Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-07-04
WORKING FOR A LIVING.

NVhhlNU CVh III IlNVs
"Ruined |"
Ralph Hartston made the exclamation
in half incredulous and wholly sur
prised tone; and no wonder for Sid
ney Coster had but the day before been
the richest of all that wealthy circle Of
which they were the representatives.
eyes, ruined" .....
,"But I do not understand it, Coster," F"
said Harrison.
-" suppose not"
"I do not-I can not realize it," per-
sisted Hartston.
"You would, if you were in my
place." replied Sidney, bitterly.
"How did it happen-please ex-
plain" said Hartston. lighting fresh
cigar. However much our friends may
lose, it seldom interferes much with
our pleasures in this world. ..
"Simply and naturally enough" re-
piled Coster, declining with wave of
his hand the profered cigar. "No, I
must give up that luxury now; have
no money to spend upon cigars. I
trusted my money to my uncle, who, by
the way, is the best fellow in the world,
and he lost it all for me that's all p
"I'm amazed at your coolness," said
Ralph.
"No use in fretting about it now !;
that won't mend the matter. or make it
better" ....... .... ..
"That's true enough, but very hard
to practice, imagine. How did your
uncle, whom, by the way, should call
very shabby fellow if he had lost all
my fortune for me, lose all this money !?
Large sum, I believe ?"
"Cool hundred and fifty thousand" 4"
replied Coster as composedly as if the
sum were but the same number of
cents, or belonged to some one else.
Sand he lost 1t ?"
"Yes, that's just it-speculating, "
interrupted Sidney, as his friend glanc-
ed inquiringly at him. -.
s~" And you, Sidney, what will you ?"--
Why, go to work, of course What
else is there to do?" ...
e"Work Sidney Coster at work
He, the daintiest and most aristocratic
of us all, at work Why, the idea is
preposterous and absurd"
The sneering laug which followed
these words nettled his listener, and
reused all the manhood within him.
"And why shouldn't work-or you,
either, for that matter? God intended
that all his creatures should earn their
bread, and because we have always
lived and grown in the sun of pleasure,
and eaten of the bread of idleness, is
that any reason why we always should ?
Out upon such ideas, I say! and away
with this false pride, that will permit a
gentleman to swindle, lie, gamble, and
steal, and not lower himself; but aliases
him to the dust if he dares to honestly
earn his living. It's all wrong, and /
will not be bound by il p ..r-..
lie showed by his earnest look that
he meant it, every word. Hartston was
aghast at such leveling ideas, and
said: ...-..........
"Just as you please, of course, Cos.
ter. You are your own master. But,
of course, if you choose to put yourself
down in the dirt, you won't expect your
friends to come down to the same level.
I, for one, could never think of associ-
ating with man who worked for liv-
ing"
Sidney Coster's lip curled in con-
tempt of such character. Hartston
continued:
"Why don't you go ahead, old fell
low, and marry some rich girl |? You
are good looking fellow and might
very easily do it. ..--
"What an honorable thing that
would be, wouldn't it? I would rather
starve than thus degrade myself and
deceive woman -
AS you please. Good-day !" and
one friend was gone.
Coster stood looking after him mo-
ment, and in spite of his brave words
he felt bitter against the fate that had
made him poor man. 1t was pleas
ant life, this that he had been leading,
and it was hard to give it up.
The next thing to do was to search
for employment. He possessed moth
ing in the world except his clothes, 0
small stock of jewelry-relics of his for.
mer butterfly existence-and a heart
full of courage. He did not know how
to work, had never attempted even the
slightest details of business, but he sci
resolutely about the task before him.
He walked the city for days and
days, but all in vain. No one wanted
him. There were plenty of situations
but when his qualifications were asked
he was forced to tell the miserable
truth and confess that he know, just
nothing. How bitterly he regretted
now, in his hour, of need, that he had
net spent the hours which he had vast
ed in acquiring his accomplishments, il
learning something that could help hin
in his strait. Regrets were useless, an(
he went steadily forward upon the bare
path of duty.
i' At last he lost all hope OF finding EN-
ployment in the city, and turned hi
face toward the spreading fields ant
shady groves, and contsntsd, peaceful