National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-05-21
Edgar Ashcroft's nad Luck.

Gug6E ASlNrOie nuffteO through
the street at an unusually early hour
in the morning; for in general he
was given to late evening hours,
getting up in the morning whenev-
er he felt like it. He did not pause
till he reached the door of a plain
brick house in quiet street. Ring,
ing the bell rather excitedly, he in
quired of the servant, who answer
ed his summons:
is your master inf
Yes SIR
Hand him my card, and ask him
if he will see ue.'
The servant quickly reappeared |
with the request that Edgar would
| follow her into her masters presence
| Edgar Ashcroft was ushered in
20 a pleasant sitting room, where
his friend, Charles Holden, a sadate
man at least ten years Older than
himself, was seated at a table on
which rested q small trunk of busi-
ness documents, which he had hrOut
| home for examination, his business
being that Of lawyer.
what brings you here at this
early hour, Ashcroft = asked the
lawyer in surprise.
Bad news; said Edgar thrusting
his hands into his waistcOat pock-
cts. and speaking in an excited tone.
Bad news! l am sorry to hear
. that. But what is that
.You remember | consulted you
= three months since about invest
ing my money in copper mine
: somewhere in the Lake Superior
regionf
Il remember it perfectly. adj
vised you to have nothing to do
with it,
Il wish had taken your advice /;
but was fool enough to be dazzled
b by the brilliant promises OF the Gi-
rectors, and the long and short OF 1t
" is, | invested my entire fortune III
e the concern
is it possible 7
- Il wish it wasn't, but it is
The shares are selling for FIVE
dollars where paid hundred
How many have you 7
'tive hundred. That is, inves
nd ted fifty thousand dollars, and
could only sell out for twenty hv,
D. hundred today
- Sell out said Holden, laconically
What! and sacrifice nineteen
twentieths of my fortuncF
Better than the whole
'But don't you think it worth any
on thingT
,ry Not a cent.
'rhcre are some good mines there
- True but this was get up D.
swindlers to cheat the contdin
public out of their money. 1t WI
go down to nothing.
But twenty hundred dollars won
support me- said Ashcroft IN dl'
may,
DO as I do, them
,.. What 7
the the Earn your living by your ow
exertious.'
- But said Edgar,I have new
been brought up to work
Everybody ought to do som
thing :.
airs .But consider my delicate healt
- NV constitution is very weak, c;
assure YOU -.
' i should think it might he. y
turn night into day and day III
night. Late hours at parties, 50
ees and theatres are enough To II
,w. dermine any constitution, when G
,.,on ried to the excesscs YOU carry thrl
30 YOU really believe 1t Is tha'
Yes do =,
Il never thought of that. +
haps you may bc right: but IL
were able to work, what could Il
who would engage me AS a cler'
How woild YOU like to follow
profession I
-, ASA lawyer
Yes
r,son' Isn't it hard work
,",ns "v 'Of course it is. Anybody I
latcs, expects to succeed in a profess
,. must look forward to hard work
Would YOU recommend itF
Il would recommend You to
I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll eng
YOU AS my Office clerk, and pay
iny dollars n month. That
N" be all YOU will earn the first y
perhaps more but I'll agree to
il. Then YOU can sell out
:. shares, and get one hundred and
~ doliars annual interest on v
is left. That will give you st
hundred and fifty dollars year
-. come! 80.
"'so' IIow can live on tlatF ~
" '"' Edgar IN dismay. u assure
my tailor's bills amount nearI.
- that
sThen YOU must change your
pn or. In fact you must change
whole plan of life. You must
tire man of fashion, and bccol
steady going clerk
- ut will bc hard said the -
" man, this expression indica'i'
mental struggle
,sso. But IL IL necessary. Then q
',.,. consider that il is only for III
,op % The II you work with energy, you
soon command - good neon
Idford, am willing to extend you ever.
March sistancc III my power, ,iiu upo'
80, de,uud the rest. w llu