THE LOFTONS AND PINKERTONS,
 
 
 II, * 
 
 "f. - ***
 
 SPARING TO SPEND; 
 
 OR, 
 
 
 
 THE LOFTON8 AND PINKEETONS. 
 
 BY T. S. ARTHUR 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER, 145 NASSAU STREET. 
 1853.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1853, by . 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the 
 Southern District of New York. 
 
 TOBITT'S COMBINATION-TYPE, 
 181 William-st.
 
 P5 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The purpose of this volume, as the title 
 indicates, is to exhibit the evils that flow 
 from the too common lack of prudence, 
 self-denial and economy in young people, 
 at the beginning of life ; and also to show, 
 in contrast, the beneficial results of a wise 
 restriction of the wants to the means. This 
 is a lesson which cannot be too often re 
 peated nor too forcibly illustrated. Extrav 
 agant expenditure living beyond the means 
 is the besetting evil of social life in this 
 country, from the mechanic, or salaried 
 clerk, up to the " merchant prince " whd" 
 
 1213327
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 will be satisfied with nothing less than a 
 palace for a dwelling. " SPARING TO SPEND " 
 has for its aim the correction of this evil, in 
 so far as an exhibition of its folly, and the 
 peace, prosperity and happiness almost cer 
 tain to flow from an opposite course of life, 
 can effect so desirable an object. " A word 
 for the wise" is often "sufficient." Hap 
 pily, in all classes are those who need only 
 the clear presentation of a truth, to lead to 
 its adoption. In these lie the hope of the 
 moral teacher, and for these he fails not in 
 the constant utterance of his "line upon 
 line, and precept upon precept." For the 
 sake of these, he casts, confidently, his 
 bread upon the waters, knowing that it will 
 "return after many days."
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IT was an evening in spring, and two young 
 men, named Archibald Lofton and Mark Pinker- 
 ton, had just arisen from the tea-table, and were 
 standing at the window of their boarding-house, 
 looking out upon the passing crowd. Just oppo 
 site was a new building yet unfinished. Against 
 this, large bills were posted ; and on one of them, 
 in letters a foot long, was the imposing name of 
 <; MRS. WOOD," as visible by the strong glare of 
 the gas lamp, as if day were abroad. The word 
 " CINDERELLA," in smaller letters, yet bold and 
 distinct, was displayed a little way beneath. 
 
 " Cinderella, to-night !" exclaimed the one
 
 8 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 named Pinkerton. "I must hear Mrs. "Wood 
 again. Come, Archie, won't you go ?" 
 
 Lofton shook his head, as he replied 
 
 " I believe not, Mark. I've heard her once in 
 Somnambula, and that must suffice. These 
 pleasures are rather expensive for a young man 
 on a salary of four hundred dollars." 
 
 " What's half a dollar !" exclaimed Pinkerton, 
 almost contemptuously. " I think a night at the 
 opera, with such a vocalist as Mrs. Wood to 
 ijvitch the soul into Elysium, one of the cheapest 
 pleasures to be found." 
 
 " It may be cheap to those who can afford it," 
 said Lofton. " But, with me, half-dollars have 
 never been over plenty." 
 
 " Ah, Archie, Archie !" replied Pinkerton, 
 speaking with mock gravity, " I'm afraid you're 
 growing in love with filthy lucre. Don't I know 
 that you've got two hundred dollars in the 
 Savings' Fund now? Half-dollars not over plen 
 ty ! Ah, Archie, Archie !" 
 
 Lofton smiled at this sally, and replied, good- 
 humoredly 
 
 " How long do you think it has taken me to 
 save two hundred dollars out of my small in 
 come ?" 
 
 " Ten years."
 
 SPARING TO SPKM). 9 
 
 " No ; but jesting aside ?" 
 
 " Five years ?" 
 
 " Just two years." 
 
 " What ! you hav'nt lived on three hundred 
 dollars a year for two years ?" 
 
 " I have." 
 
 " Impossible ! why, I get six hundred, as you 
 know, and have never yet been able to coine out 
 even." 
 
 " I don't much wonder at that," said Lofton. 
 
 " Nor do I, either," replied Pinkerton, with 
 shrug. " The salary is too small." 
 
