Year: 1859


sure to make use of it, but no NATTER
When came in this morning found you
in great rage over your bad luck in losing
that job Of work which suppose went to
Jones, as his shop is always open. Pray, |
who was to blame for that but yourself, for
neglecting your engagement to meet the
agent! And will the evil results stop with
the loss of this one job! Those men, as
you we'll know, have occasion for thousands
of dollars worth Of work in your line every
year, and it will not be natural that in deci-
ding where to 60 in future, they should dis
trust man who failed to meet an appoint
ment in which his own interests we're involv-
ed ! All, John, see more bad luck in store
for you there"


81 intended to keep tho engagement, but
the appointment about my land put it all
out of my mind"


"That land business again; now look at
that and see how much luck had to do with
it. Which was the wiser, Jones, who paid
competent person for making sure his
claim, or you, who trusted to luck, and the
honesty of a speculator, and so lost the
whole I"


swell, I may have erred in judgment in
some cases, but, after all, am a firm be.
lever in the wisdom of the old proverb,
which teaches that some men were born
with silver spoons in their mouths, and some
with wooden ones"


Every likely, John, very likely; but the
accident of birth is nothing, and the wooden
spoon, if rightly handled will carry more
meat to the mouth than the silver one. All
depends on the management"


The old gentleman took up his cane and
went out of the shtp; saying, pleasantly,
"You must learn to carry your spoon more
steadily, friend John, or you will never find
it of much use, be it silver or wooden"


"Just like Uncle William" said John
Eastman to himself as he locked up his shop
und turned towards home, che is always lay
ing the blame of my mislortunes on my own
shoulders, and yet one cannot get angry
with him. Heigho this has been an un-
lucky dny to me; l would not cure SO much
about the land if it were not for Mary, she
will be dreadfulIy disappointed that lhe mo-
ney is gone"


AS he opened the door to enter his house,
fo rod bor
happier expression on her pale face than he
had seen there for long time, as she eager
ly asked, "Have you seen Mr.. Ward since
morning, John 7"


"No-Wby do you ask ?" replied he, with
an involuntary sinking of his feelings as he
half guessed the reason.


"He was here just after you went to the
shop this morning, and told me to tell you,
in case he did not see you tina he had deci-
ded to sell the house and lot about which
you spoke last summer, and if you wished
still TO purchase he would make easy terms
with you. You might pay three or four
hundred down, and the rest as you were
able. am so glad John that we have at
least q chance for home; that place you
know is exactly what we want, and the terms
are 80 reasonable"


"But, Mary" began her husband with the
air of man who does not know what he is
saying, 81 have about decided not to buy this
year, my business" ..


"Oh, John, do not 60 10 objecting. You
have always been going to buy neat gear
ever since we were married. There is no.
thing now in the way-the money you have
in the Bank is just enough for the first pay
ment-"


"Well, Mary, you may as we'll know first
as last that invested nearly all that money
few months ago in western land. l did
not say anything to you about it, for knew
it would worry you, and l had no doubt in
being to replace the money fourfold before
we should want it, and so should but for
my wretched luck"


In spite of his efforts, John Eastman look
ed ashamed, and felt very much as if he had
been robbing somebody, and in truth he had
robbed his wife and children of pleasant
home, to crafty his propensity to try exper-
iments in making haste to be rich. No
wonder he felt this when he looked at his
wife, as she sank back in her chair and gave
utterance to despairiDg sigh. In the ten
years of her married life she had learned
some hard lessons, and it was not often now
that she looked forward to the future hope
fully, but all this morning her heart had
been dwelling on the sunshiny picture of
home that was to be her own; home that
she might make beautiful for her children,
that they might have it for pleasant menu
ory all their lives, linked with the thought
of their mother. This was all lost now, and
for a moment it was hard to let it go, but
she was one of those women whose charac-
ters are best set forth in the few words,
slowing and patient" and long before John
Eastman finished his dinner and left for his
shop, her face was as calm and sweet as
ever, and her husband carried its image
away with him, to haunt him all the rest OF
the day.


"Well, T do DECLARE" exclaimed Miss
Sally, the neighborhood gossip, as she
watched from her window the comers and