERIAL was an.
swered, that is, of finer Material. Brantley
is not one Of your common men,
STILL, there must be something wrong
about him. Some defect of judgment. He
is good climber, but not sure footed. Or.
that beyond certain height bis head grows
dizzv.'
If one gets too eager in any pursuit, he is
almost sure to make false steps. think
Brantley became too eager. The steadily
widening prospect as he went up, up. up.
caused bis pulses to move at quicker rate.
Too eager, and less scrupuIous,' suggest
ed.
His honor is unstained, said the friend
with somo warmth. i.. F.-,.G
In the deereo that man grows eager 10
pursuit, he is apt to grow blind to things
and less concerned about tho
principles involved
In some cases that may BE- true. but il is
hardly probable in the case of Braptley. L
do not believe he has swcrved from integri.
ty in anything
1T is my belief, I answered, that, If he
had not swerved, no would not have fallen.
I may be wrong, but cannot help the i'm.
pTession.'
'Brantley is an honest man. will main.
tain that 10 the face of every oDe,' was re.
piled. s t q ~ 3, y - a.
Honest as the world regards honesty
But there are higher than legal standards.
What A and may consider honest, G may
regard as questionable. He has be own
and, If he falls below that in his
dealings with men, be departs from his in.
tegrity.
Il have nothing to say for Brantley under
4 hat 81 Al In A.
If he has special standards of morality, and
does not live up to them, the matter is be.
tween himself aud his own conscience. We,
on tho outside. are not his judges
1t SO happened that l met Brautley o
short time afterwards. The circumsta noes
were favorable. and our interview unre.
He had sold his house, and a large
part of the handsome furniture il COT ontained,
and was living in an humber dwelling. / re.
ferred to bis changed condition, and spoke
of IT with regret.
There is no gratuitous evil, he remarked
4 have long been satisfied on that head. III
we lose on one hand. we gain on another
Aud my experience in life leads me to this
conclusion, that the loss is generally in low
or things. and the gain in higher
looked into bis face, yet bearing the
marks of recent trial and suffering. aud saw
in It the morning dawn.
Has 1t been so with you? asked.
Yes; and It has always been so,' he an
swered, without hesitation. 1t is palpfui
to be under the surgeons knife, be added.
We shrink back, shivering, at the sight of
bis instruments. The flesh is agonized. But
when all is over, and the greedy tomor, or
wasting cancer, that was threatening life, is |
gone. We rejoice and are glad
He sighed and looked sober for a little
while, as thought went back. and memory
gave too vivid realization of what had been;
theu resumed: !