The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-01-12

shoulder was hltched up almost 20 the
ear.
Eyes, I'm safer' he continued, CRATE
fully rolling up his one eye at Jack.
.Savedi the Lord be praisedm he
added, in q voice of the most heartfelt
Joy.
Jack looked at him and wondered.
Here was q poor. old, deformed man
overjoyed beyond all bounds because
his life had been spared, while the one
who had rescued him, young, strong
and in vigorous health, despite his use
less arm, had, with all these sdvant-
ages, been on the point of destroying
himself!
You have something worth living
for. perhaps?" said Jack, You are
rich?"
At this the little man almost screamed
with laughter.
81 rich?" he cried. punching one OF
the raft-timbers with his wooden leg.
..Oh, what an idea! Why, marcy on
me, young man, do you know what is
in the box strapped to my back?"
Upon my word DON'T" said Jack.
well, it's mdtches-matches which /
sells, the two boxes for five cents! But
I'm afeared they've all been spilled by
the water, now"
Jack scratched his head.
$50 you sell matches for q living.
shipmate? How does il pay"
well, when say / gifts a living
by il. the less said arter that the bet
ter"
But you do get a llvingi'
"Yes, after a fashion, meaning
bread without butter, aud tea without
sugar. and occasionally the scrap of
steak! But the living agrees with me.
added the little matchman-'it keeps
me as merry as cricket"
"Do you know" said Jack, frankly,
'.you make me feel ashamed of my
self" And he went on to explain his
previous intention of committing sui
eide. and his reason therefor. to all of
which the other listened gravely and
then replied:
Il kind of suspected something of
the kind as | sat watching you from
t'other side of the pier, where / had
come to rest and get the river air.
When / saw you go over, picked up
a
the spot with it, hoping to save you.
Why, marcy on me! big, strapping
fellow like you ought to thank God
for the blessing of health and strength
every day of his life. Go into the
match business. You could arm
good deal more than I can in that
line"
But 1 have no capital to begin
with
Haven't you few shillingse"
Cay. ay; I've got forty-eight cents"
:.Phew! Then you can git more
than matches enough to start with at
the factory on - street. "Fn 60
there with you. They make splen-
did match there that sell. I've darter
at work there-gits three dollars a
week"
As soon as Jack had helped the old
man from the raft to the dock, the two
separated, after agreeing upon a place
of meeting on the following day.
Early in the morning Jack went to
the factory to buy his matches. There
the peddler introduced him to his
daughter, a good-loOking young wo-
man of twenty-five, whose appearance
pleased the young man at once. Hav-
ing obtained his matches, Jack went
his rounds and sold off his whole stock
before night, making a good profit. He
was SO vigorous a walker that he was
enabled TO sell very fast. In a few
months he had actually saved little
money. He persevered, and in
couple of years he had serious thoughts
Of marrying. Jane Smith. the old
peddler's daughter, was the object of
his regards. The two loved each
other, and so Jack had no difficulty in
persuading her TO become his wife.
She and Jack put together such
funds as they could spare out of their
joint savings, and, in time, opened
little factory of their own. for Jane
had worked long enough at the bust
ness to thoroughly understand the pro-
cess of making matches.
Assisted by her father and husband.
who could help her in some parts of
the work, a thriving trade eventually
rewarded her efforts.
At last the young wife invented a
better match than any which had been
previously used. 1t had a rapid sale,
and was the final means of enriching
the couple, who now own one of the
largest factories in the United States.
Better still. they are happy, for Jack
can never forget the lesson he learned
from the old peddler, of cherishing a
mind, and of being industri-
Gus and persevering under adverse cir
BY cheerfulress and industry, his
wife invented the excellent match that
was the means of their winning 3 for
tune, and the young man realized that
it was through the exertiOn of these
same qualities that he came to make
has excellent match with so good wo
NAM \. Ledger.