CHAPTER XI.

VARIOUS MATTERS.

CHARLEY recovered after several weeks' illness. But not to enjoy again his usual health. One of his lungs was permanently affected, so that any overexertion or exposure confined him within doors. I cannot express how sad I was

to witness this. I was not aware before how much I was depending on the future of my boy. He was nearly thirteen, and could I hold out a few years longer, what might not he accomplish for us? After a little, my new-found strength came to my support, and I worked resolutely on. I could see compensation, even in this last misfortune. His delicate health refined and elevated Charley's nature. It made Anna very considerate of him, and threw an additional softness over the demeanor of the whole family. Still Matilda took frequent occasion to arraign PROVIDENCE for thus afflicting me. I did not attempt to argue with her, that was impossible, for it would only excite and irritate her. So I would make no reply, except to say pleasantly, "Read the ninth and tenth verses of the second chapter of Job," which sometimes had the effect to silence, if not to convince her.

Meantime, I continued to run behind-hand. The summer was over, and we had to provide again for winter. There was but one way to do, and that was, to endeavor to get an advance on Alice's share in the house fund, which would be

paid to her when she was twenty-one. Despite my utmost exertions, I was forced to make petty debts, and thus lived in perpetual purgatory. Through Mr. Case, I obtained an advance of three hundred and fifty dollars, out of the six hundred and fifty which my daughter was to receive in about three months. Alice entered into an agreement, by which she assigned sufficient of that sum to pay the advance, and which obligation contained a careful statement that the money was for her support, clothing, and general maintenance. This was an extraordinary relief, yet it was consuming the little capital which remained to us. Never mind, we will work on!

And we did work on, through the year, through the winter, through the spring, into another summer; a new summer, when the trees were covered with foliage, and nature was everywhere in bloom, rich, prodigal, joyous. No way impeded by man's distresses, the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, rejoiced together.

Meanwhile, what passions were busy, what plans, what plots were devising, what efforts making by people to circumvent and overreach each other!

How much better had they all been honest! During this last year I made some progress. I got into a routine of petty business, where I earned small sums. But with all my exertions, I could not make enough to support my family. So by the succeeding autumn, Alice's fund, which had been paid over to her in the spring, but from which was deducted the sum already advanced, was entirely exhausted. It seemed as if there was no possible way of increasing my receipts. I earned just about so much, and fell about so much behind.

It was true, Alice had still five hundred dollars and the interest, still untouched in the savings bank. But to commence on that deposit conveyed the dreadful thought, that our last hope was failing, and destitution was absolutely staring us in the face. Notwithstanding the severe portraiture I have drawn of Mr. Frink, it was through that singular personage that I realized the larger portion of my little commissions. Penurious as he was, he was not so despicably mean as many with whom I was brought in contact. Neither did he ever desire me to do any thing dishonest. Such and such notes he would take at such and such rates— hard enough, to be sure; if the parties did not want to close with him, they could let it alone, that was all.

I had kept my account open all the time in the Bank of Credit, with the hope that I might ultimately get the control of such paper as the bank would be willing to discount. One day Downer brought me a man who had an acceptance of a firm which he said was known there, and whose paper had been frequently discounted. I hurried with it to the president (formerly the cashier, as I have already mentioned), and asked him to pass it for me. This man, who was indebted in the first instance to my influence for promotion, was civil, but barely so; he said he did not know the names, indeed had never seen them before, but he would offer the acceptance at the board, which met that day, at twelve, and if it was favorably known to any of the directors, it would be passed for me. I left the bank, with the pleasant expectation of making a handsome commission out of the day's work. I returned at one. The president handed me back the paper, with the remark, that not one of the directors

(and it was a full board) knew it. I expressed my disappointment.

"You know, Mr. Parkinson," continued the official with some severity, "that the Bank of Credit never has, and, I venture to say, never will discount a piece of paper not known to some one of its directors." There was no gainsaying so good a banking rule, and I said so. I took the acceptance, and came away. I returned it to the owner, and stated what had occurred. The next day, however, he brought me five pretty large notes of the same makers, discounted at the Bank of Credit, and duly paid. I was indignant. I asked for the possession of the notes a few moments, and stepped to the bank, and, without saying a word, exhibited them to the president.

He turned red with anger. Glancing at the indorsements, he said: "These notes were offered, sir, at separate times, by a firm worth a million of dollars; offered doubtless in a batch of tens of thousands. You don't suppose we would stop to scrutinize one little note indorsed by such men, when we were satisfied with the respectability of the lot ?" "No. I don't; or at least I should not, had you not told me every note was specially passed on--that's all."

This was the end of my operations with the old bank, where I had done business for so many, many years. I was foolish to give way to any exhibition of feeling; but it is difficult always to repress it.

There were times when I thought seriously of attempting some other plan for a livelihood. Again I endeavored to devise a way to increase my earnings, by attending to some

matters outside of my daily occupation. It was in vain. My old acquaintances were fast disappearing from the business world, while I was fast becoming fixed in the miserable work I had undertaken. Oh! if I could but gain enough for a bare support! What toil, what privation, what mortification would I not endure to be able just to pay my way! The privilege to work, and live by my work, was all I asked—all. These reflections did not always afflict me. On the contrary, I preserved my cheerfulness well, and it was only on occasions that I had some despairing moments. Even then I felt persuaded that whatever happened it was all right.

One morning before I was up, I involuntarily exclaimed aloud: "If I only could find out what the ALMIGHTY wants of me, I would try and do it!"

I started at the sound of my own voice, and, thus brought to myself, smiled at my own soliloquy.

One day I had been running about for several hours, hoping to find a purchaser for a note which had been placed in my hands. The owner was in great distress for the money, and I could encounter no one who would take it. Finally, I sought information of Downer, as I always did when in a quandary. He directed me to a stock-broker, named Sidney, who, he said, knew the party well; and who, he thought, would buy the note. This broker was a gay, rollicking, good-hearted fellow, who was generally fortunate in his operations, and sometimes invested in business paper. So I called on him at his office, and presented what I had to offer. "I have half a mind to take that," he said.

"I hope you will," was my reply.