The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-05-08

lis good friend, Mr. Dwight, had moved
way, he knew not whittier; and he, in a
town. no less popular as
nan than he had been as a boy, had, by
lint of intelligent enterprise, acquired
thriving business, of which he was the
head.
Fortune long seemed to favor the young
nan, and often the image and counsel OF
his early good adviser came up before him
and the pleasant remembrance made him
yearn to see HIM. But, unfortunately, the
ndvice which he RENE mbered he did not
follow. His benevOlence and confiding
nature, his eagerness to oblige, and his
impulsive sympathy at every signal OF
became known to all around him,
and by slow and sure degrees the unstint-
ed exercise of his uncalculating charity |
the good results of his honest in
dustry, and carried his affairs gradually |
into the background, where prodigal gen.
crosby often leaves man, and where |
debt incurred by helping others brings |
distress and ruin upon the deserted bank |
rupt.
Herbert Archley failed, and found few
friends to praise, pity HIM. or defend his
honesty of purpose, and none who were
able or dared to help him. To him came
now the old experiences of the too benevo
lent who have less means to sustain than
heart to prompt generous actions; and
though fortune did not so utterly forsake
him as to consign the well-meaning debtor
to Jail, his freedom to wander seemed no
liberty to him, who, as he left the town, a
poor and censured man, could not leave
its recollections also behind.
The imprisoned thought was itself i'm
prisonment, as, when far away, he brood
d, in pove rty, over his follies and misfor-
tunes.
"Was not every thoughtful step we take
in this world thronged with proofs of our
lnsignificance and Ignorance, we might
dare attempt to grasp at and arraign the
wisdom of the Almighty" he reflected as
he mourned. "Yet, in what light l have,
it sometimes seems unjust that charity
should be the cause of Its own punish
ment, or be permitted at all to suffer. But,
now, how well / recollect the counsel
given me by that good man in my youth.
to be kind, without giving all away, and
that one might be provident without be-
ing mean. He gave me a fatheriy lesson
in those happy days, and was wiser, be-
cause more mindful, even then bu. grown
confident by success, / neglected the ad-
vice which would have spared me the
trials now bear; the lJss of good repute
and the ingratitude of the undeserving.
for whom l have injured the worthy; and
the tongue of scandal, for inability, which
is miscalled dishonesty, oppresses me
more even than the lack of means, with
which, if not thrown away in acts of mis-
taken benevolence, l would gladly repay
all. But yet, to sit down thus and meanly
mourn, like Job. will never lift me up
again. There must still be'time and op-
portunities to redeem myself / am still
young and strong, and may yet prove
wiser, if 1 faithfully follow the counsel of
him who understood me so well in my
boyhood. Henceforth will do so. will
strive hard again, and the lesson of the lit
tie box shall be my guide as toll"
Animated by the resolution he had
formed, half the load which had oppressed
him vanished. Among strangers he en-.
| tered anew into the mazes of busines, and
though his melancholy memories some
times made his struggles less energetic
than he wished, their discouraging effect
was more than offset by the great object he
had in view-the ultimate power to cleal
his reputation at home from all stain.
1 Stray CLEANS of success multiplied and
gathered, as he proceeded slowly but stead
lily toward the horizon of his hopes, and al
last ripened into the inspiring dawn
Often, while the night of his distress wa.
vanishing behind him, the old prodiga
impulse which had caused it would re
turn upon him; but he checked it by the
memory OF the little box; and while no
mindless of the claims of those who wert
more needy than he, he learned to fee
that there was yet something nobler thar
extravagant benevolence; to he Just frs
and then generous, and that, beside wha
was due to his creditors, there was much
due to himself.
!, BY this line of conduct he rose again Il
J substantial prosperity. Experience hat
!, not been wasted upon him, and his secont
ordeal was triumphant. The memory o
!, the little box was a talismanic guide Il
him. One-half of all his profits he uni
fOrmly put by for future days; and freed
from all former Indebtedness, he fount
himself, in the prime Of life, not merely
commended for being generous as well a.
honest, but secure against the wiles an(
walls of impostors, and wealthy withou
: having been miser.
! enne to the provident rule, which was a
: first repugnant to his nature to return il
} joy and honor to the town which he hat
, left in disgrace, he revisited the scenes O
, his youth, and as he wandered anon,
: them and revived their associations, h,
thanked God that he was now as happ,
as he had ever been when he played there
The old cottage was torn down, but tn
grass grew green over the graves of hi
: parents, and he felt that their souls wer,
, in changeless home. The natural land
marks remained unaltered, and as h,
/ strolled along the chief road of the village
' he paused awhile at the spot where, re
turning from the swamp with the kite, h
had first met the good man. LOui
, Dwight.
He must be quite old now, if alive,
! mused he. Let me see; was then ten
T and he, perhaps. fOrty-my own age now
p | Three and hn a1l ad a,
man. He may be dead; or if not, sun
/ pose / shall never see or. hear of hin
again. How like a dream IL all seems
Here am standing alive. Here is wher
he gave me the pence, opposite that yer,
/ tree; and here is-why, bless me, VIII,
comes heres If this isn't the old gentle
, man himself, my eyes or my memory fai
, me-"
1t was a bowed old man, in worn an,
faded garments, who was approaching
: walking slowly, with cane. Archie,
raised his hat respectfully as he drew near
: He had truly recognized him. 1t wa
Louis Dwight
But his old friend and adviser did no
} recognize. him 50 quickly, though h,
r paused and returned his salutation.
, "His sight may be poor" thought Arch
ley; "but / will test his memory by
, surer method. Old gentleman, was Dor,
years. have been standing here for som,
! time, looking upon the scenes which ar,
} more interesting now than they were wheI
| played here, thirty years ago"
, Thirty years agop' exclaimed old Mr
Dwight, staring at him. "Why, 1 used I,
live here then"
Did you, indeedy Then perhaps yo,
might be able to tell me what became of
very fine gentleman who lived here at tn,
/ l..A l~-r y n
He was out riding one day, and l saved ,
kite for his son; and on this very spot h,
gave me some pence for it, and some yer,
good advice into the bargain. His NAM
was Louis Dwight"
"And yours is -