The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-05-15

well as mitre--in prospective -io win
Nelly
Say as sou will. IL requires somo self.
deoial 10 give up such fair prospects as !
bad, and take 20 ploddlng and qulll-driv-
ing with mo very definite notions Of nc.
ward. Ola STANLEY -Nely's father
would only say that Il through ms own
unaidsd efforts, ! should win q good pos
ition in the mercantile world, he would
not refuse me when asked for hi,
daughter IN the meanwhile, | was al
lowed free communication with my be-.
loved, and we were both young enough
20 wait q few years for ! was twenty
when we first met, aud She was twelve
months Younger,
For tbrce years toiled like u galley
slave IN my new vocation Old Stanley
smiled approyinglv, snd advanced me
fairly euongh; but still there was an
awful bill to climb before | should dare
to say word about claiming Nelly, or.
Indeed before circumstances would per-
nit ne to marry without pecuuiary aid
from her father NY whole capital
amounted TO $4,000. II was legacy
from a maiden aunt Of mine; and many
times during those three probationary
years had ! been tempted to speculate
with ii, IN the hope Of taking fortune by
storm, as It were, instead of winning it
bit by hit
] cannot fancy YOU q speeulator, Luke,
said l. though lglnA considered you a
particularly wiae awake individual. DO
YOU remember your school nickname. All
Eyesy
10 be snre DO; aud deserved it,
Still, as You say, am not naturally spec
uative. make the most Of things in a
regular way OF bnsitsess, but run no need
less risks, Above all bold that he who
endnnger, dollar more than he actually
possesses, commits breach OF tie com
maud, Thou shalt not steal, Yet | have
specuated desperately; and it is OF my
own gambling transaction ! am going
to speak had made such satisfactory
progress under old Stanley's tntion, that
at length he proposed should invest my
little capital, and become his partner to
the amount | have named above Well
do remember leaving home on the NOR.
ming Of the day on which be made this
proposition. AS | passed through the
gate which led into the little shrnbbery-
YOU recollect the place James, for you
spent many joyial day at onr house
when we were lads--I was attracted by
the beautiful appearance of hop vine
which twined lightly round a sapine
hard by. had watched its growth, and
now, as its flowers trembled in the soft
wind, paused to admire it before
passed on my way. Before returned in
the euening, had made arrangements
for becoming partner in the great house
of Stanley e. Co., and my little capital
was, may say in my hands ready to re.
invest.
Amy person would suppose that, under
such circumstances, should be too much
absorbed in meditating on my commerci
/ al prospects to notice small external OBJ,
iects. But such was not the case. As
usual, was all eyes; and when Preached
the little shrubbery-gate, l noticed that
the plant which in the morning looked SC
! beautiful was now shrunken, and appear.
ed as though scorched and withered. Curl
Gus to know the cause, went immediate
ly TO the library, and took down worR
which would, | thought, enighten me
In ii | found a description of what il
termed the hop.bligbt; and, on comparing
my own small experience with it, could
scarcely doubt that my favorite plant haG
been thus suddenly struck with the di
sease. Stin, was not quite satisfied; Sc
/ consulted the gardner, who happened
to be at work on the lawn. lie shook his
head when he saw the vine. 1t il The
blight, sure enough, said he. Very few
hops will there be this year 1t comes il
this way and covers a great extent o
country all at once, Just as though famo
had passed over it.
Then You think, said /, the crop will b,
spoiled?
Not bit of doubt of that, sir.
That will do; thank you. felt anx
ious to know what had spoiled my vin'
so suddenly.
] The man returned to his work. and
never waiting for dinner, hurried back tC
town, to purchase every packet of hops
could lay hold on. 1t was a desperat,
game for risked every farthing pos
sessed, but no more. Hops were tber
particularly cheap, for the preceding yea
had been one Of remarkable plenty; anC
a few hours before began TO buy there
was good prospect for the coming sea
son. Thanks to my being all eyes, wa
first in the field made no confident
4 did not even tell Nelly what ] was do
Ing. When old Stanley alluded to thr
partnership, quietly requested permiss
ion TO reconsider the matter. His lac
told that be deemed me a fool, for his of
er was certainly a thing 10 jump at, an,
be informed Nelly IN my presence, anl
with perceptibe sucer, that was con
sidering whether a partnership with hin
would OF would not be advisable. Tn
dear girl herself seemed almost huf
about 1t but whispered 10 her that Va
must trust me entirely, and said 80 more
Nelly had wonderful faith IN my iufalli
biIify then.