The Redwood gazette., 1894-12-27
the storm and the outside world.

the storm and the outside world.
$50 you are figuring again, Miser
Jor es. closing the account of the old
year and opening with the new?''
The old man leaped from his chat,
with shout Of surprise. No one had
knocked at tho door. He was alone in
the room. The voice had come from one
seated on the opposite side of the table,
but he looked and rubbed his eyes and
saw only vacancy.
''Sit down, Miser Jones. Sit down
while we talk together bit, contin-
ned the voice as the windows ratified in
the storm and a skurry of snow blew
into the room under the door and reach
ed almost to the old man S feet.
He looked all about him in dazed
and wondering way and sat down.
''The old year has ended, the new
begun, Miser Jones. Human life is
counted by days and weeks and months
and years. On the tombstones of the
dead you may read that they who sleep
beneath lived SO many years, months
and days. 1t is meant that each and ey-
cry man should sit down at the begin
ming Of new year and write the record
of the old. You are an old man. You
have lived beyond the time allotted to
man. Your hand shakes as your fingers
guide the pencil. You have been max
ing figures. Let me take the pencil and
help you"
but l want no help!" protested the
old man. 'You have no right here!
You were not asked to come! Leave me,
or will call for help!"
You are figuring on dollars an6I
cents" said the voice "There is long
column Of figures, and will look them
over with you and help you to find the
sum total. You have first recorded the
sum Of $500. That is money you loan
ed to hardworking mechanic and took
a mortgage on his home. Misfortune
had come to him and still pursues him.
You hoped that more trouble would
come to him, and it has. You figured
from the first that you would get pos
session of his home for half its value,
and yesterday, when he came to you
with trembling lips and pleaded misfor-
tune, your heart was like stone. Today
you are figuring on your profit. -
''But he came to me to borrow and was
willing to pay the INTEREST," protested
Miser Jones'
Here is the sum of $780," contin-
ued the voice. "You lent widow $500
on mortgage and foreclosed it and
Irove her out of her home. You figure
that you made $3.50 on that deal. She
came to you and wept and prayed, but
you rubbed your wrinkled hands in sat
isfaction." ~
Zone must have profit when he
lends money replied Miser Jones as
he looked at the figures with satisfac-
tion
Here is the sum Of 5000. You loan
ed money to the owner of small facto-
ry to help start him again after he had
been crippled by fire, but what the
flames left you soon took possession of.
Yes, you made clean $500 on that
transaction. find the sum of 5000 and
1915 and $500. a long column of fig
ures here to show the profits of the year
just ended and add your fortune. Mi
ser Jones, you are rich man..
eyes, yes-a rich man! I like to hear
you say am rich!"
'But you are an old man. You can
not hope to live great while longer"
'But shall live for years and years.
I am not SO old as you think. Don't
talk to me of death. -
''You are an old man, and your time
has almost come,' continued the voice.
"You have laid up treasure on earth.