 " It is two hundred dollars more than I re 
 ceive," was the other's answer ; " and yet, I have 
 something over at the end of each quarter." 
 
 " I don't see how you manage, I'm sure." 
 
 " I pay as much for boarding as you do ?" 
 
 I know." 
 
 " Our clothes are made by the same tailor.' 
 
 " What is your bill a year ?" asked Pinkerton, 
 abruptly. 
 
 " It was seventy dollars last year," answered 
 Lofton. 
 
 " Seventy dollars ! Why, mine was a hundred 
 and seventy." 
 
 "The difference of one hundred dollars just
 
 10 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 the sum I was able to place in the Savings' 
 Fund." 
 
 " A hundred dollars' difference," said Pinker- 
 ton, in a musing, perplexed tone of voice. " I 
 can't understand it. You never look shabby. 
 You're always well dressed, though not in tip 
 top style, if anything, a little behind the 
 fashion of the day." 
 
 " Whoever attempts to keep even with that, 
 must have a pretty deep purse," replied Lofton. 
 " So I never permit myself to think about the 
 fashions, beyond what is needful in order to 
 avoid singularity." ~4t 
 
 "How many new coats did you have last 
 year ?" asked Pinkerton. 
 
 " One." 
 
 " Only one ? I had three ; and two of them 
 cost thirty dollars a-piece. So there is a differ 
 ence of sixty dollars in two items." 
 
 " Three coats. What in the world did you 
 want with three coats ?" 
 
 " As an Irishman would say, one of them was 
 a cloak." 
 
 " The Spanish mantle you wore last winter ?" 
 
 Yes." 
 
 Did'nt you get a drab surtout at the same 
 time I got mine ?" asked Lofton.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 11 
 
 " I did ; and it's almost as good as new, yet. 
 They wear for ever. But, drab surtouts are going 
 out of fashion." 
 
 " I saw hundreds of them last winter." 
 
 " So did I. But I can't bear the look of them 
 since the graceful Spanish cloak is worn: they 
 look so stiff and methodistical, with their tight 
 bodies, and rows of capes." 
 
 Lofton shook his head as he replied 
 
 " I don't wonder that you find six hundred dol 
 lars inadequate to your wants, if you permit a 
 weak and truant fancy to trifle with your judg 
 ment at this rate. Your drab coat was scarcely 
 soiled, and would have worn you, in credit, as I 
 expect mine to do, for four or five winters to 
 come." 
 
 " Four or five winters 1 Why, bless me, Archie 1 
 You don't expect to go about in that old drab coat 
 of yours, for the next four or five winters ?" 
 
 " And why not, Mark, if it is in good condi 
 tion ?" 
 
 " Oh, you'll make yourself ridiculous. You'll 
 mar your prospects in life. A young man, to 
 gain credit with the world, must show some 
 spirit; some ambition to be like other people. 
 This plodding, saving, pinching mode of getting 
 along doesn't answer. It's had its day. The
 
 12 SPAK1NG TO SPEND. 
 
 world is going faster than it went when our fa 
 thers were as young as we, and if we would keep 
 pace with the general movement, we must quick 
 en our steps. You think my thirty dollar cloak 
 a dear bargain, no doubt ?" 
 
 " A very dear bargain, in my opinion," said 
 Lofton. " It has deprived you of just so much 
 money ; and, depend upon it, money in hand is a 
 young man's best friend." 
 
 " Why, Lofton ! What a sordid idea ! I really 
 believe this saving spirit is going to bring the 
 dollar so near to your eyes, that you will soon be 
 able to see nothing else." 
 
 " I hope not. I trust ever to keep my heart 
 above the love of money for its own sake. But 
 to a young man, who seeks advancement in the 
 world, money is a staff and a helper a friend 
 that will stand by him when other friendships 
 fail. Yes, Pinkerton, I think your Spanish man 
 tle, a full circle though it be, and graceful to the 
 eye, one of your dear bargains." 
 
