Year: 1862

"If could only live my life over
again." said the old man as he plunged
his hands into his deep coat pockets,
and looked up at the Office ceiling with
a sigh; lit should be very different
life from what it has been [ wouldn t
give all the JOY Of my youth, all the
strength of my manhood, to getting rich
catch me! Id have some good out OF
life and do some, too, instead of toiling
early aud late, taxing my brain, and
wearing my nerves over railroad divi-
dends, and bank stock, over investments,
in lead and coal mines, over real estate
that is to come down here aud get up
there No, it is not the three score
years that are on my head which has
bIeached my hair, and wrinkled my fore
head so; it's the wear and tear Of watch
ing the market. and forestalling changes,
and looking out for the right moment
to come down with bargain. over
heard one man say to another; as | got
into the omnibus last nj sht-' There
goes old Graingar-good for million
and a half-lacky uog!' and l said to
myself, Are you lucky dog, Tom
Grainger? No! OF all men you are the
most unlucky one. You've paid down
your youth, your manhood, your health,
your peace Of mind, every faculty God
gave you to live, and to enjoy-you We
paid it all down for this liiion and Il
half of dollars, and it's poor bargain,
after all!


1T don't do any good to fume and
fret now; but if l could live my life over
again, I'd never stand where l do this
day; ID lay up some better treasures for
my old age than million and half OF
money. Id lay up treasures of blessed
memores-of some good done to others
of human hearts made happier-of
human souls comtorted, and rejoiced be-
cause of me! If l could only live my
life over again! and the old man settled
farther back in his chair and groaned
heavily as he looked back over the years
OF his past-barren, and cold, and un-
clothed, as they rose up before him.


And yet he elutched his million and
half and carried it with him to the
last hour of his life He didn't rise up
that day and go out, and find the widow
and the tatherlsss, and gladden. their
hearts with part of the wealth which
he did not need II was not too late
then to set about doing good. la the
ten years more cf life which God had
appointed him, he might have scattered
blessings, many and bountilul as sum-
mer showers; and the cold and barren
day might have been crowned with a
sunset so radlent and glorious that it
would have half redeemed the faded
morning-the wasted noon!


But the old fashion and the old hab-
its held him in iron bondage still, and
the rich old man went down to his grave
with his aimless. untruitful, querulous
:sif."


"If Id never begin this sort of life I'd
never live it for day. murmurs the
fashionable wife and mother, as she
walks up and down her elegant parlors
swinging the tassels Of her morning robe
b.twixt her jeweled fingers; and the
weary, dissatisfied expression of her face
tells its own story Of the tried, restless
heart beneath it. Il know we'll enough
it's miserable, wasted life we're all
leading-that this dressing and going
to parties, and giving them-that this
constant striving to be stylish and
keep ones position, is foolish and sin
full thing. I'm sick and ashamed of it
It's running our children. 1t will ma ke
spendthrifts of our boys, and silly fash
ionable dolls Of our girls. If we had
never begun this foolish plan of keeping
up with our neighbors, or if 1 coull
only go back ten years in my life! Blu
there's nc way of getting out Of it now
All our acquaintances would stare at us
and the children would be perfectly mis-
erable; and the only way to effect any
change is to 60 off and bury ourselves
in the country, away from all influence.
and stimulants of our present life; ane
that can't be thought Of wish I knew
what to do, or where to turn. If 1 hat
Only commenced differently"


And the wife and mother wrung he


hands, and the charges, and the childre1
committed to her, for good or for evil


went on in the ways of folly and vanity
for good impulses never bring fortl
good fruits, unless they harden int