The Press., 1915-03-17
A Miser's
 Money And How It Was Turned to a Useful Purpose
By ESTHER VANDEVEER
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John Borlan was country boy who
 had gone to the city to make his for tune. He had parted, the night before leaving home, with Mabel Burroughs | at the gate of her fathers home, both pledging themselves to be true to each other till Johns return, when he had become successful, and they would be married.
 Mabel was a practical girl. She had
 known of other young men going to l the city to make their fortunes, some of whom had come back threadbare and hungry and some remained away but she had never heard of any of them making fortunes. One had been crushed under the wheels of the jug gernaut car that rolls over those who | fail in the struggle ill great city. While John was picturing to her how
 he would work early and late, saving all he made except for a bare living. she listened doubtingly.
 Anyway, Johnny, whether you come back rich or poor, you'll find me here waiting for you, and I'll welcome you
 just as heartily if you are poor as if you are rich. But against one thing let me caution you. If you find that the battle is going against you come
 back. Don't stay in the city to be crushed
 John promised, and with a long em-
 brace they parted.
 When John rolled on the raised
 tracks through the outskirts of the city and saw the miles and miles of
 houses, the throngs, the traffic, his heart sank within him. But he re- pressed the feeling of despondency, gritted his teeth and resolved that he would succeed. He had read the story of Wilmington, who went to London poor boy, became discouraged at the sight of the great city in the distance and resolved go back to his home, But he heard the bells ringing, and they seemed to say, Turn again, wilmington, lord mayor of London" He entered the city and became enor mously rich.
 This story, familiar to many school boy, came back to John Borlan and gave him courage. When he alighted from the train he felt strong enough to breast the tide that seemed rising to oppose him.
 The game of life is similar to a game of cards. If we have good cards, which is the same as having good luck, we win. A few there are with such aptitude for the game that they may win with poor cards; but, generally speaking, poor cards mean the loss of the game. In other words, success comes with opportunity.
 John Borlan found one bit of op- portunity in the city or. what is the same thing, bit of luck. But this did not come to him for several years aft CT he had entered the fray there. On his arrival he spent month looking for job and just as his money ran out found one in running an elevator. A gentleman whose business was in the building took fancy to him and gave him subordinate position. But this man failed, and John was thrown out. Again he walked the streets hunt ing a job.
 Johns hardships are not interesting, and 1 will pass over them for his op portunity. After drifting long while. sometimes earning a few dollars a week and sometimes hungry for food, when in the latter condition he remem- bered his promise to Mabel that if he found the battle going against him he would go back to the country. At the time of his arrival he had put away enough to pay his fare on the train. but he had spent it for sustenance. He had no money to take him home, but he resolved to keep his promise and would set out the next morning to tramp the distance.
 To one person in the metropolis he resolved to say goodby. That was the man who had given him a position when he was running an elevator On his way to this friend he saw at his feet on the sidewalk a pocketbook. He picked it up. 1t was rectangular in form, about six inches long by three wide, just large enough to hold bank bill not folded. Opening it. he found a number of such bills inside. He closed the pocketbook without count ing them and looked about to see if any eye was upon him. Since no one seemed to be observing him he thrust his find into his pocket, for he desired to have time to think over what he should do in the premises. Finding place where he would be alone he counted the money he had found There was $354.
 Johnny was one of those men who cannot bring themselves to appropri- ate anything belonging to another. Be sides, he had the sense to discover that so appropriated would do him no good and might do him harm. He certainly could not return to Mabel without an effort to find the owner of this money for she would condemn him if he did He knew that the own CT would advertise the loss of his prop erty. and it was his duty to look for such advertisement.
 The next morning he went to news paper stand kept by man he knew and receiv ed permission to examine the principal journals. He found notice of the loss and the offer of half the for the return of the pocket book at given location.
 Johnny went to the place named and found seedy looking man who proved to him that he was the owner of the pocketbook by giving the exact num- Der of bills it contained. John was about to extract the reward whens the owner said to him:
 There were certain vouchers in the pccketbook which are more valuable to me than money. Are they with the billsl"
 There are no vouchers and were none when l found the pocketbook," was Johns reply.
 The man began to storm at John, calling him thief, and while doing so attempted to snatch the pocketlook. | John resisted, and "a scuffie ensued. | Unv ker