Year: 1868

"Oh dear'' sighed Mrs. Spindle, as she seatec
herself in the comfortable little parlor in which he
husband was reading the evening paper.


We say comfortable little parlor, for MIR
Spindle, as yet, was only man of expectations
He was clerk in broker Office on thousant
dollars salary-a sum which the "old fogies, sa!
was considered fortune when they were boys
but that was long time ago, and the fashion o
things has materially changed.


Mrs. Spindle did not think much Of Thousand
dollars. 1t was meagre and contemplate sum
and filled but very smallspace in hercalculations
In her estimation, it would not purchase even th'
comforts of life, to say nothing of long list o
coveted luxuries She did not live to her mind
and everything went wrong with her.


1t is true, that when Mr.. Spindle had been th'
recipient of only four hundred year, his lady hat
looked forward upon thousand dollars as th'
heightof her wishes She would not ask for more
and if she could go to housekeeping in that nic'
snug little house in Narrow street, she should be a
happy as princess It was all she desired, anc
she confidently assured her husband, that whel
they got the thousand dollars salary and the snul
little house, he would see" how contented sh'
would be.


The dream had been realized. They had beer
in actual possession Of the house in Narrow stree
for more than year, and the thousand dollars hat
been expended to the last cent in the purchase o
such luxuries as that sum would procure


The Transcendentalsts and others Of the mod
ern Progessonists teach US that the wiser and bet
ter man becomes the greater will be his capacit!
for further progress; and we have in our mind {
very pretty allegory, from the German, in which
little child goes out to play, and sees bright
beautiful star, twinkling beyond the distant hills
A desire to visit this star takes possession OF tn
child, and he sets out on pilgrimage towards it


He reaches the hills from whose summit he hat
hoped to crafty his longings, but the stars SEEM
just as far off as ever. Again hepursues his wear.
way, now skipping lightly over fower-decked plains
and now climbing up the steep and jagged sides
the mountains, and breasting the fierce storms, til
he reached the top of another hill but still tn
star seemed just as far off as ever. Thus he pur
sues his pilgrimage, emblematic Of the life below
going farther and farther, and higher and higher
but never reaching the object Of his ardent long
ings


1t is very pretty story, and very forciby illus
trates great truth and we commend it to the at
tenton of those who are not particularly given II
transcendentasm.


1t seems to us that the "back track" is in ever.
respect analagous-that man can never get tt
the foot of the hi any more than he can get to tn
top. However bad he may become, he still think
he is tolerably respectable man, much better thai
three-fourths of earth's purest saints


Mrs. Spindle had bright, twinkling star some
where, which she seemed particularly desirous 0
reaching, but which was quite as obstinate as tina
perverse star in the allegory. When she got at tn
top of one hill, where the star-house in NarroI
street and thousand dollars salary seemed to nestle
she found it was not there; and at this point Ii
her pilgrimage our story opens


"Oh DEAR" sighed she, throwing herself into
chair.


It was a deep, heavy sigh, and told of worl
of trial and disappointment But Mr.. Spindle wa
not wholly unused to the music Of that dirge 0
I faded hopes. It's bitter cadence had rung in hi
ears since the first month of his marriage; but b
was a patient man, and strove to bear with forti
tude all the ills of this changeful life.


"What is the matter, my dear?'' he asked
dropping the paper from before his face, ant
glancing at the woe-begone countenance of hi
wife.


eMrs Blount has been here this afternoon" an
swered Mrs. Spindle, sadly.


SIS that all? 1 was afraid you had the tooth
ache"


i "No."


"Mrs Blount is well and happy, I hope?" con
tinued Spindle.


Eyes; she has everything to cheer her up an
make her happy"


j II am very glad to hear it. But my dear, go