Year: 1863

modate me. One had the amount, he
said lying idle only week before, but
had already invested it in real estate
Another hud just agreed to put that
amonnt into the business of friend,
and of course could not break his
promise. The third had nothing at
his command, and of course expressed
more regret than the others. / say of
course, because such is the world
Men are generally sorry and sympa-
thetic in the adverse ratio of their
power to assist.


"In the meantime my friend had
found man ready TO advance the
capital and become partner, in case
i should fail to do so and believing
my efforts to be hopeless, after the
third refusal, | went around to his
office, with a sad heart, TO tell him not
to wait any longer for me. He was
not in, and / did not see him that day;
and before another day dawned, re-
ceived my long-looked-for letter.


81 opened it with an eager, tremb-
bling hand, hoping it might contain
some good news, on which to build Il
future hope. Judge of my surprise
and delight, on finding an enclosed
draft for one thousand pounds, paya-
bic TO my order. Could it be real and
genuine? Were not my senses de-
ceiving me? To come, too, just at the
moment when, as | believed, five
thousand dollars would secure me a
fortune, made it seem more like magic
than reality.


"With an almost swimming brain,
| read the letter accompanying it
The writer began by calling me his
dear friend, but warned me | should
find the name of stranger attached
TO the epistle."


"You may remember, however," the
writer went Oh, "that somewhere about
four years ago, person came to the
post-ofiice where you were then a clerk,
and inquired of you what time the
mail closed that was to go out i'll the
next English packet; that you told
him he was already half an hour too
late; that you pitied his distress at
this announcement, and offered to get
his letter posted if possible. You sue
ceedod, and received his fearful thanks,
and at his urgent request, wrote your
name for him on card. l hope you
remember all this, because the writer
is that individual, and desires TO live
in your memory, as you ever Will in
his"


"Now kind friend" the epistle pro-
ceeded, "let me tell You of the impor-
tance of that letter and its value to
me- had rich, unmarried uncle,
who was in n deep decline. He had
been told / was dead, and had willed
his vast possessions to other relatives.
l heard of this, as it were by accident,
and that he was about to sail for the
East Indies, never to return. n let
ter by the next packet might possibly
reach him in England. | wrote it,
and rode fifty miles to mail il; but
would have been too late only for your
kindness. 1t did reach him, however,
on the eve of his departure, and caus-
ed an important alteration in his will,
for | was the only son Of n favorite
sister. lie sailed for India; but died
on the passage; and if my letter had
missed that packet, he would never
have received it, The difference to
me would have been fortune. /
was poor thcn-I am rich now. viii
YOU accept this triile-not rs a reward,
but token Of friendship-from one
who has ever been, and ever will be,
grateful. That single minute of time,
which you so kindly improved, made
the difference of world to me; and
if it is ever in my power TO change
your fortune for the better l am yours
to command. | would have sent this
remembrance sooner, but there has
been some litigation, and | have only
recently come into possession of my
legacy. You will, of. course, pardon
my having sent for your address and
card, TO avoid the possibility of mis-
take; and my absence in India, ON the
return of your letter, must be my
apology for my long delay in commu-
nication with You since"


"This was the substance of letter
that made the difference of world to
me, for | now had the means Of enter
ing into partnership with my friend,
and that resulted, YOU see, in a for
tune and as much happiness as can be
found in this sphere of existence. Ii
would be difficult to calculate the
changes effected and the persons made
happy by that simple act of posting q
letter; and if we go down toposterity,
and consider the destinies altered 10y
that one triiling thing, we shall per-
ceive how great, under Providence, be.
comes the smallest deed of our lives
1t may be the stone in the fountain. y