Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-09-24
fREom he WsVaEiy MeElslno.l
NEVERTHELESS.


twenty or more other young gen.
tlemen. They had been, you know,
90 rich as when my story
opens, and, although II 10 not al
ways well to 60 too deeply into a
mans or WOman's antecedents, even
In q law suit, Il may mention that
It is my pro ession, and that 70 my
best energies are at the service Of
my emplOyers,) still 1t is necessary
in the present Ease to 60 back a lit
tie, that, like an athlete about To
jump, we may gain q little Roadway
for our characters.
Amanda James father kept a
small cigar, periodical and ginger
pop stand, upon an unfrequented
tbOr0ughfare ola secOnd-rate large
city, Il don't allude to Boston.)
II is usual for q man of no special
business talent to turn to selling
such articles, as very little money
Is TO be made on them ; l know Of
no other reason. Moreover, q man
to succeed in any business, must
fasten his mind right down to it,
aud as Mr.. Bunch never could fas.
ten his mind down to anything, Of
course be liked to dabble in all man
ner Of cheap goods that were liable
TO become damaged on his hands
and entail loss. Being a model man
ne took q position where people
wouldn't be likely to call, and so,
aud as naturally might have been
expected, his life was q constant
struggle with debts.
How many children he had |
know not. Anywhere from six to
twenty would be a safe guess.
They were naturally unhealthy, and
generally shOrt-lived. Funerals
we're Q sort Of chronic gathering at
bis house, and his bill to the UNDER
taker overtopped all the bills OF
butcher, grocer and baker put to-
gether. You can imagine, then,
what were tho circumstances and
surroundings Of Amanda Jane, who
was unfortunate enough 10 live.
She grew up q s%lstternly, awkward,
weakly girl, who tended the chill
dren, washed the dishes, and kept
the store when her father went up
street. II makes my heart sick
for l have o sort Of heart, even
though . lawyer-to think of Amau-
da James growing up thus. Per-
haps she did not feel her disadvan-
tages. People who are kept busy
have no time to grow sentimental
over their own troubles. But the
chances are that she did feel them,
and felt all the desire for wealth,
education and position that a%flicts
the most favored Of her sex.
rather fancy no woman is satisfied,
whatever she has-I know no man
IL.
Being gawky, ill-favored, in ILL.,
health, and subject to periodical
literature, of course Amanda Jane
soon fell in love, and kept doing go.
| don't know as she is to blame.
III health has many attendant evils,
and perhaps the worst is sentiment.
| doubt II q person In health ever
loves anybody. One grows selfish
as one gets sick, and The supreme
selfshness Of human nature Is
shown In the desire to have Que OF
the other sex round 10 give atten-
ton aud love. However, Amanda
James love brought little pleasure
10 her. The young men were most
ly incipient blockheads as most
young men are, especially in cities,
(the law teaches you this soon,) and
their attentions were as bUOrish
and contemptuous as would be a
convict to his philanthropic friends.
Still the young heart Is slow to
condemn affection, and she was
constant in love though she changed
her lovers. Mr.. Bunch was inclined
to rail against society. He spoke
of the ill.fortune which had always
attended him. Now this was fool
lee in him, though l, too, have suf-
fered from i~ll.fortune. But in bis
case 1t was lnexcusable. He never
studied law, aud then found nc
clients. He never wrote political
articles to exc out his means, aud
heard that II was said Of him that
the reason no more clients called
was because he neglected law for
literature. Why, who but a foo
would choose literature for a pro-
fessiOn?
But Mr.. Bunch was unfortunate
lie was an own brother TO a rich
man. Now a rich relative plays the
deuce with q mans energy. Nc
man is going to work where there,
a chance TO sponge. It's opposed t.
human nature. Even q minister il
apt to yield to this temptation. Dc
you suppose Ia ever have been
lawyer il I'd liked work. No, sir
Therefore don't blame the man
Pity, but do not condemn.
Mr.. Bunch's brother did all he
could to disabuse Mr.. Bunch of any
hopes Of help from him, either IL
life or after death. He allowed nc
visits. He made no presents,
He answered no appeals
If they met he disowned
acquaintance. The result was Mr.
Bunch spent more time In hopes
and did less than ever. A man II
O man. II it were possible Il
change q man into an oyster, and
make him incapable Of hoping t.
get something for nothing, the lega
profession would cease to exist
Mr.. Bunch only thought how very
very, very rich his brother must b
to be so mean and hard.harted. w
naturally associate the two ideas
though we are willing enough K