The Osceola times., 1877-08-11
MAKE YOUR OWN WAY.

smoke. fernaps tne long clay pipe
looked little incongruous with the
handsomely furnished room and the
massive silver plate on the mahogany
side beard But, for that matter, he was
an incongruity--a little, common-losk-
ing man, not very well dressed. Ger
tainly very wide contrast 10 the hand.
some, stylish looking young fellow who
interrupted his revery with very frank
and Doisy-
GOOD morning, uncle. Can l talk
while with you?"
THAT depends, Robin, on what you're
gaun to talk about"
"You know, uncle, that Alex Lang
and have long been friends"
~ have heard go; l don't know"
swell, we have. To-day Alex came
10 tell me that he is going into the car.
pet'weaving business in KilmArnock. He
intends to buy Thomas Blackie OUT
He'll need some bawbces for that"
His father will help, and he asked
me to join him. What do you think
about it?"
How long have you been wi Hastie ?"
"Five years"
swell, 10 tell the truth, uncle, moth
Ing at all. What with Jessie marry ying
last year, and Rosa this, and the presents
had to give, and other expenses, my
savings all went away"
"Humph 70
al thought, perhaps, that as the busi-
ness was such an old. sure one, and as
both the Lsngs would be interested in it,
you would lend me $4,000 for such a
wonderfully good chance"
Il have made il rule never to lend
money to young men,"
A very unkind rule when 1t touches
me, uncle. You were never unkind to
me before"
II am not unkind to you now, either,
Robi,."
"Only two thousand, uncle {! And
s1ch q chance I"
"Guid Heavens, hear the lad only
twa thousand 7 Did We ever earn twa
thousand pounds? Did We ever save twa
thousand pounds? When We have,
Robin, come 10 me, and I'll talk wi ye
about lending ye the sum-"
But, uncle, the thing is not new
venture 1t is sure 10 pay"
II Is gaun To haze new masters, an
men at sixty are ma sac sure aboot things
paying as lads Of five an twenty are. D
So the young man went away much
disappointed, and not little angry but
other friends looked more favorably on
the plan.
The 1000 were borrowed, and Robert
Rae and Aleck Lang bought the old cs.
tablished carpet weaving house.
The first year the concern, in spite of
falling prices, did very we'll. Roberts
share Of the profits not only gave him a
good living, but paid his interest, and
allowed him 10 lay up n; arly El00 toward
clearing off his borrowed capital, and the
next year things were..still brighter.
In the fourth year of the enterprise
Robert Rae called again on his uncle.
Good evening, uncle"
Good evening, Robin. How's busi.
nees p
"First-rate. l don't come to night
about business"
"WLat for, then ~
81 am going 10 be married. wanted
TO tell you about it."
"Thst'sa mair kittle risk than Blackie's
business, Robin"
II think not, uncle"
Who's the lassie %
''Jessie Lorimer."
"What fortune has she p
just her beauty and her noble ma
ture she is of good family, too. and has
had the best of education. Why, uncle,
she can do most anything-paints, draws,
plays. the harp, sings like an angel, and
-
"I'm feared she'll be Kind O. matri-
monial luxury, Robin. But she's a bon
ME lassie; haze seen her. Yet doubt
il she's fit for puir mans wife"
you'll come to the wedding, uncle p
"Surely, surely"
1t was very grand wedding, and
David Speers made quite sensation by
giving the bride check for f500. In
deed, Jessie seemed to have quite capti-
waited the old bachelor, and he soon began
to spend great many of his evenings in
her pretty home.
Three years passed happily away.
In Roberts home there had been some
pleasant changes; and his uncle danced
pretty baby Jessie occasionally on his
knee, or looked admiringly and wonder
ihgly at his own wee namesake in his
cradle. Down at the mill things we're
apparently equally prosperous. All the
looms were at work, and the very welfare
of Kilmarnock as a community was sen.
sbly connected with the business of
Lang q Rae's Carpet Mill" But q
great deal of this success was only
apparent, for it hung upon chances en-.
tirely beyond the control of the young
partners in 1t.
They had been compelled to borrow
largely, and had big interest accounts to
meet, and a great deal of their paper,
being from houses unknown to local
bankers, had to be cashed at very heavy
discounts. All these things were much
eyainst them, yet 8, great was their in.
9estry and energy that they might have
ned all happy circumstances, and
49, IN spite of the odds against them, II
bed not Suddenly taken a tremen-
$pd quiAe pnlooked-ior fall.