St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-10-01
Luck.

Dick stood looking in the window of q
gitt-store. He ought to have been in his
place at the office half an hour before
but he stayed over night with Phil Bar
ncy, and oversight himself.
Il might as we'll be hung for a sheep
as a lamb thought he; I'm late any
how, and I'll take 4 peep in here and
finish my cigar. Ii should buy any of
these gift things. sholdn't get decent
prizc. | never had any h4cl in my life
some folks are always i'll luck. There
is Tom Porter. He has not been OH the
street any longer than | have, and his
salary is raised, and he has one hundred
dollars in the savings bank It's too
bad. I've good mind to 20 out west,
where wages are better and board cheap"
just then, to Use Dicks language, ''as
bad luck would have it," his Uncle
Richard, for whom hc WAS named and
whose good will he particularly valued,
drove up in n carriagc, to call on an ar
chitect whose office was over the gift
store
"What are you doing here, Dick, at
half after nine in the morning? Throw
away that cigar get in my carriage,
and I'll take You to the office. l want
TO talk with you
The architect was out, and Uncle
Richards feet, that had been in sctivc
use siNty-two years, carried him up and
down the stairs and back to his seat
about as soon rs his cighteen-years-old
nephew could walk from the window to
the carriage.
"W hat does the savage old fellow
want of me ! This is just piece of my
bad luck" thought Dick.
Uncle Richard got in, and repeated his
question, "Why amt you at your Office
At your age | began my work at six
o'clock by filling lamps and sweeping the
store You have one of the best places
in town, and I'm afraid you'll lose it if
you hang around mornings in this style.
Dick, if you were not my only sisters
orphan son, I'd wipe my hands of you"
at would be just my luck, uncle, if
you did"
"Nonsense Dick, don't use that
word to me. 1t is a word of the devils
coming. There is no such thing as luck.
''Iou call me a lucky man, do you ?"
said Uncle Richard.
Dick nodded his head.
"Well, | didn't sleep nights with idle
fellows like Phil Barney. l worked to
learn the business, and make myself nee
essary to my employers, so that they
would have to take me into partnership
when | became man-not with my eye
on the clock and hand on my cap ready
to rush for home. | wore pants a little
too short for me, and coat-sleeves that
would not cover my wrists, and coarse
boots, till l could honestly pay for better
ones. | walked when | wanted to ride.
worked when l wanted to play, tasted
when | wanted to eat, held my tongue
when | wanted TO make pert replies, got
up when | wanted to lie abed, and went
to bed when wanted to sit up E; and, TO
cap all, | never felt too old to obey my
mothers wishes. The devil soon got
tired hanging around Inc whispering
about good tuck. l laughed in his face,
and now have the reward of a life OF
honest, active labor, through Gods bless
ing"
"Dick, what are you going to do ?"
Uncle, sometimes [ think I'll 60 to
Chicago or California, where SO many
young men make fortunes"
"You'll make a beggar or a thief if
you do. The west is overrun now with
silly fellows that are in search of luck.
The men who succeed out there work