Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-11-05
WORKING FOR A LIVING.


"Ruined :"
Ralph Hartsten made the exclama-
tion in half incredulous and wholly
surprised tone; and no wonder! fol
Sidney Coster had 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.
said Hartston.
81 suppose not"
q do uot-I cannot realize it," per
sisted Hartston.
"You would ifyou were in my place,
replied Sidney bitterly.
Glow did it bappen-please ex-
plain, SAID Hartston, lighting a 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 a wave of
his hand the preferred cigar. mo,
must give up that luxury now; I have
no money to spend ON cigars l trus
ted my money to my uncle, who, by
the way, is the best fellow in the world
and be lost it all for me; that's ALL
81 am amazed at your GOODNESS, said
Ralph.
'sNo use fretting about it now; that
won't mend the matter, or make it any
better"
That's true enough, but very hard to
practical imagine. How did your uncle
who, by the way, should not call a
very sharp fellow, if he had lost all my
fortune for me, lose all this money!
Large sum believer
'4Cool hundred and fifty thousand"
replied Coster as composedly as if the
sums were but the same number of
cents, or belonged to some one else.
"And he lost it"
eyes, that's just it. specializing" in.
terrupted Sidney, as his friend glanced
inquirinely at him.
"And you, Sidney, what will you'-"
.'Why 60 to work, Of course! What
else is there to dog
"Work! Sidney Coster at work J.
He the dsintiest and most wealthy arts
tocrat of us all, at work Why the idea
is preposterous and absurd"
The sneering laugh which followed
these words nettled his listener, and
reused all the manhood within him.
Sand 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 the bread OF idleness, is it
any reason why we always should :!
Out upon such ideas, l 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 l
will not be bound by it'll"
He showed by his earnest look that
he meant it, every word. Hartston
was aghast at such lsveling ideas, and
said:
"Just as you please, of course, Coster.
You are your own master. But, of
course, if you choose to put yourself
down in the dirt, you won't expect
yeur friends to come down to the same
level. /, for one, would never think of
asseciating with man who worked for
living"
Sidney Coster's lip curled in con-
tempt of such = character. Harston
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, would rather
starve than thus degrade myself and
deceive = womani"
"As you please. Good-dayl" And
one ssfriend' was gone.
Coster looked after him : momen.
and nspite ct his brave words be felt
Bitter xapsant TIE ffte ttat Md ,ss4e