Year: 1863

''Did Horner pay that bill?'' inquired
Mr.. Gilbert of his clerk, who had jus.
come in.


The young man shook his head.


Didn't pay it!'


NO sir.


What answer did he give?'


He was angry, and said he wished you
wouldn't send after the bill any more,
that when he was ready he would bring
you the money, and not BEFORE


He said that, did hep Mr.. Gilbert
spoke with considerable excitement Of
manner.


Yes sir. [ never called on him that he
didn't get out of patience, and say some
thing unpleasant


Very WE'LL replied Mr. Gilbert, in a
menacing tone, give me the bill. I'll
collect it, And taking up his hat he
left the store.


Within two or three blocks was the
office of an alderman, and thither his
steps were turned.


Thank fortune, there's short way to
to deal with men in these cases. Thus
Mr.. Gilbert talked to himself as he
moved rapidly al long.





he come and pay, if he's SO nice in these
matters? He doesn't mean to pay, that's
the true reason. But he is dealing with
the wrong man, and he will find this out
before he is twentyfour hours older. He
can bluff off clerk, but will find q city
bailiff different sort of customer


Horner, the offender in this case, was
poor tailor, who had become indebted
| to Gilbert for Groceries. The amount
of his bill was sixty-six dollars very
| large sum for him, and far exceeding
what he had supposed it would be-
Sickness and the loss of a child had, some
months previously, lessened his income,
and also burdened him with unusual ex-
pense. But for this he would not have
become indebted. Honest and sensitive,
the debt worried him. Instead, however,
of going to Gilbert, and asking him to
let the obligation stand for a short time
until he could pay it off gradually, he
kept away from him, and fretted himself
with thinking over the unpleasant rela-
tion he bore to the grocer. As was to
have been expected, the bill came in.
The clerk, by whose hands it was sent,
made his demand in style that Horner
thought rude if not insulting.


This was more in imagination than in
reality.


4 cam pay this now, was the tailor 5
brief answer. He spoke with a troubled
voice and countenance. The clerk in
terperted his manner by the word anger.


when will you settle it?' he inquired
with something peremptory in his voice.


L can't tell said Hornor, in short,
quick tone of voice.


The clerk bowed and went away
His report did not please the grocer, who
in few days sent again for the money.
The second demand came upon Homer
while he was thinking of the bill, and
hopelessly casting about in his mind for
some means of paying it. Not possess
ing a great deal of self-control, he un-
wisely uttered an expression of impati-
ence the moment he saw the clerk of Gill
bert.


well, sir, what about that bill?' said
the clerk.


It's no use to keep calling on me- re-
piled Horner, 'as soon as l have the mon
ey, [ will see MIR. Gilbert


A third time the clerk called. Poor
Homer was in very unhappy state of
mind. He had been thinking of little
else beside the grocer's bill all the NOR
ming, in his mind was a nervous present.
ment that he should have a visit that day
from the collector. He was not in error.
Even as the thought troubled him, open
swung the door, and the messenger of
Gilbert entered.


j See here, young man. exclaimed Hor-
ner, before the other had time to speak,