Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-10-31

tune coming TO you, ana while you had
no responsibility or care, for | was the
head of everything. Wen, you were
wrong there; no man can day dream with.
out coming to loss; but if you could not
afford it then, how much less now. Be-
| lieye me, Amos, folks do not dream them.
selves into anything. Be up and doing,
and with Gods blessing all may yet be
well. Keep from wishing, wishing, and
be doing, doing, and with industry, hon,
esty, and thrift, and the blessing OF your
God, you will do well. -
This was the last talk the miller had
with Amos about worldly things, though
he said much more to him about the hap
pier and better land-for the good man
had that above which no losses or bank
ruptcies could take away.
Mary Crus' had to do what she could
for her own living, for now the mill and
all belonging to il was to be sold; but
she had her brave fathers heart and
courage, and was quite prepared for
whatever duty pointed ont as a right
course. Friends found her q situation as
a companion to lady who lived in Lon
! don. 1t seemed to be in every way de-
sirable; and though Amos would have
kept her in Hollington if he could, Mary
was determined. She reminded Amos of
all her father had said to him about day
! dreaming-that honest work was what
| lay before them; and that if they both
stuck to it, honest labor would sooner or
later bring them together as man and
wife. How soon that will be" said
Mary Crust, depends most likely, Amos,
upon Yourself
So the millers daughter went off to her
situation, and Amos remained at Holling
| ton.
Amos Dyke was not quite without re-
! sources The creditors of the HOlling-
ton miller, when they met, had as their
chairman a worthy Friend named
! Helps, who, at the end of the meeting,
addressed his brother creditors on behalf
of Amos.
"There is one matter" said Mr.. Joshua
| Helps, "that wish to bring before the
meeting before we part; it is the case of
| the young man Dyke. think we ought
to have pity for that young man; he is
now beggared, through no fault of his
own, and | would propose subscription
on his behalf. If there be any who will
follow me, will give fl0 to begin with. "
The proposition of the worthy Quaker
was successful 800 was raised for Amos
| in the room,
'Look thee here, friend" said the
| Quaker, there are the materials for an
ample fortune. Fortunes have been made
out of penny piece; how much more
| can there be made out of 600? Now
stir thyself and this money Alright, and
| thou wilt do well"
! Amos took the money with much graf
| itude, and, in truth, intended to do no
end of things with it; but day after day
slipped by, and while he intended to do a
great deal, he really did nothing.
And every day he found ii harder and
| harder to begin lie had no immediate
necessity, for his money supplied him
with all he required, and, always think
| ing that this thing and that were not
| good enough, he allowed month after
month to pass.
One grand chance Amos let slip. The
| Holington carrier, who had succeeded
his father offered to give him a share
of the business if he would put $50 in
it and undertake to drive one of the
teams himself, but Amos was above
| taking to the road, and so that chance
passed by.
"Now," said Amos, as he sat dreaming
| ly by the roadside one day, as the Gull
| ford and London coach drove by with a
team of four splendid grays, "if could
get a share in turnout like that, |
shouldn't mind driving it,
On came the coach, and there is no
knowing how long Amos Dyke might
| have sat there, had not an elderly gentle
man shouted to him as he passed and
cried, "Ah, friend Amos Dyke is that
/ thee What art thou doing there: Here,
coachman Hollo, COachman! wait one
moment; Wen take up this young man
for a mile or two, and III pay for him,
| Now, then, friend Amos, squeeze in here
| by me- now tell me how thou art getting
! on, and what kind of business thou hast
! put that 800 in, which allows thee to be
/ sitting doing nothing by the roadside at
this hour of the day My experience Of a
el00 is that it requires a good deal of
| looking after but, perhaps thou hast
/ found some new way Of making money
while thou dost play
A few words, and indeed poor Amos's
| looks, revealed TO the shTewd Quaker eX-
actly how ,he matter lay, 1t was no part
of the worthy mans intention to shame
| Amos before other people, so he said no
more until they arrived at the next stage.
! Then while the horses were being
changed, Joshua Helps said, Thou hast
/ nothing to do, 50 thou shalt come to Lon
! don with me- | will take care Of thee and
! bring thee back all safe tomorrow"
! Amos felt thrill of delight at the
proposition, and, in the tulness Of his
! 10y, told the Quaker of his special attrac-
! ton there; indeed, in his simplicity, he
even went SO far as to confess that he
used frequently to go and sit on thai seat,
where he had found him. to look at the
coach, and that he had a kind OF dreamy
pleasure in thinking that il was going to
/ the place where she was.
"And will the coach's going bring thee
/ and her nearer said Mr., Joshua; what
| good will that do thee?" Mr.. Joshua did
| not say this because he did not believe in
! loye-not he lie had loved Sarah Short
! himself and never ceased until he had
made her Sarah Helps; but he did not be-
lieve in dreamy love, but in working love,
| He used TO say, "Orpha kissed Naomi,
| but Ruth clave unto her
All that day Mr. Joshua Helps took
! Amos Dyke with him, continually direct
ing his attention TO one person, and one
! thing and another, in this fashion: Dost
thou see that horse, Amos-how it pullsy
! Dost thou see at what haste that man is
walking with that parcel, Dost thou
perceive how everybody is going some
where and doing something And, in
deed, the young need have no greater eX-
ample of energy than Mr. Joshua himself,
who, pulling out his watch often, from
time to time, Was evidently intent on get
ting through no end Of work before even