The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-10-08

very little lett Tor us 10 llNc upon, nO'
near as much in all as we have been ac-
customed to spend in one year, so you
sec it is necessary for me to do some.
thing" "Well, letall the debts be paid, u
said Clara. Certainly" said her brother
eve will be henest; but what is to be-
come of us, l don't see" he added
moodily, letting his head fall upon his
hands again. "Oh, brother, we can get
along somehow" said Clara, hopefully
"we will be good and industrious, and
God will help U.S. Do not feel so badly
about it, dear Ned" she continued, the
woman's true spirit developing itself in
her child's heart; "if you are only
happy, can be so too, if we are ever sc
poor" ooh, l don't care for myself,
Clara, my sorrow is only for you; and
when l think how have been wasting
my time it makes me feel sick. What a
good education / might have now if
had only improved my opportunities;
could 60 into almost any kind of business
and get fine salary, but now l don't
know what can do" "Oh, you will be
able to get situation in store, or some
thing Of that kind" i am afraid not
Briggs could have got me situation this
morning if l had known anything Of
bookkeeping; but / would not learn il
when had the opportunity. If ! could
only have my advantages over again how
/ would improve them!" he exclaimed
earnestly; and alas how many young
men feel so when it is too late! For
some time Edwin sought diligently to
obtain situation; but by one of those
strange fatalities which we sometimes
see, every opening seemed closed against
him. Weary and disheartened, he at
last heard proposition with satisfaction,
which a short time before would have
excited his indignation that any one
would dream of his accepting it.
"I think, young man." said a friend
to him, "that the publishing business
will prove as Profitable as any in which
YOU can engage, and it would certainly
be pleasant one. If were you, think
| should turn my energies into that chan
mel. You are so young that would ad-
wise you to commence at the "A. Is. y. OF
the business, and 60 to sticking type. 1t
will be a great advantage to you hereaf-
ter to understand all the oflice-work
we'll; and with your quickness you can
make enough to live upon comfortably,
until an occasion occurs for promoting
YOU. Think about it, and if you decide
to try your hand at type-setting, l will
insure YOU a situation at once, where
your earnings will be paid to you every
Saturday"
Though Edwin felt his cheeks burn at
the idea of turning printers boy, he did
think seriously about the matter, and
the prospect of immediate employment
and weekly pay proved so enticing that
he entered at once upon the work. With
an energy and perseverance entirely new
to him, he labored diligently, ever keep
ing his promotion in view, and improv-
ing the intervals of work by storing his
mind with valuable Information. "When
/ get to be an editor" he would say to
himself, cit will be important for me to
know such and such things" and with
untiring energy he learned more In one
month than he had done during the two
years spent within the college walls. lie
kept himself from all low companions
and degrading associations of printing
office, by the reflection, "my life is not
to be spent here. l aim at something
higher. / was born gentleman, and a
gentleman mean always to be, If L am
Door; so must not fall into any habits
or expressions that should hereafter be
ashamed Of" Thus his pride and ambi-
ton kept him pure in the midst of con-
taminating influences and though his
delicate hands became hardened and
labor-soiled, neither he nor his sister
cared for that so long as his mind and
heart remained unsullied. Whether
these could have continued so for any
length of time, despite the extent of his
pride and ambition, is uncertain, had not
another and holier influence followed
him into that dingy work-room, and
guarded him from those sons OF vice and
ignorance whom he met there. l mean
his sisters prayers. Though a child in
years she had learned to carry all her
burdens to the foot of the cross, and each
day as the youth departed for the scene
of his toll. how earnestly did she plead
with her Saviour, in the solitude OF her
little room, that her idolized brother
might be delivered from all evil"
Sister, do you know that your prayers
NAV arm a precious brother with strength
to resist the manifold temptations by
which he is beset? Brothers, who stand
up in the conscious dignity of opening
manhood, and feel, if you do not say it,
"I am better than any other boy in our
Office or store" have you sister that
loves you well enough to pray for you
Little can you estimate the influence her
prayers may have extended in keeping
YOU unspotted from the world ]! y
Though living in a very humble way,
that orphan brother and sister were SC
happy in each other that they hardly
missed those who proved themselves
"summer friends" But my lady read
ers must not fancy that Clara spent hel
days in idleness. Far from it. How
soon her little fingers learned to ply the
needle rapidly, and proud and happy
was she when she could present hel
brother with set of beautiful linen
in which no one had put stitch Du
herself. Nor was this all; dearly as she
loved her brother, and greatly as she re
joiced in having such a protector, hel
woman's pride made her resolve that sh'
would not be burden to him, and he
little head almost ached sometimes will
the schemes and conjectures, which KEEP
running through it, as to what she coult
do to render herself independent. Ant
when she had hit upon the right idea
she clapped her hands for Joy, and danced
about the room with lighter heart thar
she had known since her fathers death
When their rich furniture was sold, he
brother had insisted upon retaining tn,
piano, which had been her mothers
Being of antique style, it would hav
brought but trifling sum, while botl
, felt that il was worth an untold amour
of gold to them.
, TYes, / will fit myself for a musi
teacher" said Clara, pausing at last !
) her wild dance; call my instructors sal
} had decided talent<for it, and l Wi
practice and practice, oh, so unweariec
, ly, and then / will commence with tn
: little children first, and teach them s