Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-10-22

o'clock his notes were all lifted, but at a
sacrifice fearful to contemplate.
After a glance at bis bil.book for the
next day, Melville started for his luxurious
home TO meet his dainty fashionable wife,
10 a state Of mind bordering on to despair.
for the next days payments were over
twelve thousand dollars. lie had seen aud
heard enough during the days financial ex.
periments to satisfy him that not one half
Of that sum could be raised and 20 vague
terror took the place Of conceited selEcou.
ddence and the frightened young mer-
chant, who had come in aud gone out with
such an elastic tread and proud bearing.
entered his home with all his feathers
dropping.
So quicsly had he come in that his wait.
ing wife failed to hear the opening door
and familiar step in the passage. Wonder.
ing at her husbands long stay beyond the
usual hour, she came down stairs, under
the influence Of restless feeling. Enter.
ing the parlor, she started in sudden sur
prise and alarm, for there, reclining upon
a lounge, was her handsome young husband,
bis pale face the image Of weak despair.
" Oh, Harry, you are i'll p she exclaimed,
flying across the room, and dropping down
upon the floor in front Of the lounge.
&c am in trouble" was his choking re.
ply.
"Oh, what has happened, Harry ?"
&" don't know" he answered 4" am
bewildered. Something has gone wrong iD
business. "Oh, Florry, | have passed
through fearful day and there is no
strength left in me"
What change from the bold, business
braggart of the day before But Harry
Melville was a mere dandy 10 trade. There
was no muscle 10 the man, no reserved
power, no elastic property. He had grown
as a balloon grows, asl, like a balloon, col
apsed at the FIRST sharp puncturs.
What could a mere summer blossom Of n
wife DO to help man in such an extrem-
ity Nothing. She could weep, and
wiring her hands, and sob like distressed
actress But she had no comforting sug-
gestions, no brave words, no hopeful senti-
ments to offer
Did our young merchant, after a period
Of cool reflection, take heart again ? Did
he 90 out on the next morning, and nerve
himself for another struggle with the diff.
culties which had so suddenly closed around
him No Busy memory, through the
remainder Of that day and evening, sup.
piled him with data enough to complete his
total overthrow as 4 man Of nerve and ac-
tion. His boyish partner came to see him,
aud tried to reinspirit him with brave
words. But they were Of no avail He
was panic-strickeD by the fearful aspect oI
things, and gave up without a struggle.
On the next day, the notes of the fru
went to protest. An assignment followed
and, at the settlement of affairs, the cred
itors received dividend Of twenty cents OF
the dollar
Just twenty-three years of age was Harry
Melville when he shrunk back from his
advanced position in the business and social
world bankrupt, his name a word of re.
proach or contempt on hundreds Of lips
and sought hidino-place with bis helpless
wife in the house Of his father, whose pre-.
dictions had been too speedily fulfilled
His bark was shattered by the first storm.
Take the lesson to heart, ye too eager
young men. The story is scarcely an ex'
aggeration. Old Mr.. Melville was entirely J
right in his counsel to his son. A business
commenced at twenty-one, or even as early
as twenty-five, is almost certain to result ii
failure. The first thing that young mar
who hopes to succeed in the world needs tC
learn, is economy in his personal expendi
lures. If, as clerk he spends his entire
earnings, and trusts to get into business b,
virtue OF credit, the chances of failure mr.
two to one against him. His habits 0
mind will tempt him to almost certain de
struction.