Savannah weekly echo., 1884-02-10

brilliant carpets, the tesplendent gliding,
and thought how little money he had
given In return for these comforts and
luxuries. It was not long, however, be-
fore the shining mahogany went to pieces
the brilliant carpets faded and wore out
and the resplendent gliding pooled Of.
''Humphl', exclaimed Alfred, musfng,
"dad was right, certainly, here. As fal
as mere buying and selling went he knew
something, though he was an ignoramus
on other points. Yes, I suppose, in
trade, the cheapest things are the deares,
you must pay the best price if you
want the best article"
He now gave himself up entirely tc
the society of his somewhat loose, but
well-born, associates. Notoriety was the
object of his existence. He wished tc
rank among the eccentric roues of the
day, and become celebrated for breaking
lamps, beating policemen, driving oveI
old women, purloining knockers, and In
sulting street passengers; but either be
had less spirit or more sense than the
rest-for in drunkenness, folly, brutality
and vice, they were greatly beyond him.
While their names were known far and
wide, and their deeds were fondly imi.
tated, he was known only as a third-rate
genius, and more an imitator himself
than an original worthy of imitation. He
retired from the field considerably worse
in pocket and constitution "Alas =
said he, "there was more in that fantas.
tic maxim than suspected. 1t does not
apply to trade only. was willing to
purchase notoriety, and find, unhappily,
that the first qualify of that commodity
costs more than l can afford. 1t was
foolish to wish to obtain it; but more
foolish to expect to obtain it cheaply.
Yes; you must pay the best price if you
want the best article"
He had now bidden farewell to his Tn
worthy companions, and resolved to pur-
sue better path. Love entirely occu.
pied his thoughts. He selected beauti-
full, accomplished and amiable girl, and
thoughtif he could induce her to become
his wife, happiness would be his portion
for ever. But she was not easily won.
There were points in his conduct which
she wished to sec altered before she
could nrefer him to all others. These
concessions he was not exactly inclined
to make; and there was Mary Tompkins,
a very pretty girl, who was quite ready
to have him just as he was. He married
Mary Tompkins. Six months after mar
riagc she ran off with Ensign Jenkins.
"Ah!" sighed Alfred, "what an error
did l commit lost charming creature
from idleness and pride. In proportion
to the pain of acquisition, so would have
been the pleasure of possession. You
must pay the best price if you want the
best article"
He had arrived at the time of life when
love generally yields to ambition. AL
fred determined to become great-and
great as a philosopher. He would ex-
anime into the nature of man and. the
constitution of society, and endeavor to
leave the world wiser and better than he
found it. He read-he meditated-
wrote-he published. But the course of
his reading and meditation was very
prudently and daintily in cordance
with popular notions; whence it hap
poned that the books he wrote and pub
lished were trite and common place. He
gained no reputation as a philosopher,
but he lost none as a man. Truth was
not in his compositions, and consequently
defamation and abuse were not in the
criticisms on them.
81 see, clearly" said he, "that philo-
sophie fame and the worlds love are in
compatible with each other. Every man
who greatly benefits his fellow creatures
is hated and despised, while living by the
majority of those he serves. The i'm
morality of an inpovator Is purchased
dearly indeed. vrY must nay the best
price if ye :. the pest article" His
hair was by this time beginning to grow
gray, and the "old gentlemanly vice.
stirred him exceedingly. 81 win make
exclaimed he "True, / have
already some thousands; but wise man
should consider these merely as seed to
produce plentiful crop. am not young
enough to enter trade regularly, but !
will speculate. That is the way to make
a fortune in few years" -
Accordingly he bought shares in joint
stock companies, and became trafficker
in stock of all sorts. "Bull ~" BEAR"
" scrip" premium" were familiar
words. He thought, he dreamed OF
nought but speculation-of shares going
down or getting up in the market-or
paid up and unpaid up capital.
But commercial matters, even the most
promising, are uncertain. Alfred's Joint
Stock companies went successively to the
dogs, and all his stock evinced the great
est alacrity in sinking. A few knowing
ono, hoooroo oz+on;cb;rOI,, r;oh hrt NJ
Alfred, Richardson was not knowing
one, and lost nearly all he had in the
world Some one must suffer that others
may enjoy! Such is the rule of our
competitive civilization.
Mr. Richardson retired to a garret in
the eneighborhood of Clerkenwell, to med
itate on his fortune-seeking. He came
to the conclusion that wealth is most GER
tainly procured by industry and self-de-,
nial, and that here, as elsewhere, you must
pay the best price if you want the best
article.
He had managed to preserve from the
wreck of his property just enough to exist
upon, and he employed his time chiefly in
about, and viewing, with una
vailing regret, those places where he had
exercised influence. But wheth-
er this had bad effect ON his spirits, or
from whatever cause it might pro-
coed, his health gradually became worse,
until at last he was unable to stir from
his room. His old and severely punished
sin, however, once more tempted him.
He could not prevail on himself to call
in proper medical adviser, but availed
himself of the services of Mr.. Abraham
Solomons, who assured him that he was
not only the cheapest but the cleverest
surgeon in Londonl Mr.. Abraham
Solomons gave him some hope of recov-
cry; but finding that he got no bet
ter, he changed his mind, and declared
the case hopeless.
"Mrs. Dickinson" said our unfor-
tunate hero, ~ am dying. You have
been kind landlady, and shall have all
possess. l fall victim to my neglect
Of truly noble axiom. Oh! Mrs. Dick
nson, take warning by my example, and
never yield to Incidence and vanity-you
must pay the best price if"
His voice failed; he never spoke again.
AS, through life, he understood not the
golden maxim, so, in death, he was un-
able to pronounce it.
A Fortune in Boots.
The rags which the Russian peasant