The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-26

the country felt Its dark influence
Banks stopped payment, merchants
failed, stocks lost their value, no one
knew what or whom to trust, and the
wheels of industry everywhere were at
standstlll. Among the rest the Perrin
Company was forced to suspend work
and discharge Its hands. Tom was u
trusted fellow, and 80 much In the
confidence of his employers as to know
for some time beforehand OF the change
that was coming. He staid to the end,
to help wind up books aud put matters
In order, and he and Mr.. Perrin were
the last persons to walk out of the big
door.
" "Good-by, Tom" +" said Mr. Perrin, rs
he turned the key in the heavy lock,
and stopped II moment to shake hands.
" You've done well by us, and If things
are ever 80 that we can take another
start, well do well by you in turn"
They shook hands, and Tom walked
away, with months wages In his
pocket and no particular idea what to
do next. Was he own.hearted Not
at all. There was something somewhere
that he could do that he was sure of;
and although he looked grave, he
whistled cheerily enough as he marched
along.
Suddenly turning corner, he ran
upon Harry Blake, walking in listless,
detected way, which at once caught his
attention.
"Halloo-what's up ?" inquired Tom.
" Haven't you heard ?" replied Harry,
in melancholy voice. "The Tlverton
Bank has gone to smash, with most of
our money in It,"
" Your money !"
"My mothers. It's the same thing
exactly"
twas 1t much Is the bank gone
for good :"
"Sure smash, they say, and seven
eights of all we had"
Tom gave whistle of dismay.
We'll, Harry, what next?' he de-
manded. Have you thought of any
thing to do 20
mo. What can / do 2" Harry's
voice sounded hopeless enough.
What could Harry do Tom, who
had never wasted u nights sleep over
his own future, lay awake more than
once debating this question. Hard times
were hard times to him, as well as to
everybody else, but he had little
money laid by; his habits were simple,
and to pinch for while cost him small
suffering; besides, he could turn his
hand to almost anything-but poor
Harry. One plan after another sug-
gested itself and was proposed, but each
in turn proved a failure. Harry lacked
bodily strength for one position, for
another he had not the requisite train
ing, still another was unsuited to his
taste, and fourth sounded so "ungen-
teel,'' that his mother would not listen
to it. 1t would break her heart, she
said. Tom himself got temporary
place in locomotive.shop which tided
him over the crisis, and enabled
him to lend helping hand, not to
Harry only, but to one or two other old
comrades whose families had lost every
thing and were in extremity. But these
small aids were not enough. Permanent
situations were what were needed At
last Harry obtained clerkship in a
drugstore. He disliked it, and his
mother hated it, but nothing better
offered, and it is TO his credit that he did
the work well and diligently, and only
relieved his mind by private grumblings
to Towser in the evenings.
III tell you what" said Tom one
night, after patiently listening to one
of these lamentations, ''you boys used to
think my father strict with me when
we were at school together, but I've
come to the conclusion that he was a
wise man. Where should L be now if
I'd grown up soft and easily hurt, like
you? Giving knocks and taking knocks
that's what business mans life is,
and it's a good thing to be toughened
for it. 1 used to feel hard to my father
about it, too, sometimes, but L thank
him heartily now''-and he held out his
brown, strong hand, and looked at it
curiously and affectionately. Well he
might. Those hands were keys to pick
Fortunes locks with-only l'm afraid
Towser's mind was hardly up to such
notion.
You're right" said Harry, after
thinking little, "and your father was
right. You're true grit, Towser-up to