 "I will demonstrate the contrary," said the 
 young man. " Know, then, that I got so out of 
 heart, last winter, with rny old drab coat, that I 
 was actually ashamed to go to church. Two 
 Sundays I absented myself. Then I grew des 
 perate, and ordered a new Spanish mantle to be
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 13 
 
 m ade in the tip of the mode. It came home on 
 Saturday night, and, on Sunday, proud as a lord 
 and, excuse my vanity, looking like one I re 
 appeared at St. Paul's. I felt that I was making 
 a sensation, as I passed down the aisle, and was 
 by no means astonished, after getting fairly com 
 posed in the pew where I sit, to find more than 
 one pair of bright eyes fixed upon me. And 
 there was one pair, brighter and more heavenly 
 than the rest. Ah ! Archie, how often had I 
 striven to win a glance of interest from those 
 beautiful orbs ; yet they ever looked on me, if 
 they looked at all, with frigid indifference. It 
 was not so, now. The impression I desired was 
 at last made. The cloak had done the work !" 
 
 " And so the lady thought more of the cloak 
 than the man," said Lofton. 
 
 " Not at all, my friend. One of the short 
 sighted and too direct inferences which men of 
 your peculiar character of mind are apt to make. 
 The cloak was the exponent of the man." 
 
 " Ah ! I see." 
 
 " Do you, Archie ? "Well, I'm glad to have 
 brightened your ideas a little. The cloak, I re 
 peat, was the exponent of the man. It showed 
 what was in him. Exhibited him as a man of 
 the time a progressive man."
 
 14 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Go on," said Lofton, with affected gravity. 
 
 " That pair of bright eyes, Archie 1 The glances 
 I received from them, on that morning, were 
 worth the price of a dozen cloaks." 
 
 " Always provided you have the money to pur 
 chase them," replied Lofton. 
 
 "Faugh. You havn't a grain of sentiment, 
 Archie ! I never saw a man who seemed to take 
 such a malicious pleasure in throwing cold water 
 on another's enthusiasm." 
 
 s 
 
 " But who is the owner of those heavenly eyes 
 that so enchanted you ?" 
 
 " The daughter of old Eaynor." 
 
 " The wine merchant 1" 
 
 " Yes. Angela Raynor. Isn't she a splendid 
 creature ; and worth a plum into the bargain ?" 
 
 " She may be worth a dozen plums, Mark ; but 
 their falling into your basket is another matter, 
 altogether." 
 
 " You think so ?" 
 
 " I do." 
 
 " Very well. You'll see. But let me finish 
 my story. On the next Sunday, I was at church, 
 again. Miss Raynor was there, and quite as 
 much interested in your humble servant as be 
 fore. For some four or five Sundays, our ogling
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 15 
 
 acquaintance was kept up, when, as good fortune 
 would have it, I met her at a party, was intro 
 duced, and spent, in her charming company, the 
 most delightful evening of my life. 80 much for* 
 my Spanish mantle." 
 
 " What does all that signify ?" asked Lofton. 
 " To me it is significant of a rich wife. Am 
 I sufficiently explicit ?" 
 " Quite so." 
 
 " I think even you will call my cloak a bargain, 
 if all comes out according to present indications." 
 " And you are really serious, Mark, in this 
 matter ?" 
 
 " Never was more so in my life, I can assure 
 you. I hav'nt called upon Miss Raynor yet, but 
 expect to do so very soon. We speak on the 
 street, and in the aisle, when passing from church 
 on Sundays : and the way her countenance bright 
 ens when our glances meet, tells plainly enough 
 the state of her feelings. Next Sunday, if all 
 things favor, I'm going to walk home with her." 
 " Setting aside all the probabilities of success 
 in this wife speculation of yours," said Lofton, 
 seriously, " let me enquire as to what you know 
 of the mental and moral qualities of Miss Ray 
 nor."
 
 16 SPAB.ING TO SPEND. 
 
 " 1 ask no better index to character than the 
 face." 
 
 " Far, very far, from a reliable index," answer 
 ed Lofton. 
 
 " Reliable enough, in the present instance," 
 said Pinkerton. " But time passes. Lend me 
 half a dollar, if you please ; I hav'nt a copper in 
 my pocket spent my last dollar to-day, for a cane 
 that struck my fancy. Unfortunately, I let it 
 fall on the pavement and broke the pearl top be 
 fore reaching home. Was'nt it unlucky ?" 
 
