Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-07-29

"Ruined 2"

"Ruined 2"
Ralph Hartston made the eyclama.
tion in a half incredulous and wholly
surprised tone and no wonder Sidney
Coster had the day before been the
richest of all that wealthy circle OF
which they were the representatives.
"Yes, ruined"
"But do not understand it, Coster, VI
said Hartston.
81 suppose not"
81 do not-I cannot realize it." per-
sisted Hartston.
"You would if you were in my place, -
replied Sidney bitterly.
How did it happen-please explain, u
said Hartston, lighting a fresh cigar.
However much our friends may lose, il
seldom interferes mucG with our plea.
sures in this world.
simply and naturally enough" re-
piled Coster, declining with a wave of
his hand the proffered cigar. 'sNo,
must give up that luxury now; have
no money to spend on cigars. 1 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"
81 am amazed at your GOODNESS" said
Ralph.
''No use fretting about it now that
won't mend the matter, or make it any
better"
''That's true enough, but very hard
to practice, imagine. How did your
uncle, who, by the way, should call a
very sharp fellow, if he had lost all my
fortune for me, lose all this money !?
Large sum believe ?"
Cool hundred and fifty thousand" p"
replied Coster as composedly as if the
sums we're but the same number of
cents, or belonged to some one else.
"And he lost it ?"
"Yes, that's Just it-speculating, I"
interrupted Sidney, as his friend glanced
inquiringly at him.
"And you, Sidney. what will you?-"
"Why go to work, of course What
else is there to do?"
"Work Sidney Coster at work He
the daintiest and most wealthy aristo-
crat 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.
''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 the bread of idleness, is it
any reason why We always should Out
upon such ideas, say and away with
this false pride, that will permit gen.
tleman 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 y
He showed by his earnest look that
he meant it, every word. Hartston
was aghast at such levelling ideas, and
said A.:
'Just as you please, of course, Cos
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.
1, for one, would never think of asso-
ciating with a man who worked for a
living.
Sidney Coster's lip curled in con-
tempt of such o character. Hartston
continued
"Why don't you go ahead, old fellow
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
woman !"
"As you please. Good-dayI y And
one "friend" was gone.
Coster looked after him a moment,
and in spite of his brave words he felt
bitter against the fate that had made
him a poor man. 1t was pleasant 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. Hepossessed nothing
in the world except his clothes and
small amount of iewelry-relics of his
former butterfly existence-and heart
full of courage. He did not know how
to work, had never attempted even the
slightest details of business, but he set
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 knew, just-noth-