Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-11
A SCRAP OF PAPER.

saying goes. He was wont to relate how
he had walked into the great manufact-
uring city with nothing in his pockets
but threepence-halfpenny, an old pocket
knife, and piece Of string. With this
limited capital he had started life on
his own account, and great success he
had made of it. In due course he had
married, and, displaying in matters
matrimonial the same good Judgment
that he had displayed in business affairs,
he fixed upon as good wife as man
could desire to possess. The offspring
of this union was an only son, the hero
of this overture tale.
Perhaps it would have proved far more
beneficial for Herbert Balfour had he
commenced life with even less than the
proverbial half. crown, and after theEman-
ner of his father but as it was, from his
cradle upward he was surrounded with
all the comforts that we poor mortals can
desire.
He was the idol of his parents. If
ever boy was spoiled-by which we
mean indulged-Herbert Balfour was
that boy. But for all that his father
had the good sense to draw the line
somewhere so, hard though it was to
him and his good wife, they dispatched
young Herbert to frst-class boarding
school.
"He shall be as well educated as any
gentleman in the land" said Mr.. Bal
four with tears in his eyes, as he saw his
idol borne away by express train to the
region of study.
$50 he shall, my dear, so he shall !"
sobbed the doting mother.
Herbert's school-days over, he at once
prepared to enter upon college life. As
vet it remained undecided as to what
profession he should embrace.
81 am sure he would make an excel
lent clergyman" said Mrs. Balfour.
Cor DOCTOR" said Mr.. Balfour.
"He reads so beautifully, and would
look so imposing in a surplice," said
Mrs. Balfour.
"He would be so gentle and sympa-
thetic with the afflicted" said Mr.. Bal
four.
"Imagine him at the bar I" exclaimed
the enthusiastic mother.
"He would become Attorney General
in no time" cried the equally elated
father.
Alas for the vanity of human hopes.
Neither divine, doctor nor barrister be-
came this youthful idol.
Like the generality of young people
who have been brought up to have
pretty nearly everything their own way,
Herbert Balfour was hayward and unde-
cided as to his future.
"There is heaps of time" he would
say "why on earth should I worry
myself in arriving at any decision?"
Being able to command what money
he needed, he could, he imagined, afford
to 60 in for profession just when it
suited him-or not at all, for the matter
of that, unless he felt so disposed
But, fortunately, Herbert Balfour was
not an utterly idle and selfish young
fellow-of which nowadays, as ever,
there So many specimens he had
his really good and redeeming qualities.
He was not a reckless spendthrift. He
did not squander money in gambling.
He took no mean advantage of his faith
er's generosity in the matter of monetary
allowance.
Of course, like all young men. he had
his faults but, if the truth were known,
there is little doubt that he was quite as
good as, if not better than, half those
model students who cannot apparently
do anything amiss.
Poor Herbert Balfour had not been at
college much over twelve months when
when his misfortunes began.
His father was among the victims of
bank failure, which, in plain English,
should have been designated "The Di-
rectors' Swindle," and in consequence
found himself ruined man. To use
his own words: "Thirty- three years
ago I came to Manchester with three
pence-half-penny, pocket-knife and a
piece of string I; and to-day, after LIES
toll, and when my hairs are gray, I am
not worth the coppers started with"
Addressing his wife he said:
"My dear Mary, it is not for myself
that care so much. It's for you and the
boy. I began with nothing, and was
used to rough fare from my cradle but
with you two it is different.
"Never mind, my DEAR" said the
wife, ''we shall be just as happy in
poverty as in wealth and who knows
but what you may recover your posi-
tion."
Now, Mrs. Balfour was very decently
connected; and her people had rather
turned up their noses at the idea of her
having married ga person in trade"
But the said "person in trade" hav-
ing long purse, they had borne it with
Christian resignation. They had done
more than this they had borrowed with
charming willingness from "the person
in trade" who had become family con-
nection.
Ruin having fallen upon her husband,
Mrs. Balfour appealed to her grand rel
atives. The only result was the repay
ment of small amount of the moneys
which had been formerly lent to them
by Mr.. Balfour.
In consequence of this, the once
wealthy merchant was left to battle
against misfortune, comparatively speak
ing, unaided. The struggle continued for
aperiod of two years, when death came
to the good old mans assistance, not by
way of calling any one to his last ac-
count who had left him any money, but
by tapping Mr.. Balfour himself upon
the shoulder, and so forever closing his
eyes to the trials and sorrows of this
mundane existence.