 " Then you're going to hear Mrs. "Wood, to 
 night ?" said Lofton, as he gave his companion 
 the coin he had asked for. 
 
 " I am, and for two reasons. I wish to hear 
 her again, and moreover expect to see Miss Ray- 
 nor there. She was present at the last opera. 
 Come, go with me." 
 
 " No : can't afford it." 
 
 " Nonsense ! If I, who have to borrow the price 
 of admission, can afford to go, surely you, who 
 are able to lend, and whose purse is heavy with 
 coin, may afford the same enjoyment." 
 
 " You and I may differ, perhaps, as to what 
 constitutes ability," said Lofton.
 
 SPARING TO SPENT). 1 7 
 
 " I should'nt wonder," remarked Pinkerton, 
 hurriedly. " But good evening, if you won't 
 accompany me. Time passes, and the boxes will 
 be closed before I arrive."
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The scene at the Holliday Street Theatre, Bal 
 timore, on that evening was brilliant and exci 
 ting. Mrs. Wood was never in better voice, and 
 she witched all hearts by the power of her en 
 chanting melody. Miss Eaynor was there, and 
 divided, with the fair prima donna, the attention 
 of the more than half bewildered Pinkerton. If, 
 from either of these objects of strong attraction 
 the mind of the young man wandered, it was to 
 think of his sober friend Lofton, and to pity him 
 for those false ideas of economy, in odedience to 
 which, he was depriving himself of the pure and 
 elevating delights of music wedded to scenic art. 
 
 And what of Archibald Lofton? Where was
 
 SPARING TO SPENP. 19 
 
 he ? How did he pass the evening ? Let us return 
 to him. A small volume had been loaned to him 
 that day by a friend, entitled "Mercantile Morals," 
 with a recommendation to read it carefully. 
 After Pinkerton left the house, the young man 
 drew this book from his pocket, and spent an 
 hour in reading. 
 
 " The right doctrine," said the young man em 
 phatically, when he at last closed the volume. 
 " Every word of it true. The book is worth its 
 weight in gold to any one who will heed its 
 precepts. Spare to spend ! Yes, that is the true 
 doctrine. If we spend money now for what we 
 don't want, we will have nothing in the future to 
 buy what we do want ; but if we spare now, we 
 will be able to spend liberally in the future." 
 
 As he thus talked with himself, a servant came 
 into the parlor to say that his washerwoman was 
 below. 
 
 " Tell her that I would like to see her," replied 
 Lofton. "Well, Bridget, have you brought home 
 my clothes ?" he said, as the woman came in. 
 
 " Yes, sir. They are in your room." 
 
 " I owe you for another month ; don't I ?" 
 
 Bridget nodded an affirmative. 
 
 " Two dollars ?"
 
 20 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Two dollars and a quarter, this month. You 
 know there were some extra "pieces last week." 
 
 " So there were." Lofton drew forth his purse, 
 and while he was taking out the washerwoman's 
 money, the latter, who had some misgivings as to 
 whether it were just right, or politic, to charge 
 for a few extra pieces, one who was always so 
 prompt and cheerful in payment, said 
 
 " I reckon we won't make any account of the 
 few pieces over. It didn't take me long to do 
 them, and you're always such good pay. I only 
 wish everybody I washed for was like you." 
 
 " I'm much better able to pay for all I have 
 washed, Bridget, than you are to do it for no 
 thing," replied Lofton. " no, my good woman ; 
 if there is a single piece over, let me know it. I 
 don't like wasting money ; but to the uttermost 
 farthing, I wish to pay what is justly another's." 
 
