St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-11-18
FOUND WANTING.
A Good story for Boys to Read

n
Nelo York Observer.
A nere promising and thoroughly in
earnest Society was perhaps nowhere
to be found than that uniting the boys
of the church in l.. Very simple
were the pledges, consisting of but
three-carefully to abstain from all
prOfane or improper language, to avoid
all places or cOmpaniOnship known to
be evil, and to read no book or publ
cation without first submitting it to
the president. This high office was
very ably filled by the genial pastor,
but all others were held by the boys
themselves, and none more satisfactO
rily than the honorable one of treas
urer, represented by Roland GuiOn.
Some surprise may be felt in hearing
of treasury in connection with So
ciety snch as the one described, but it
will be quickly understood when we
explain that its members were deeply
interested in the establishment of a
circulating library of good, improving
books, not only as benefit for them
selves, but as IL means through which
possibly to interest and influence
others. Twenty dollars had now been
collected through systematic efforts,
and i'm month or two more the sum
would be sufficiently large, it was hop
ed, to be forwarded for the first install
ment of volumes. No one perhaps felt
so genuine an interest in the enterprise
as Roland ever studiOus, he was un-
usually fond of good reading, and he
was not like his companions in the
surroundings of home pleasures, but
had come for better school advantages
from distant village where a self-sac
rificing widowed mother INDUCED high
hopes of her promising boy. Very
carefully, month by month, as the
dues were handed over to him at the
society meetings, did Roland deposit
them in a special drawer in the desk
of one of his merchant friends and
each time the little sum was counted
anew to make sure that all was right.
He had just performed this pleasant
duty late one afternoon, and was leav-
ing the store, still absorbed in mental
ly turning over the twenty dollars so
recently counted, when a cordial slap
on the shoulder aroused him he look
ed up quickly to greet young man
several years his senior, and though
not one of the society, very good
friend, and one of the most estimable
boys of the town.
"YOu are the very man | have been
wanting to see all day, old fellow"
said he, cheerily. 81 have a plan to
unfold to you which | think you will
admit is worth hearing. AS you know,
/ am now quite a finished printer by
trade, and competent not only to carry
on IL small business myself, but to
teach others. Now, what | have been
turning over in my mind for some
time is this-if we could get Il small
press and go into business together |
believe you would pick it up directly,
with the long evenings coming on Civ
ing you ample time, and | do not
doubt we would soon get all the job
work of the town and country around.
What do you think of 2"
Roland had been drinking in every
word of this rapid, eager speech, and
replied promptly 81 think it would
indeed be spendid idea; but where
is the press to come from 7 l don't
suppose you have any money laid upY"
"That is one great difficulty" re-
piled his friend, "and have only been
led to speak to you about it just now
on account of a rare chance that has
turned up. The printing Office of the
Times is just selling out, you know,
and offers a small secOnd-h press
for twenty-five dollars, provided it is
cash payment. Now, if we could by
any means raise that amount, we could
not only make, but double it easily in
two months. | thought it just posi-
BILE that you might be able to accom-
plish it, for | have but five dollars that
l can use at present, and unless you
can manage the rest, L fear we must
let slip the best chance we are ever
likely to have"
"Then you might as we'll have let it
slip unmentiOned," answered Roland
glOOmily, "for | have not a dollar of
ready money, nor any way of raising
it." And after a few words more of
eager, but hopeless discussion of the
subject, the friends separated.
All the evening Roland thought of
it. Had he not known the Ruthless
ness of the effort, he would have asked
his mothers aid but there was his
uncle, n prosperous man in another
city, from whom he had more than
once received kindly letters and Occa-
siOnal small sums-why not write to
him ? He felt a conviction quickly
mounting to certainty that the re-
quest would be granted-but then the
delay. A week or more must elapse
before the answer could be received,
and the sale was to take place on the
second day from that. The help then
would come too late. Suddenly a new
suggestion flashed through Roland's
eager brain. Why not use the money
in his possession belonging to the So
ciety Z The risk incurred would hard
Iy be worth considering, for although
entrusted to him, and subject to call
at any day, yet there was no proba-
bility of it's being required for several
months. In a week or ten days at
farthest, he would have his nncle's
letter, and, no doubt, the money with
it, But even in case of possible dis
appointment then, would not the print
ing press itself refund the amount, in
all probability long before it would be
called I Such simple means of ac
eOmplishing the ardently desired plan
and the risk involved SO small Yet
once and again did demonstrating
doubts interpOse warning protest.
Conscience fOrcibly reminded him that
the money in question was his no
more for a dav than for all time that