The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-06-29
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE


| 1t was lucky Tor John Borden that he
had a cheerful wife, who was disposed
to look upon the bright side Of thinss.
| say it was fortunate for him, for his
tendency was just the reverse. Ii any
little trial or disappointment came upon
him, he was very apt to say, "Fate is
always against mo-something or other
is always turning up to spite ne"
"Neycr mind, john, all is for the
best said his wife. cheerful.f."
"Ihat's what you're always saying,
Martha"
"fm always saying it because its
true, and the truth cant be too often re
ipcated"
But by-and By something happened
which put even Mrs Borden's philgso
| ply to test.
One forenoon, about eleven o'clock,
Mrs. Borden was busi'y employed ia
getting dinner, when she heard tho front
door open aud the heavy steps Of men
were heard in the front entry.
Her first thought was that her hus
band had come home to dinner, and
brought couple Of friends home with
him. But 1t was too early for that,
She went up stairs, the kitchen being
a basement room, and there met sight
that filled her with pain Her hus
band lay stretched upon the lounge, oyi
dcntIy in great suffering.
I.Nlot = A., ,4t,., 1 '
n alarm.
'Couposo yourself madam" was the
reply.
Your husband has fallen from a
seatiolding and broken his leg"
II may be said here t6at Mr.. Bor-
den was house painter, and had been
engaged upon new house erected Tor
Squire Eldredge. His fall had been a
considerable one, as the scaHUIlirg hal
been at the height Of the third story
from the ground.
\ physicitn was Immediately sent for,
and, after a careful examination, pro-
nounced the injury not bad one. He
thought the injured limb would cventu-
ally become as strong as ever, OF
course, however, this would require
time
GLOW long DO you think / shall be
laid mp, doctor?' groaned John Bor.
deu.
at will not be safe for you to Us
your limb short Of three months" said
the Dhvs;cign. doci.iyclc
"Thrcc months :" returned Borden
in dismay. "Must | remain idle for
three months p
at will not be safe to resume your
trade for that length Of time" was the
reply.
just my luck" grumbled the sick
man, after the physician had let, the
room. "Fortune seems to have a spite
against mc,"
"Yon are looking on the dark side Of
the picture, john" said the wife.
go I ought when there is no other
side to it, returned her husband. 81
should Ike TO know how you, who say
that all is Tor the best for me to break
my leg"
There are good many things fey
the best, John, that We are not wise
enough TO see"
Il suppose if you should fall down
and break your neck, your last words
would be Its all for the best ?"
frs.' Borden, smiled, and her hus-
baud continued,
"For three months I have got to lie
here idle, earning nothing, You know
we have got four hundred dollars in the
Savings Bank. expected by the end
Of this year to have a hundred more
there. But Instead of that / shall prob,
ably have to Withdraw n hundred. It's
just the way always. l can't begin to
prosper little, before something hap
pens TO put me back. Perhaps you
think it's all for the best that | should
lose three months time"
1--WE mustn't talk any more about it
now, John. | know it's great disap.
POintment TO you, and | cant see ex-
actly how it is that this misfortune is
going to promote our ultimate good. /
am as sorry as you are that we shall have
to encroach upon our money in the
bank, but ] doa't despair that it will yet
be made up to us in some way. God
has ordered all thiags 50 well in my life
hitherto that feel as if I could trust
him a little longer'
"But nobody else seems so unfortu.
nate as We arc. There's Squire Grif-
fths all he touches seems to turn to
gold"
""He hss been fortunate ia h;s manay