Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-07
GaIes arb Skettbes.
UNAVAILABLE TALENTS.
CONTINUED from yesterday. }

ted to propose before, thinking you might
demand more" She unfolded newspa-
per and pointed to an advertisement.
LHOR sALE-The horse. cart aud complete stock
Il ofa tin neddler Excellent route. Bnsine-s
a removal 10 the West. Terms easv. Address,
A. wICks, Piainville.
/ felt spark Of hope. IL suppose you
are in fun. Florence. - ''but / really think
I should not hate this as much az anything
else see the prospect oftrying. Howey-
er, it will probably amount to nothing
1t then appeared that it was several DAYS
since Florence had seen the notice. and
she had taken pains to inquire into the mat
ter before speaking to Inc. She knew
some one in Plainville who had learned all
the particulars. II really was true. The
business was good, that is. Of its kind.
"Of course" our informant said. ''it did
not pay anything like the law" and we
hoped he was right. The peddler really
was going west. for he had money enough
to live on, and his wife's health demanded
change of climate. He would sell cheap,
and let us pay in instruments, and We
could rent his cottage for a very small
sum.
1t did seem providential. Riding about
the country. even in pedler's cart. had
far more attractions for me than toiling in
q factory. Besides had secret as-ur-
ance that / had no capacity for toll " and
knew could drive any horse in Plain
vile, at least. Then the selling, my good
looks CT believe forgot to mention this
before.) my gentlemanly manners, my
good nature. my persuasive address, IN
which had been complimented again and
again, would all be OF the utmost service
to me in this business; and here | had
been almost tearing my hair in my an
guish at thinking that none Of my powers
were OF the least avail in the bread and
butter question.
And so we purchased the business by
selling some of our furniture, and went la
Plainville to live. seriously believe
there is niche for every one. Looking
back on my time of despair. and com
pairing it with ny present, | am grateful
that can say that while | then thought
that was 80 constituted that | could be
neither useful nor happy in lite. I now find
that have been endowed with abundant
capacities for both usefulness and happi-
ness, and that no talent | possess has
failed of bearing some fruit. And Flor
ence says the same thing about herself.
Let me elaborate:
That tin peddler is a useful as well as
an honest member of society, who can
doubtp He deals in simple. necessary ar
ticles. and by carrying them from door to
door he saves vast Inconvenience TO nu-
merous people. So much for use
The cottage we lived in was not strictly !
beautiful. but it was comfortable and in Il
pleasant place. with an orchard before it. |
L.,
it, and planted roses and towering shrubs !
along the stone walls IL was fresh |
sweet place to live in, and the children |
had a lovely playground At first Flor
ence had no servant and worked very |
hard but she was young and well and
strong, and she had declared that she did |
not get so tired rs she had often done in |
our old home with the thousand and one
society duties from which she was exempt
now.
"And the balance in favor of this is"
she added. - that now get tired in ac-
complishing something.
enjoyed my life even the first day. for. |
rs nob"dy knew me. had no loss of caste |
to fear. and it was amusing to me to see |
the puzzled faces of my customers, who |
seemed to feel that in some way | was not !
to the manner born. and was evidently |
pleased with my humble airs and graces
like TO study human nature. and now |
| saw much of it at home and off its |
guard. This delighted me. Two rules |
observed which made me respected and |
popular first, never entered house I'M
less was invited; second. Inever insisted |
that people should buy what they did not
want. But always had an excellent AS
sortment of things. and any little novelty
l might have took pains should be seen
ut glance, that it might recommend it.
self.
am passonatelv fond of outdoor air
and scenery. used to enjoy fast horses.
but have nv dreamy side. and | hardly
know anything more exquisite than to jog
leisurely along the country roads at six
O'Clock on May morning. when the buds
are all bursting and the birds all singing
or to return quietly home IN the late June
twilight. just rs the stars are coming out.
| like to be out in a soft summer rain. too.
There is enough to see and enjoy in the
crisp autumn weather to reconcile me 10
the unwieldv cart | ride in. Even on run
ners it is not to he despised. | believe
like all winds and weafhers. Then | used
TO give myself holidays. often in winter.
when Florence and the children and had
no end Of fun. OF course we helped
Florence do the house-work first aud then
had the day for pleasure.
From May to October | hardly ever
went alone on my journey. Every pleas
ant dav Florence or one of the children.
or all the family. went out with me on my
rounds. How exciting it was and how
happy we were. We took our dinner
with us sometimes. and PLAYED we were
gypsies. and camped out in the most entic-
ing places in the beautiful woods.
IL hadto 60 alone. ! often took n book.
sometimes learned poem. sometimes |
even composed one. and strange To say.
the magazines which had disdained my
contributions in the days when desper-
ately needed money now often accepted
my effusions with compliments.
In the evenings Florence and | sang
duets. and popped corn. and read novels.
AS we had no social dignity 10 keep up.
we felt at liberty tn enjoy ourselves even
better than in the law days. which is say
ing great deal. Tor we always had such
u good time then.
Then my business kept improving. so
Florence could have servant. Then we
had more time for .'larks'' than ever
We got acouainied with orr neiphbors