Year: 1865




Or, The Cast-oF Leather Apron


THOSE who are at all acquainted IL


the pleasant village of Fairbush, mus


have noticed, in a central part of it, 8
large three story house, that now is
mouldering to decay, but which once il
lofty pride overlooked the more modest
and humble tenements in the neighbor-
hood. There is nothing remarkable OF
uncommon in a three story house, merely
as such; but with the house we have
mentioned is connected tale, and with
the tale, moral, which may be of use to
those who are ambitious of stepping out
of the walks of life for which nature and
education have fitted them, and who are
vainly desirous of forgetting the humble
but honest means by which they have
risen to wealth and responsibility.


Fritz Pigiron began life in the capaci-
ty of blacksmith. At the close of his
apprenticeship, his whole possessions
were then comprised in his freedom
suit )" and he was obliged to labor for
sometime as journeyman, to earn money
sufficient to set himself up in business.
Ambitious of appearing before the world
as master mechanic, he contented him
self with a very humble stock ofmaterials
in the outset and an anvil, two or three
hammers, pair of broken-winded bel
lows, and few pounds of iron, were all
he had to begin with. But Fritz was
noted for his industry and economy. The
sparks began to rise from his forge before
the sparks had gone out in the the morn
ing; and the sounds of his hammer con-
tinued in the evening after all the village
around was buried in the silence ofsleep.
Fritz was besides a complete master of
his trade. No son of Vulcan could turn
his iron on the anvil with more dexteri-
| ty, or ply the hammer with more decided
and proper effect. And albeit he didnot
aspire to the dignity of forging a thun-
der bolt-no mortal man could mould
horseshoe, pare hoof, or drive a nail
to better advantage than Fritz Pigiron.


With such ability and such habits as
these, Fritz soon began to rise from his
low estate, and, in a short time, fairly
shook hands with poverty-that is to
say, he was clear of debt, had procured
him a good set of tools, a handsome stock
of iron and STEEL and had money before
hand He spent nothing unnecessarily,
laid out nothing in fine clothes, and evi-
IDENTIFY regarded his leather apron as the
most becoming part of his apparel. He
married a wife as industrious and eco
nomical as himself; and though children
hocked in upon them faster than they
could count, they, in the course of time,
arose to absolute independence.


Industry always deserves, and wealth
usually commands, respect On both
these accounts, it was very fully accord
ed to Fritz Pigiron and his family. He
was regarded as an industrious and thriv-
ing man; as one who had raised himself
from the lowest poverty to be the richest
among his brother mechanics; and him
self and family we're respected according
Ily.


Fritz had hitherto occupied moder-
ate sized, but very convenient house, and
as well calculated to insure the comfort
of his family as one thrice its size. But
alas +! for the influence of immoderate
desires! Fritz, in an evil hour, rosolv-
ed on pulling down and building bigger.
Accordingly materials were procured
and workmen employed at great expense,
and a house, three stories high, and
every way three times as large as was ne
cessary to accommodate his family, was
erected in its stead. Superb houses de-
mand costly furniture, and a great deal
of it. and neither Fritz nor his family, |
seemed willing that a mansion, with so
fair an outside, should be wanting in its /
interior decorations. In short there was
not house in all the village of Fair
bush, which could equal that of Fritz
Pigiron, in the loftiness Ofits size, or the
costliness of its furniture.


During the building of this house the
neighbors OF Fritz, and especially his
brother mechanics, while glancing at the
work, would frequently indulge in such
expressions as these" Pride will have
a fall" "Neighbor Pigiron is becom-
ing rather disordered in his apper storyl"
" It is a wonder if the top of his house
don't find the bottom of his pursep' and,
they finally christened the house by the
name of Pigiroa's Folly!


But where is the use of a fine house
and costly furniture, if you cannot oz-
hibit them to fine company? So thought
Fritz, 50 thought his wife, and SO thought
the whole family. Parties then must be
given; and none but the " first" in the
village, of course, could be admitted into
anything like fashionable jam. Me-
chanics were wholly out of the question,