Year: 1874

will of course be sold at great sacrifice
and after all the struggles have made,
my family will again be homeless. II Is
very hard. l only wish you had to earn
your money as l do mine; you might
then know something of the hard life Of
a poor man. Ifyou could only in imag-
nation put yourself in my place, think
you would then have little mercy on
me-"


1t is useless t0lirg.; l eytondod t'fs
one year, and can DO so no longer" re-
piled Mr.. Merton, as he turned to his
desk and continued writing.


The poor man rose from his seat and
walked sadly out of Mr.. Mcrton's office /;
his last hope was gone. He had just re-
covered from long 6t of illness, which
had swallowed up the means with which
he intended to make the last payment on
his house. True, that gentleman had
waited ono year, when he had failed to
meet the demand, owing to illness in his
family, and he had felt very much obliged
to him for doing SO. This year he had
been laid up for several months, during
which he could earn nothing, and all his
savings were then needed for tho support
of himself and family. Again he had
failed, and now he would again be home-
less, and have to begin the world anew.
Had heaven forsaken him and given him
over to the tender mercies of the wicked?


After he had left the office, Mr.. Merton
could not drive away from his thoughts
that remark to which tho poor man In
his grief had given utterance, 81 wish
you had to earn your money as do mine"


In the midst of a row of figures, Put
yourself in my place " intruded.


Once after it had crossed his mind, he
laid down his pen, saying, "Well, /
think l should find it rather hard /
have a mind to drop in there this after
noon, and see how it fares with his fami-
ly /; that man has reused my curiosity"


About five O'Clock he put on gray wig
and some old cast-oT clothes, walked to
the residence Of Mr.. Bishop, and knocked
at the door. Mrs. Bishop, pale, weary
looking woman, opened it the poor old
man requested permission to enter and
rest awhile, saying ho was very tired with
his long journey, for he had walked many
miles that day.


Mrs. Bishop cordially invited him in,
and gave him the best seat the room af-
forded. She then began to make prcpa-
rations fer tea. The old gentleman
watched her attentively. He saw there
was no elasticity in her step, no hope in
her movements and pity for her began
to steal into his heart. When her hus.
band entered, her features relaxed into Il
smile, and she forced a cheeriuness into
her manner. The traveller noted it all {:
and he felt himself forced TO admire this
woman who could assume cheerfulncss
she did not feel for her husbands sake.
After the table was prepared, there was
nothing upon it but bread, butter and tea.
They invited the stranger to eat with
them, saying, We have not much to
offer you, but n cup of tea will refresh
you after your long journey"


He accepted their hospitality, and as
they discussed their frugal meal, he led
them, without seeming to do so, to tall,
Of their affairs.


81 bought this piece of land" said Mr..
Bishop, "at very low price, and instead
Of waiting as | ought to have done, until
| had saved the money to build, / thought
| would borrow two hundred dollar.
The interest on the money would not be
nearly as much as the rent was paying,
and | would be saving something by do
ing it. l did not think there would be
any difficulty in paying back the borrowed
money. But the first year my wife and
one Of my children were ill, and the ex-
penses lett me without the means to pay
the debt. Mr.. Merton agreed to wait
another year, if would pay the interest
| did that. This year l was for seven
months unable to work at my trade and
earn anything and Of course, when pay
day comes around, and this Is very soon,
| shall again be unable to meet the de-
mand."


" But" said the stranger, "wll not
Mr.. Merton wait another year, IL you
make all circumstances known to him ?"


"No SIR" replied Mr.. Bishop, " ] saw
him this morning, and he said he must
have the money, and should be obliged
TO foreclose."


"He must be very hard hearted re-
piled the traveller.


"Not necessarily so," said Mr.. Bishop.
1.-THE fact is, these rich men know moth
ing Of the struggles of the poor They
are men just like the rest Of mankind,
and | am sure if they but had the aintest
idea of what the poor have to pass through
their hearts and their purses would open.
You know it has passed into a proyerb,
when poor man needs assistance, he
should apply to the poor The reason is
obvious. The poor only know the curse
Of poverty. They know how heavily it
falls, crushing the spirit out of a man,
and to use my favorite expression they
can at once put themselves in the unfor-
tunate ones place and appreciate his diff
culties, and are therefore always ready to
render assistance as far as they are able;
and if Mr.. Merton had the least idea of
what and my family had to pass through,
l think he would be willing to wait 'eve-
raj years for his money, rather than dis
tress u.s."


With what emotion the stranger listen
cd may be imagined. A new world was