 " Some people waste a great deal of money," 
 remarked Bridget, " on one foolery and another; 
 and them's generally the ones what begrudges 
 us even the little they agree to pay. There's one 
 young man I could mention, if I chose to call 
 names butthat would'nt be just right and proper, 
 you know who holds his head high enough, and 
 yet it's like drawing teeth to get a dollar out of
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 21 
 
 him. He owes rne, now, over five dollars. I 
 wish, instead of wasting his money as he does, 
 he'd save it, as you do, to pay honest debts. My 
 little boy, only eleven years old, .and who ought, 
 by good right, to be at school, if I could afford 
 to keep him there, is earning money in a cigar 
 store. He told me, this very evening, that the 
 young man, of whom I am speaking, came 
 into the store, to-day, and spent a dollar and a 
 quarter for a little switch of a cane, with a 
 pearl top, which he dropped on the floor, 'and 
 broke a moment after it was paid for. It made 
 my very blood boil when I heard it, and I said to 
 myself I'll not stand this any longer ! As soon 
 as supper was over, I hurried off to his boarding 
 house, determined, if he didn't pay me what was 
 due, to talk my mind right out to him. Well, as 
 I was coming past the Holliday Street Theatre, 
 who should I see going up the steps but him ? I 
 was half tempted to catch hold of his arm, and 
 ask him for my money." 
 
 " That wouldn't have been right, Bridget," said 
 Lofton. 
 
 " I know it wouldn't. And I'm glad I held 
 myself back. But its dreadful aggravatin', 
 Mr.' Lofton dreadful. Him owing me for wash-
 
 22 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 ing his clothes for helping to make him look 
 like a gentleman and wasting two dollars in a 
 single day, on fancy canes and theatres ! Oh, its 
 too much ! I don 't wonder my blood boils. 
 But excuse me, Mr. Lofton, I didn't mean to 
 annoy you. Thank you for your kindness. I 
 think I'd rather not take but two dollars. The 
 extra pieces were small, I wasn't long doing 
 'em." 
 
 " $.11 very generous and considerate in you, 
 Bridget," said the young man, pleasantly. " But 
 right is right. I have to economize. But I 
 do it through self-denial ; not by getting the labor 
 of others for nothing." 
 
 " You're a jewel of a man, Mr. Lofton ; and I'm 
 no flatterer that say it !" was the enthusiastic re 
 sponse of the half- Americanized Irish woman 
 " And I wish the world was made up of the likes 
 o' you." 
 
 And with a low curtsey she retired. 
 
 " And this is Pinkerton !" said Lofton, as he 
 walked to and fro, in some excitement of 'mind. 
 " Spend his last dollar for a dandy cane, and 
 then borrow the price of admission to the theatre, 
 while his washerwoman can't get from him the
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 23 
 
 poor reward of her hard labor. Too bad 1 Too 
 bad ! I thought better of him than this." 
 
 We must now introduce another character to 
 the reader. About the time that Lofton was in 
 conversation with Bridget, a young woman, 
 plainly dressed, yet neat and tidy in her whole 
 appearance, left one of the large houses in the 
 upper part of Charles street, and with slow, and 
 apparently feeble steps, passed along as far as 
 Lexington street. Here she stood for some mo 
 ments, as if undetermined where to go. At last 
 she moved on again, until she reached Fayette 
 street, where the same indecision was manifested 
 A sudden thought, after a brief pause, changed 
 her whole manner. With a somewhat quicker 
 movement, she retraced her steps as far as Lex 
 ington street, along which she went in the direc 
 tion of Liberty street. Half way down, she 
 stopped at a frame house, the entrance to which 
 was by high and narrow steps. She went in 
 without knocking. 
 
 There was no light in the small parlor into 
 which the street door opened. 
 
 " Who's that ?' called a harsh female voice 
 from a back room, the door of which was now 
 thrown ajar, admitting a feeble gleam. 
 
 "Me," was faintly answered.
 
 24 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 "Ellen. Oh! you're late to-night." There 
 was not a single touch of womanly softness in 
 the tones of the speaker. No response was made 
 by the new comer, who had removed her bonnet 
 and shawl. The former she held in her hand by 
 the strings, and the latter was lying across her 
 arm, as she passed from the dark parlor into the 
 small sitting-room that adjoined. A glass oil 
 lamp afforded the dim light by which this " den," 
 if we may thus be allowed to designate it was 
 but partially illuminated. As she entered, an old 
 woman lifted to her pale, thin, timid face, a pair 
 of glittering black eyes, and fixed them on her 
 with a cold, yet piercing gaze. Let us describe, 
 somewhat particularly, this old woman. 
 
