The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-03-19
The Way of the World.

There was once q pleasant village in
thrifty New England State-there are
scores of such to-day. The boys at
tended district school, helped on the
farm, in the store, and up at the mill
the girls went to school too, when their
mothers could spare them, rode down
hill on the boys sleds in winter, helped
with the housework in summer, and
frolicked, boys and girls together, at
apple-bees, corn -huskings, quilting
parties, and picnics all the year round.
By and by two of the boys, the son
of farmer and the son of minister,
went to the city. They were tired OF
world. They were good, smart boys,
and everybody prophesied well fo1
them. They would take honest coun-
try blood into the great city, the world
would hear of them, and their native
village be proud of them.
And so at first it seemed The boys
were received with favor, obtained the
confidence of their employers, and rose
rapidly until they were placed in posi-
tions of honor and trust. This good
news travelled back of course to the lit
tie New England village, and became
the never-ending subject of couversa-
ton. The boys were the heroes and
exemplars of the modern spirit of en-
terprise and progress and while the
girls who were left behind fretted at
the necessity which chained them to
their homes, numbers of the boys were
goaded by taunts at their want of
smartness to try their own luck, and
were lost in the great maelstrom.
But our two young adventurers con-
tinued to justify the good opinion of
their. townsfolk. Their fame spread,
wealth came to them, substantial evil
dences of Which were seen in sundry
additions to the farmhouse, in a new
four wheeled vehicle for Sunday church
going, in divers silk dresses of quiet
style but rich material, city-made bon
nets, and such fitting out as the par
sonage had not seen in all the days of
its existence.
When the boys, now men, returned
after long absence for a brief visit
they were received with due honors. A
meeting was held in the meeting house,
speeches were made, everybody shook
hands, the old people cried, the young
women presented bouquets, and every
thing went merry as marriage bell.
In fact marriage bells followed The
son of the minister had welded the
daughter of a city millionaire, but the
farmers son returned to wed the only
daughter of the richest man in his ma
tive town. This put the climax to their
prosperity. Boys were sent to them to
be taught the art of success money
rolled in upon them--they were now at
the head of great business houses of
their own-orphans and widows begged
them to take their funds, invest and in
crease them.
What is 1t that makes the apple rot
when it has reached perfection What
is it that puts a limit to prosperity and
says to the waves of ambition thus fan
shalt thou go and no further? What is
it i'll poor human nature that thus pre-
pares its own downfall e?
One day a great bubble burst; one
day great wrong was detected In the
ruins of these events we find two smart
boys two rich, greedy, unscrupulous
men hundreds of ruined families
thousands of miserable, wrecked men,
women and children. One finds a
refuge in foreign land, the other in a
back street; neither dare go home to
receive curses instead of blessings.