Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-10-18
THE SON OF A GROCER.

From the New York Sunday Mercury.
"Why do you discard the suit of
Gustave Wager, Gretchen 2" asked the
Rev. Mr.. Liner, when Mrs. Fried
land had requested to expostulate with
her daughter on that young lsdy's per-
versity.
ooh, BECAUSE" was the logical reply.
But, my DEAR" urged the reverend
gentlemen, "Gustave is young man
of good habits, and is intelligent and
promising, and / think, will make you
an excellent husband, if he is not very
wealthy"
But do you suppose / would marry
a grocer?"
Why not? That is a respectable
vocation"
e Ha, ha, ha! Marry the son of a
grocer no, sir; tell you, Mr.. Liner,
if ever [ marry, it shall be somebody
who is rich"
"Why do you wish to marry some
body who is rich ?"
clio, no, no! What question! So
as to have lots of money, of course"
6 But what would you do with lots of
money!"
"Buy lots of things, to be sure.
What else would any one do with it?"
And What would you do with lots of
things?"
Use them. And I could live in a
nice house, and have ever SO many
nice suits of furniture and paintings,
and statuary and fine horses, and ele-
CANT carriages. O, wouldn't it be splen-
did to be rich ?"
But do you not now have all the
room you want, enough clothes to keep
you comfortable and elegant? Have
you net the opportunity to ride and
drive that you desire? What more,
then. could you do if you were rich?"
Well, [ could have receptions and
parties, and see the incest people, and
move in the very highest society. O,
[ would make sensation, I tell you"
And yet you declare receptions to
be fraud, parties cheat and society
generally bore. I think have heard
you profess to hate the Misses Cutter
because they created too much of
sensation. What, then, would you do,
or could you do to make you happier
than you are now, if you were rich?"
II think you are real hateful, Mr..
LINER. Wouldn't you like to be rich ?'
"Then you should remember, Crotch
en-, the rich have cares we little know
of, and IN taking On the splendors of
wealth you assume its vexations, re-
sponsibilities and griefs. Do you still
think you would wish to be rich?"
"Of course do"
"And why?"
Because I want to be-"
Scene second. In Yager's grocery.
Father and son:
1T pains me, Gustave, to see you so
disconnected and dissatisfied with the
business in which have reared you up.
was IN hopes you would remain in
the store. By and by you would nat
urally become g. partner in the firm"
Il have no desire to become part
ner In any grocery firm"
1t Is not business to be despised,
my son.
Perhaps not. But I want more
wealth and more respectabiity than
the grocery business can give"
The young man left home with high
hopes and exalted aspirations to realize
his visions of success. Journalism was
the pictured star of his ambition, and
being advised to begin at the foot of
the ladder, he apprenticed himself as
compositor for three years. At the end
of this time he was able to earn the or
binary wages of a journeyman printer.
Years rolled away without any pros
pect Of advancement. AS the manage.
ment of q leading journal had been, all
along from the first, his aim, so now,
with somewhat modified ideas, he
would be content with small country
paper to start with. But he was as far
from attaining this object as the first.
Despairing, therefore, of reaching the
pinnacle by means of the ladder he
had chosen, he determined to try
another.
Deserving the composing room he
found his way to a law office. Manya
man had won both renown and riches
in the profession.
Patiently he read and waited, with
all his dreams built on being admitted
to the bar. That was the darling goal
of his diIigent hopes, and it never
occurred to him that his fortune and
fame would not then be all but made.
His industry and faith never tagged
until months of fruitless waiting for
clients to come discouraged and dis
gusted him with the law.
Life insurance was the only resource
which seemed available now, as he was
sorely in need of small sums.
A run of good fortune came. But no
sooner was she cold grippe of necessity
removed, and the sunshine of success
full high advancing toward the zenith
of his heavens then he fell to dreaming
again of gold and glory.
Gustave had caught the sentiment.
somewhere, of "bold adventure s,"