 No one would have pronounced her age a year 
 below sixty. She had, probably, added ten to 
 three-score. Her hair, of a dark, iron-grey, 
 combed roughly back from her forehead, was so 
 heavy in growth, and strong in texture, as to lift 
 somewhat untidily her plain cap from her broad 
 temples. Her face was long, and tapered sharply 
 towards her chin. There yet remained in her 
 mouth a few straggling teeth, the incisors and 
 canine projecting, when her lips were parted, 
 very much like those of an animal. Her skin
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 25 
 
 was dark, and had something the appearance of 
 leather. Her eyes have already been mentioned 
 as black and glittering ; they had receded far 
 back into her head, and were restless and quick in 
 their movements. Every thing about her bespoke 
 the hard, harsh, selfish woman, congealed into so 
 rigid a form, in old age, that no one might press 
 against her, without sustaining injury. In person 
 she was tall and thin. 
 
 The room in which this woman sat was nar 
 row, its length being equal to the width of the 
 email parlor, from which it was removed by a 
 partition. In one corner was an old fashioned 
 cupboard, enclosed with doors above and below. 
 A table, quite as ancient in style, was drawn a 
 few inches from the wall. It contained a lamp, 
 one of the wicks in which had been picked down, 
 in order to lessen, by half, the consumption of 
 oil. Sufficient light was obtained for all practi 
 cal purposes, so far as the old woman was con 
 cerned, her occupation being that of knitting, 
 Two or three Windsor chairs, from which fre 
 quent scrubbing had removed every vestige of 
 paint, a small square pine stool, cushioned with 
 a piece of faded ingrain carpet, with two or
 
 26 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 unimportant articles, made up the furniture of 
 the room. 
 
 " You're late to night," repeated the old woman, 
 drawing as she spoke, a round snuff-box from 
 her pocket, and taking a large pinch of the 
 powdered weed. As she returned the box to its 
 capacious receptacle, she fixed her eyes search- 
 ingly upon the young girl. 
 
 "I had to finish the dress I was working on 
 before I could leave," was answered. 
 
 " Well, I hope they've paid you for your work. 
 You've been there three weeks to day." 
 
 "I havn't finished yet. There are two or 
 three dresses more to make for the young ladies," 
 eaid the girl, with something deprecating in her 
 voice. " I shall be engaged for at least a week 
 longer." 
 
 " Why don't they pay you at the end of each 
 week? The money's earned," said the old 
 woman, sharply. 
 
 " They would, I suppose, if I were to ask 
 them." 
 
 " Then why don't you ask them ? No one 
 should be afraid to ask for her own. I've had 
 to do it all my life." 
 
 " It isn't usual to pay until the end of an
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 27 
 
 engagement ; and I'd rather not ask for my 
 money." 
 
 " And I'd rather you would ask for it, Miss," 
 said the old woman, drawing herself up and look 
 ing a very imperative mood personified. " I want 
 my money," she added, speaking very positively ; 
 " and I must have it. Your board has now 
 been running on for ten weeks ; and I'm a poor 
 woman, and can't afford to lie out of my money 
 in this way." 
 
 " If I had not been sick, Mrs. Sly, my board 
 would have been paid regularly. I never was 
 behind-hand with you before." 
 
 " Oh, well that don't signify," said the old 
 woman, impatiently. " You aint sick now. 
 You've been at work three weeks, and have 
 earned six dollars." 
 
 " True," was the mild, and now firm reply of 
 the girl, who, the sharpness of the first interview, 
 which she had dreaded, being over, was regain 
 ing something of her native firmness and inde 
 pendence of character. " True, and in another 
 week, there will be eight dollars coming to me, 
 all of which will be paid into your hands as soon 
 as I receive it. I've always given you your 
 money, Mrs. Sly, the moment it was due. What
 
 23 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 more could you ask ? Sickness should, at least 
 bring some consideration." 
 
 " Hity tighty, my young lady !" exclaimed 
 Mrs. Sly, in no feigned surprise. "What's 
 coming over the girl ? A nice way to talk to me 
 after I have nursed you for six weeks like a baby. 
 Some people would have bundled you off to the 
 poor-house. But, it's the kind of thanks I always 
 receive." 
 
