Year: 1860

The following story of the coal oil ex.
citemeut in Allegheny county, Penn, is
as like to nature as it is true, as it prob
ably is, for that matter.


"ln a neighborhood on the creek lived
and labored a son of Vulcan, who with
his limited means, had barely enough to
secure a small piece of land and to obtain
a scanty living for his rising family. The
ideas of his children had been taught to
shoot but little in any direction towards
knowledge or refinement, and he little ex-
pected to be anything more than the vii
lage blacksmith. But when the oil fever
broke out, learning of the success of his
neighbors in finding oil, he thought that
he might while away his spare hours in
drilling hole upon his own homestead
lot; and, having tools convenient, he went
to work and after few weeks of patient
industry, was successful in obtaining n
good show of oil. 1t was soon noised
about the village, and the blacksmith was
somebody at once. He had daughter
also, who had bossomed into maidenhood
almost unnotced and unknown, but now
became more an object of interest to the
few young men in that small community
1t became question how to break the ice
of former indifference, and to secure fa-
vorable acquaintance with the heiress OF
the oil well. For while the natural tim
idity of the boys kept them aloof; but at
last one of the boldest and best favored
among them determined to try his luck,
and on Sunday evening, attired in his
best, resolutely marched forward and
offered to escort the damsel home. I'M
agine his chagrin when she, turning upon
him look of lofty independence that
would have done honor to Broad way
belle, replied in language more severe than
chaste:-'Nonsense; you can't come that!
Dad has struck Hep


How completely does the above anec-
dote exempify American human nature!
We have no aristocracy of rank and birth
Those who are at the bottom of the pile
of society in one generation, may become
the top sticks of the heap in the next
Wealth makes all the difference with us,
which birth und rank do in Europe
dad has struck ile," has wonderful
effect on the estimation of others, or Oh
the value we attach to ourselves.


When we see the daughters of couple
that have worked hard through life and
eaten the bread of carefulness, drumming
on the piano or sweeping the sidewalk
with their expensive silks, we think at
once they are showing the public that
dad has struck aeF


When we see young woman flirting
in the streets with all the idle young men,
while her mother sits at home mending
her stockings for her, it is quite evident
that she thinks "Dodh has struck ile!"


When we see young men vaporing
around with cigars in their mouths, driv-
ing fast horses instead Of being at work,
we know they feel that dad has struck
He."


When man has "struck lie" himself,
by his own perseverance and industry, we
like to see him use it WE'LL and, if necos-
sary, even for his own enjoyment. But
we want to see him bring up his children,
as he was brought up himself, to ,cork-
Let them be taught to use their own
perseverance and industry and "strike
lie" for themselves. 1t will be of more
use to their characters and future destiny
than if dad" had "struck" it for them.
Every one who treads Gods earth. and
breathes Gods air, should feel it to be
duty to work-to make the world better
for their having lived in ito be of some
use in his day and generation. Let every
one labor with his head, if he does not
with his hands. 1t is a sin and q shame
for stalwart men and women to fold up
their hands and sit idle, merely because
dad has struck ae." There is work to
be done in the world. 1t has not yet
been redeemed from sin, sorrow and suffer-
ing. There are wants to be supplied.
tears to dry up, Affections to be soothed,
advice to be given, the erring to be re-
claimed from their wanderings, the vicious
to be controlled, the world to be improv-
ed. 1t is most admirable spectacle to
see those upon whom God has showered
tho riches of this world in earnest in their
endeavores to do good-perseveringly in
dustrious in their efforts for the ame'io-
ration of all the classes of W ant and ignor-
ance within their reach. But nothing can
be meaner and more degraded spectacle
than to see sons and daughters living in
pride, luxury and idleness. because dad
has struck Vs"-Hartford (Con.) Cou-
ant.