The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-04
NEVER DESPAIR.


endless stream Of humanity, constantly
passing to and fro In its daily pursuits,
OF innumerable tales of woe, of lives lost,
misspent and forlorn, of tragedies, occur
ring only to be at once forgotten and fol-
lowed by moro startling crimes, the ineyi-
table result and outcome Of everyday life in
the English metropolis-the sent of untold
wealth and of untold misery-that unrolls
before us the depths Of human nature, only
too often in their most revolving formp
1t was on dark and foggy evening
Tho hour when the tired toilers seek the
comfort of their Preside, when everybody
goes to his home-provided he has a home
had como and gone. Suddenly two Pc
destrians approaching from opposite direo-
lions came to sudden and rather un-
pleasant collision on tho bridge One OF
them, young and dressed in the height of
fashion, had come from the aristocratic
regions Of tho west end, while tho other,
who had approached from the laborinR
districts OF Southwark, was much older
and was poorly clad. Their heads had felt
the effects of tho sudden contact, and both
had come to full stop, each feeling the
injured member with his hands and nurs-
Ing 1t, while the compliments they ex-
changed were anything but polite.
Thunder and lightning, sir!" ex-
claimed the younger Of the two. "Your
Uranium is not exactly bolstared up with
springs, 1 assure you'll POUNDS! Why
could you not get out OF my way when
you saw me approaohP"
Tho other, evidently laborer, shrugged
his shoulders and threw q longing look
across the railing to the dark waters of
the Thames below.
Where wore You going POSTMASTER oop-
tinued the first speaker, noticing the
mans detected attitude.
"Theroi" came the hoarse answer
pointing down TO che river.
"Theres Well, my man, our road is the
Same. Take me with you'll
The poor laborer cast a surprised look at
tho we'll dressed young man.
You" he said. "You to 90 down
theres Imposslblel What has put suoh a
dreadful thought into your headp You
are surely not suffering from want: you
cannot possibly know the sorrow and the
misery that is the poor mans portionl
You look like rich man. You have youth
besides; consequently you arc happy and
to be envied."
Wrong, my friend, altogether wrong.
Wealth Is not always akin to happiness.
responded tho young man. Come. rouse
yourself. can see things also have gone
wrong with you. Walk with mo short
distance and let mo EXPLAIN
Strange! Here were two persons who
had not even known Of each others exist
ence five minutes before, but witbal tbov
felt themselves drawn toward ono another
by that sympathetic flash which SO often
influences our destinies.
Peaceably and contentedly they walked
side by side, while the rich man poured
his heart out to his poor companion. tell
ing him with impulsive words that he led
anything but happy life, although DOS.
sessing everything that usually goes IN
make life worth living. Howas n bachelor
who had inherited great wealth from his
uncle. He had drained the pleasure oup
OF all kinds of amusements, had kept sery
ants, horses and carriages, numberless
friends had congregated at his splendidly
furnished apartments and in his country
residences, no had even wildly speculated
without rhyme or reason I'm Lombard
street, but won in spite Of his folly. no had
travelled, he had celebrated orgies. he had
lived like sybarito and thrown ayay his
money with both hands. and now he was
tired OF life, satiated and blase in spite
or his youth. Melancholy, remorse and
mlsanthropy troubled him necessarily and
nc could not help repeating to himself that
his life had been an utterly useless ona
Therefore no had finally come to the delhi.
crate conclusion to end his worthless exist.
ence In the waters Of the river Thames
The laborer was dumfounded. Never in
his life had he listened to such n oueer
tale. 4"0eA
HOW incomprehensible! he exclaimed
MY life tells exactly the opposite story.
1 am very poor, have an ailing wife md
seven children, and, alas no food for
them Thus far have honestly and tire
lessly tried to make the two ends meet In
manner, by hard work, but a few davs
ago L lost my place in the factory on ac.
count of the dull times. 1 cannot witness
the misery ut home any longer. IL tears
my heart to look at my starving loved
ones ana though my poor, suffering wife
trles nara TO console me and to give mo
courage, bidding me not to despair, I see
~ esoapo' nave no hope left and am re-
solved to put an end to my miserable ex
istence. May God, In his infinite mercy,
have pity on my familyr
foor leiiowF The rich young mans
countenance was full OF deep felt pity. and
unbidden tears gathered in his ewes Sncb
tale he had never heard, never dreamed
OF amid the affluence of his SURROUNDINGS
Now know that there are peoplo in
THIS world who are a great deal more nm
n"ppy than l considered myself to be, fool
that was, he reflected.
but cheer up, man. There Is helm I'm
case ike yours. Come, lead the way.
lake me 20 your house. / guess can end
your troubles, and, as far as the-the-
jumping into the Thames is concerned.
ShiAk there is no special hurry about it,
Do your
A cab soon brought the two former can.
dldates for self destruction to the dirty.