 And such nursing! The poor girl closed her 
 eyes, and laid her hand on her heart, that grew 
 faint at the remembrance of those six weeks -of 
 helplessness and suffering. 
 
 The simple relation of Ellen Birch to this 
 woman, was that of a boarder. Why one so 
 gentle, sensitive, and altogether so maidenly in 
 all that appertained to her, as was this young 
 girl, should have found a home with such a 
 woman as Mrs. Sly, may excite surprise. It is 
 easily explained. Three years before, the death 
 of her mother deprived her not only of her best 
 friend, but left her alone in the world, and wholly 
 dependent on her own efforts. A small life-an 
 nuity had been the mother's only income. On 
 this, with strict economy, she had been able to 
 support herself and child. Her death, when
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 29 
 
 Ellen was just sixteen, left the afflicted girl not 
 only alone in the world, but without any means 
 of subsistence. For the last two years of her 
 life, Mrs. Birch had rented a room from Mrs. 
 Sly, who owned the poor tenement in which she 
 lived. 
 
 As soon after her mother's death as Ellen was 
 able to comprehend, with some clearness, her 
 new relation to the world, her native indepen 
 dence, spurred, it may be, into quicker activity 
 by some unmistakable givings out on the part of 
 Mrs. Sly, led her to select the trade of a dress 
 maker as a means of self-dependence. Mrs. Sly 
 favored this, and as it was necessary for Ellen to 
 subsist during the year of her apprenticeship, 
 proposed to board her for what service she could 
 perform early in the morning before going to 
 work, and in the evening after returning home. 
 The offer Ellen accepted with thankfulness. But, 
 what a year of toil beyond her strength, and ill- 
 natured exaction, it proved. It seemed as if 
 Mrs. Sly could never be satisfied with the amount 
 of work done for her by Ellen. Ere the day 
 dawned, she was aroused from her pillow, and 
 rarely escaped to her chamber before the noon of 
 night. Even with all this, if she could have
 
 30 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 pleased Mrs. Sly, it would have been something 
 for her mind to rest upon. But that was hope 
 less, for the woman was sordid, even miserly, at 
 heart, and her base love of money poisoned every 
 gushing rill of human feeling in her bosom. 
 
 Slowly that year of toil and- trial went by. It 
 closed at last. The brave girl had acquired a 
 trade at what expense her almost colorless face, 
 attenuated frame, and slow, feeble steps, attested 
 but too well. Ten hours a day, in the close 
 work-room, for one who had taken much and fre 
 quent exercise in the open air, would of itself 
 have tried her health severely. It came near 
 breaking down, altogether, under the added toil 
 imposed by her relation to Mrs. Sly. That rela 
 tion, the selfish old woman had no objection to 
 continue, for the meagre fare provided for Ellen 
 was paid for three times over by the service she 
 rendered. The young girl, however, was too glad 
 to be emancipated from such tyranny and labor. 
 A new relation was, therefore, established. As 
 ehe obtained work immediately, in two or three 
 families to which she was recommended by the 
 dress-maker with whom she served her appren 
 ticeship, she was able to pay a sum agreed upon 
 for boarding, which she preferred to the thankless
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 31 
 
 and health-destroying service, the term of whicb 
 had just expired. 
 
 Since that time, she had boarded with Mrs. 
 Sly, who true to her natural instincts, had, be 
 sides half-starving the poor girl, rendered, in 
 other ways, her life exceedingly uncomfortable. 
 
 Often and often did Ellen resolve to seek a new 
 home; but, when she tried to make up her mind 
 to leave the house in which her mother had lived, 
 and the room in which she died, her heart re 
 belled against the decisions of her judgment. 
 Her mother's spirit seemed to linger about the 
 old, familiar objects, and she felt her presence in 
 the chamber where they had slept together as 
 she felt it nowhere else. And so, bearing, for 
 bearing and suffering, gaining earthly purification 
 through many trials borne patiently, she remained 
 in her comfortless home for nearly two years 
 when a long and protracted sickness threw her, 
 weak and helpless as an infant, on the tender 
 mercies of one in whose bosom the milk of human 
 kindness had long since ceased to flow. 
 
