Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-09
A Miser's
Money
And How Il Was Turned
to a Useful Purpose
By ESTHER VANDEYEER

| heAo 6oAC " lAO NASy W AAoN>S s~~S e~e
tune. He had parted, the night befor'
leaving home. with Mabel Burroughl
at the gate Of her fathers home, boil
pledging themselves to be true to eacl
other till Johns return, when he hat
become successful, and they would b,
married.
Mabel was a practical girl She hat
known Of other young men going t.
the city to make their fortunes. some
Of whom had come back threadbart
and hungry and some remained away
but she had never heard Of any o,
them making fortunes. One had beer
crushed under the wheels Of the jug
gernaut car that rolls over those who
fail In the struggle In great city
While John was picturing to her how
he would work early and late. saving
all he made except for 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 II you are poor as II
you are rich. But against one thing
let me caution you. II you find that
the battle Is going against you come
back. Don't stay in the city to be
crushed"
John promised. and with long en-
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, bis
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
a poor boy. became discouraged ut the
sight Of the great city In the distance
and resolved to 60 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 game
Of cards. II 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
came thing. bit Of luck. But this did
not come to him for several years aft.
er he had entered the fray there. On
his arrival he spent a month looking
for a Job and just as his money ran
out found one in running an elevator.
A gentleman whose business was In
the building took a fancy to him and
gave him q 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 l 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 II he
found the battle going against him he
would 60 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 1t 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 position
when he was running an elevator. On
his way to this friend he saw at his
feet on the sidewalk pocketbook. He
picked 1t up. 1t was rectangular IN
form. about six~inches long by three
wide. just large enough to hold bank
bill not folded Opening 1t, he found
a number of such bills inside. He
closed the pocketbook without count
ing them and looked about to see II
any eye was upon him. Since no one
seemed to be observing him he thrust
his find into his pocket, for be desired
to have time to think over what he
should do In the premises. Finding q
place where he would be alone he
counted the money he had found.
There was 1854.
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
anything 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 II he did. He knew that the own
or would advertise the loss Of bis prop
erty, and 1t was his duty to look for
such advertisement
The next morning he went to news
paper stand kept by man he knew
and received permission to examine the
principal journals. He found a notice
Of the loss and the offer of half the
contents for the return Of the pocket
book at a 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 Dum-
Der Of bills 1t contained. John was
about to extract the reward when the
owner said to him:
There were certain vouchers in the
|pocketbook which are more valuable
TO me than money. Are they with the
billsY'
There are no vouchers and were
none when found the pocketbook,"
was Johns reply.
The man began to storm at John,
calling him thief. and while doing 80
attempted to snatch the pocketbook.
John resisted, and q scuf1e ensued.
IL. In