Year: 1860

pray you, James, do not act so hastily


80 nladly. There is no occasion for it,
Stay with us. You will share the same as
myself in what father may leave There are
but We two. Why parts Why be wan
derer and an exile, when you have comfor-
table home, and good prospect of future in
dependence before your"


9 1t is of no use to talk about ii, Harry"
replied James, who, in fact, expected nothing
by way of inh eritance from his father, bu|
still had too much delcacy to wound hi
brother by saying so You know low
you, Harry, and would gladly stay with you
but know also where am going and wha
will do" =


"At least, then" said Harry, If you will
go, let me smooth your way little" And
so saying he sat down and wrote check for
all the ready money in his bankers hands,
the boarded savings--in fact nearly all the
personal estate of his kind uncle, amounting
to sum which would suffice to purchase his
brother a fine tract Of fertile land in America
This he handed to James the moment he had
signed it.


81 cannot take it, Harry"


You must-you shall take it. will have
no denial. Fortune has been unjust to you,
James. Myuncle did not know your worth
my father does not know it. No one knows
You but myself will not see you 90 abroad
like a beggar or mere laboring adventurer.
Take this money and buy yourself a farm-
believe in your ability to distinguish your
self in the country to which you are going
by your skill and science in agriculture-
You will do honor to the family and the
name, if you have fair play; and have it you
shall"


81 can get along without this money, Har-
ry, and do not like to rob you"


at is no ROBBERY 1t is free gift. Or, If
you are too proud for that, call it a loan and
when you are perfectly able to do so, you
may repay it."


But may be shipwrccked-''


81 will provide against loss from that
cause. You must take it, James. You are
my only brother; could never answer it to
my conscience, if were to allow you to go
away without providing as amply as | can
for your well being. | have enough and
more than enough left for myself"


Thus urged, James received the money,
and, an hour after, left the patcrnal mansion
forever


Years rolled on. Harry married, had a
fine family Of children growing up around
him, and all was going on prosperonsly,
when his easy disposition-his unwilling
ness to say, no-led him into series of en-
barassmcnts which brought him to the brink
of ruin. In consequence of becoming secu-
rty for friend who was engaged in extern
sive commercial specnlations, he was compel
led to sell the fine estate which he had inher-
tied from his uncle and take shelter for him
,.lf Il u - Al - L
father, now far advanced in life. The decease
of the old man, soon after this event, once
more raised him to competence, by giving
him a second inheritance, James having been
passed over in the final disposition of his
fathers property.


Things now went on prosperously for many
years, and Harry had passed the middle peri
od OF life, when, being engaged one day in
overseeing the workmen on his farm, he was
surprised by a sudden shower, and taking
shelter under tree, he was struck blind and
reduced to premature decrrpitude by light
ming. AT forty he had all the appearsnee of
an old man. His misfortunes ended not here
A succession Of bad crops soon ran him deep
ly in debt. and he found himself once more
obliged to sell his farm in order to satisfy his
creditors. A kind letter which he had re-
, ceivcd sOma months before from James, de-
termined him to join his brother in America,
and try with the f-w hundred pounds which
still remained to him, to retrieve his fortune
in that distant land


He accordingly embarked for Philadelphia
with his wfa and the two youngest children :
but i'll fortune still pursued him. The ship
was wrecked on the cost of New Jersey, and
although the crew and passengers were
saved the trunk which contained his money
was lost and h. found hims If on strange
shore in a completely destitute condition.


Fortunately, his good spirits never desert
ed him. Although blind and destitute, his
| courage and forttude were unabated. He
found shelter for himself and family in the
house of a kind-hearted farmer; and among
the few effects which were saved from the
wreck Was one trunk which contained the
same violin on which he had been acc,,stom-
Bi t0 play IN the happy davs ofhis YOUTH
When It was BROUGHT to him he crasped II


carefully, and exclsimed, :" With this 7 NAV
ret be enabled to find nv way to nv broth


RS residence without being dependent on


he hand Of charity" His performance on


he instrument was, in fact, so skilful, that
1 the vilMgers. won bv his sweet tones. and
their sympathy for his msfortures, got up a
little concert. which gave him money enough
to commence his journey towards the interi-
or Of Pennsylvania, where he hoped to find
his brother. And so he travelled on from
town to town, a poor blind fiddler, pitied and
relieved indeed, but still very poor and desti-
t,lte, knowing not in the morning where he
should lay his head ut night,as full of anxiety
MS he was Of aft ction for his suffering family.
When he arrived at the town from which
Jamcs's last letter had been dated, he learn
ed, to his disnay that his brother had sold
his property ther an lemm grated to the west.
No one could tell in what part of the coun-
try he had settled; but he had expressed an
intention to buy farm in Illinois. "Slow-
ly and sadly" did poor Harry resume his
weary journey. Days and weeks did he toll
on, until at last they told him that he had
arrived in the State Of Illinois. But it was a
great State, and he still wandered on, vainly
inquiring after his lost brother, until the
hope Of finding his abode almost died within
him.


Towards the close of u chill autumn day.
ne found himself in the kitchen of large
farmhouse into which he had been invited
MOrfter to re0a1e the chidron with n f,,r