The Monitor-register., 1896-04-10
Some Condolences in the Life Of a
Travelling Photographer.

During the Civil War, in those trouble
some times when business changes were
made of necessity almost instantly, the
writer found himself in possession of a
travelling photograph gallery, and bust.
ness was duly started in the thriving
town of W, his native place.
one Saturday afternoon, at the close of
rather a prosperous week, a party came
IN for the purpose of making some ar
rangements, if possible, about taking the
picture of a very dear friend who was
expected on the morrow and to remain no
longer than Sunday, and this would
probably be the only opportunity of
securing the desired object. After a
somewhat lengthy discussion concerning
the propriety of working on the Sabbath,
and after considerable persuasion, the
writer was finally induced to grant the
desired request. The picture was taken,
for which the sum of $3.50 was received.
The next day, Monday, the writer, in
manipulating some of the workings of a
silver bath used in the art, accidentally
overturned the vessel containing this
important chemical, causing a loss of
$1.50-just the amount received for the
picture the day before. This was COIN
cidence No. 1.
just two years after this occurrence,
the writer was located at the village of
P, a fishing town on the Delaware.
1t was in the early summer, and at the
time of the full height of the fishing sea-
son. AS before, at the close of a profit
able week, he was again solicited by a
number of fishermen to remain open the
next day-the Sabbath-so that the
much desired opportunity of having their
likeness drawn could be availed of, as no
other chance could possibly be obtained,
they being engaged the other part of the
week in the fishing industry. After con-
sidering the matter fully, l thought the
request reasonable and announced that l
would remain open for business the next
day during the morning hours.
A number of persons availed them
selves of the favored opportunity and
seemed very thankful for the favor, as no
doubt they were. The amount of bust
ness done on this occasion was entirely
satisfactory to the writer for the unusual
request granted, and all would have been
well had it not been for one circumstance,
as follows: That very night there came
such an unusual wind, one seldom seen
in the section before, that uprooted trees,
tore down signs without number, and in
a few instances houses were unroofed,
and my place came in for a full share of
the disaster. The skylight was wrenched
from its f~astenings and blown some dis
tanoe away, completely demolishing it.
The furniture was drenched with the rain
that followed the terrible blow, besides
considerable loss from work ready to be
delivered that was ruined by the storm.
Indeed, the loss to the writer was many
times greater than the profits received
the preceding day. This was coincidence
No. 2.
About one year later I was located at a
camp meeting, business of this kind at
such places being unusually abundant
and far more than could be attended to.
The camp continued over Sunday, and I
also concluded to run my business
rather surreptitiously, knowing that a
large crowd would be on hand. The
amount received for this Sundays work
was indeed insignificant, a mere toss on
the side of profits as compared to what
was anticipated, and yet that very night
a thief entered the tent where 1 was
sleeping and robbed me of a large sum of
money. This was coincidence No. 8.
Although the writer can vouch word
for word for the facts here related, yet he
regards the circumstance as purely acct
Some, no doubt, would insist
that it was a direct visitation from a
Superior Power for disobeying the %injunc-
tion, remember the Sabbath Day." etc.
E. @. HAINEs.
Woodstown, N. j., April 2, 1896.