The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-11-14

his children were young, he was 30 alb
sorbed in his fields and in his merchan-
disc that he had no time or inclination
to cultivate their morals or to win their
love. In matters of no real moment as
to the welfare of these children he would
interfere with his wife's management of
them in an arbitrary and tyranical way /;
thus closing their minds against him,
and destroying his influence over them
for good. Badly managed, repressed
unwisely in some directions and unwise-
| ly indulged in others, they were grow
ing up selfish, ill-tempered, proud, and
exacting; cursing with discord his home
instead of blessing it with love. And
he, as far as could learn, giving way to
a morose temper, made their lives as un-
comfortable as they made his. 1t was
mutual antagonism, and under circum-
stances that precluded separation. And
here was my successful man
My dear old friend !" exclaimed Hen
ry Melleville, grasping my hand as he
opened the door of his modest little
home, and stood looking me in the face,
his own fine countenanoe all aglow with
pleasure. "This is a surprise Come
in! Come imp And he drew me along
the passage into a small parlor, the
meagre furiture of which told the story
of his limited means
"When did you arrive? Where did
you come from? Why, it's over-let me
see-over twenty years since you were
here, or at least since have seen you.
here"
cover twenty-five" said 1.
$50 long! Is it possible Well, how
are you, and where are you? Tell me
all about yourself"
All about myself! And the interest
was sincere and cordial. 81 must hear
about you first" I answered, smiling
back into his smiling face. "How is it
with you? z"
"Oh, as well as I deserve, and some
thing better" he replied, cheerfully. No
shadows came over his face.
You have not succeeded in getting
rich, see."
"Not rich in this worlds goods :;
but true success in life is not always to
be measured by gold. We start, in early
manhood, with happiness as the end in
view, and in most cases wealth is con-
sidered the chief means of securing that
end. own have fallen into the error
myself. But my successes have not been
in that direction. Riches weuld have
done me more harm than good, and so
in mercy they have not been given. 1
struggled hard for them called them
for time the greatest good, or the chief
means toward attaining the greatest
good. l was unhappy when disaster and
disappointment came"
"But manly philosophy ouotained
you," said
"It were better called religion" he
answered, his voice falling into lower
key. "I tried philosophy, but it wouldn't
do; and so, in my weakness and pain, /
went up higher, to the Strong for
strength"
His face lighted up beautifully.
"And found Him friend that sticketh
closer than BROTHER" remarked.
"Yes, in truth. lam poor but His
are the cattle upon thousand hills"
"You have children 2" I said.
"Yes, and good children, thank God.
Loving children"
His eyes glistened as he spoke.
And this was the man who had not
succeeded, this was the man of whom
some spoke with pity, some with indif-
ference, and some even with contempt as
of no account. But Payson was call
right" 1 referred to Payson.
"Poor man !" was the reply. "I never
look at him without feeling of pity"
"He has succeeded largely"
"There is difference of opinion about
that" said Melleville. "Some think he
has failed miserably."
"He is rich"
"In money, and in nothing else; and
of all riches that comes with fewest bles-
the mind and heart, gold always curses
its possessor. So l read in the book of
human life. 1t has cursed Payson. 1
would not exchange places with him,
taking his consciousness and state of
mind, for the wealth of a thousand
worlds. Mo- no! no p
He spoke with earnestness.
81 have seen him." said 1.
"Well, how did he impress you!"
GAS to all that is worth living for, I
should say with you that his life has been
miserable failure"
"And so are the lives of thousands"
he answered, "whom the world points
out as its most successful men. Get close
to them see them in their true individ-
uality; in their homes, if you can ap-
proach that near, and you will see poor
wrecks of manhood, bloated selfshness,
tormenting itself with ill-nature, or mad
with pain from some eating cancer of the
soul that goes on, day and night, with
its work of ruin"
saw these two men frequently dur
ing the few days that fingered in the
old familiar places, and when went
away it was with no nicely-balanced
question in my thought as to which was