The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-12-22
UNAVAILABLE TALENTS.

NV wife and / looked at each other in
blank despair. We are such lively peo-
ple that it is very seldom we are both
blue at once, but this time we had good
and sufficient reason. We had come to
our last dollar. We had no certainty OF
get ting any more money, and we were
too honest to wish to be in debt. This
wss an extraordinary position for us,
us we were considered by all who knew
us to be such uncommonly talented"
people. / was always told in college
that if would apply myself might
easily stand first in my class, though in
point of TACT / stood somewhere in the
twenties, believe. have since some
times wondered if application may not
be itself separate talent, instead of be-
ing within the reach of all, as is often
supposed. My wife was always the life
of any company. She was as pretty and
trim woman as you would wish to see,
and she sang ballads with really Won
derful expression. / never saw a
woman who appreciated joke so
unickly, and in amateur theatricals she
was irresistible. Her talents went even
farther than this. She read poetry so
beautifully that every ybody cried and, on
| the other hand, she was so fond Of
mathematics that she studied comic sec
tions one winter by herself, for fun"
| We were both versatile, we were both
| lively, we were both mercurial.
Now, however, we had no money,
and very little -four in the house. My
wife had made nice johnny-cake for
| the delectation of the children at supper,
and they had gone to led content, and
were now peacefully sleeping. Mean
| time it became absolutely necessary Tor
Us TO face our fate. was lawyer. L
chose that profession. not from any in
nate sympathy with it, but because L
| could not be a clergyman, and would not
be a physician. Of course l began to
practice in the city; for though there
seemed to be no opening there, l liked
to live in the city. You know, the
theater, and music, and books, and pic
lures, and society, can hardly be had in
the country. If had been less talented
"a mere clodhopper-I could have
gone without the refinement of life and
been happy. AS it was, it did not once
occur to me that l could live in the
couLtry. / need not say my practice
amounted to nothing. Those who have
tried the same experiment know that
some years elapse before maintenance
can be counted upon. However, lived
meanwhile on modest legacy which
had descended to me from an aunt, and
married a wife. Florence had no money
and no experience OF housekeeping; but
[ hope l should not marry as l Woulc
select a servant. We got on beautifully y
in spite of the quicksands which already
present themselves to the readers mind
| In the first place we had no end to gooC
times together, so our life was success
so far, and know we were so happ.
that we made everybody around u
happy too. And we lived within ou
means. small as they were. We woult
have liked a million, and l really th1nl
we could have spent it prohtably; still
we were not extravagant, and both o
us were honorable and conscientious
We were at peace with all the world
and considered ourselves noble in char
acter and talented in mind.
Unfortunately the failure OF the ban
in which my legacy was investe
changed the aspect OF things. w
smiled at first, because we thought "
should respect ourselves more if "
were brave. And our friends said "
bore it charmingly. But of course
is not as if you had not your practice
This was very well, but privately v
knew that the practice would hardl
keep us in boots and shoes; and then
had practiced long enough now to tn
out hated it. was not meant for
lawyer, and, to speak after the mann'
of the Methodists, it would have be-
"indulging false hope" to suppose
ever should succeed. 1t seemed impe
. ative that / should look to some 9th
= source for an income. had written
v play for the Greeian Club" to whiI
a we belonged, the year before, which b
Is been received with prolonged applaus
e but now, when wrote another, a.
offered il to the manager, he declin