St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-03-22

. might get rest and recreation i'll better
y ways. All these things found out ol
f observed i'll the course of the year. The
b. children. too. came to school regularly
{; clean and tidy. Now John wanted to
l see me again.
f SO he came into the library (it was on
e Saturday evening,) i'll his working
dress s-but looking clean and trim, and
+ certainly not smelling OF either beer Ol
stale tobacco, as many do ut that season
and with his honest face radiant with
Il smile, which was almost il broad grin
Il thought you'd excuse me, sir, but
r | wanted to show YOU something" he
said, and 50 saving handed me his say
t ings bank book.
Five pounds, thirteen shllingS and
SiXpcnce - exclaimed. "Well done -
knew all the debts had been paid he
sides.
at shall he ten more next year. please
Cod" he reioined, proudly. Then,
holding out his hand aS the tears stood
in his eyes, he said, "God bless you,
sir"
And replied with all my heart,
''And you, too, John :" and think my
own eyes were il little dimmed.
John went on we'll. He had to en-
durc, of course. il good deal of chatfiing
from his shopmates, hut he took it for
the most part very quietly, as was his
way; and week hy week his account at
the savings bank the post Office savings
bank it was grew larger. He was fair
ly working his way up to ii better posi-
ton, and might at no distant period
have looked to be II foreman, when
suddenly, unexpectedly. as great blows
do come upon us, he and many others
We're struck to the ground 10y an event
which was deemed important enough to
have IL newspaper paragraph 10y itself.
I'VE regret to hear that the large
building contractors, McsSrs. Combs &
Plank, have at last sIccumbed to IL
pressure which has already fallen so
heavily on many smaller houses. They
stopped payment only yesterday after
noon, and the principal works i'll --
street are now closed. More than four
hundred men are thus thrown out of
work, to add to the already great dis
treSS of the district. and to the daily i'll
crea>ing number demanding parish re-
lief. The liabilities of the firm, are. we
hear. not less than I l5O.OOO: probably
more.
Johns improved character and posi-
tiun i'll the works could he no protection
against such an event us this and i'll
the Stagmation of trade which was then
prevailing, III consequence of the col
lapse of So many seemingly prosperous
SpcculationS, there was little chance for
even the best men To find employment.
John was therefore again "out of work.
We We're very good friends now, and 50
when heard of the sad affair. | made
up my mind to go at once and see him.
He stood up to greet me as | entered
his house and held out his hand. 'TIuu-
bile again. sir" he said. 'as | suppose
you've heard. But anyhow YOU are
welcome. Brmga chair. Bessie. Please
sit down Il bit. sir. We've been talking
as Id better Z" and see YOU"
And I'm first. ynu see" | replied. as
cheertully as possible. for it was sad
affair. But knew it would not help to
bc grieNouS over it. Il am very sorry.
indeed. Yates" SAID. What is to be
done p
"Ah ! there it is, sir" replied he. I'm
sure I'd sweep the streets. or break
stones. or anything, sooner than hc out
of work for long. But where's the work
To bc found 1t breaks Il mans heart
a most Ia hc He WAS obliged tn
stop here and MAKE, believe T." pat the
tr, to rights ITO he shaving hard to
get on and pat 10y Il bit. and then to hc
flung like this.
put my hand on his shoulder and
said. You remember coming to me
how Ion. WAS it Il NcHrag and mnI,
when Nou Wcrc out of work before -
Il ,l". sit" he said 18th emphasis. 1T
wa> one of the best days work ~ ever
did
Il am glad t" hear it," answered.
Nov | want lou t" fulfill the promise
of that time. lou have done WE'LL
nnhly. hitherto. Never despair" ="
"ThaI'> what SAY" struck i'll his " iir
who had been busy about some h"u>r
hold matters before. hut now came up
and took her seat 10y his side. with the
lah, on her lap. It'll never do l." 90
back. and We must hope for better times ::
hope on and hope ever, | say.
gave her Il look and IL nod of en-
couragcmrnt. and then turning again to
John. | said
"Juh. there WIS once Omc who knew
Il workingman'> lot, and his trials and
temptations. too. He knows Yours. and
is willing t" help Hom. Don't forget
Him
JOlln boNtu HIS lltau, bllI nlaue no
, reply.
And them" went ON, Just think
how differently You stand now to what
, you did then. Why. how much have
you in the bank. John! You had moth
ing then.
/ "Wcll," he said. recovering himself,
lit may he Il matter of some twenty OF
t five and twenty pounds. hut | had put
that by for this here boy, to apprentice
. him." And he put his hand on the head
of Il bright looking boy who stood 10y
him.
: like to see that like man who
. can sacrifice and save for his children.
t God bless him." thought Ibis boy
shall not suffer from this disaster"
l sat silent for a while, and then said:
, "John, you must draw on the bank
there's no doubt about that, and don't
t be down hearted. Believe me youl
1 friend, and wait till | see you again
4 Your boy will he willing to wait and
e help his father and mother, know
+ | must cut my story short, or | shall
weary my readers. Johns hoard, | was
T. sorry for it, dwindled away while that
n long and weary time of out-of- work
!. continued. and could see by his worI
= look and anxious eye how great tria
4 he was suffering. But he bore it nobly
h He saw it was inevitable, and braceC
4 himself up to it.
4 One morning he came to me and ask
{. ed me to look at an advertisement he
h had Just seen in one of the local papers
s Wanted, IL good, experienced hand Il.