 When at last, she tottered forth from her 
 lonely chamber, it was with her mind made up 
 in regard to the future. She was indebted for 
 boarding from the time she was taken ill. So
 
 32 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 soon as she was able to pay off what was due, 
 she was fully resolved to seek another home. So 
 greatly had Mrs. Sly annoved her for the week 
 or two before her introduction to the reader, and 
 so utterly disgusted was she with her intense and 
 cruel selfishness, that she was several times on 
 the eve of not returning again to her house. It 
 was a state of indecision on this subject, that 
 caused her hesitating movements after leaving the 
 house in Charles street, where she had been 
 working through the day. A sudden thought, 
 flashing through her mind it, will be remem 
 bered, prompted her return to the old home. 
 
 The last words of Mrs. Sly, in which allusion 
 was made to the poor-house, and the ingratitude 
 she had always received for her kind acts to 
 others, were pitched in a high, shrill tone, that 
 completely drowned the noise of footsteps in the 
 adjoining parlor. Twice there had been a knock 
 at the street door, and both times the loud voice 
 of the old virago had kept the sound from reach 
 ing their ears, nor did either observe that, failino- 
 
 - ' O 
 
 to attract attention some one had entered. Not 
 until the door of the little room was pushed open, 
 and the voice of a man said, somewhat sternlv
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 33 
 
 " Mrs. Sly ! Is it possible ! What does all this 
 mean ?" 
 
 Were either aware of another's presence. 
 
 " Mr. Lofton !" exclaimed Ellen, in surprise, 
 yet with something of joy in her tone, while her 
 pale cheeks flushed, and her eyes brightened and 
 filled with tears. The young man grasped her 
 hand and drew her into the parlor. Mrs. Sly 
 followed with the dim oil lamp that had burned 
 upon her table, and setting it upon the mantel 
 piece, passed from the room without a word, and, 
 left the young couple alone. 
 
 2*
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE silence which followed the withdrawal of 
 Mrs. Sly was broken b*y sobs, that- Ellen was, 
 just then, too weak, both in mind and body to 
 restrain. These were succeeded by a flood of 
 tears. No word was spoken by the young man, 
 until the agitation of his companion had subsided ; 
 yet as she wept, he held her hand in a tighten 
 ing grasp. 
 
 "Dear Ellen," he at length said, "what does 
 all this mean ? how dare that old wretch " 
 
 " Oh, Archie ! Archie ! Don't speak so," ex 
 claimed Ellen, interrupting him. " Don't don't. 
 She was disappointed; and you know you 
 know "
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 33 
 
 "Disappointed about what, Ellen?" asked 
 Lofton, seeing that she hesitated, and looked 
 slightly confused, as if nearly betrayed into the 
 utterance of something about which she did not 
 wish to speak. 
 
 " Disappointed about what ?" he repeated, after 
 pausing for an answer. 
 
 But there was no reply, and her partly averted 
 face prevented all attempts to read her thoughts 
 in her countenance. 
 
 " What did she mean by that allusion to the 
 poor-house ?" said Lofton. " Surely I must have 
 misunderstood its application to yourself. Can 
 it be possible that she referred to you and your 
 recent illness I" Light was breaking in upon the 
 young man's mind. " Ellen ! Dear Ellen ! You 
 must have no concealments with me in any mat 
 ters that affect your comfort or happiness ; these 
 are already in my keeping, and I trust to have 
 them in faithful guardianship so long as life shall 
 last." 
 
 The young man spoke low, his voice eloquent 
 with true feeling. 
 
 " Say, Ellen, is my inference correct?' 
 
 " It is," was the reluctant answer. 
 
 "Why, Ellen! Ellen! I am confounded."
 
 36 SPARING TO SPEXD. 
 
 There was strong indignation in his voice. 
 " Such language to you ! What can it mean ? 
 How dare she speak so ! You say she was dis 
 appointed. About what?" 
 
 Yet, even as he asked the question, the truth 
 was suggested. Ellen did not reply; but he 
 needed no confirming words from her lips. He 
 knew, as certainly as if she had told him, that 
 the poor girl was in debt for her board during 
 the time of her prolonged illness, and that this was 
 the cause of Mrs. Sly's abusive language. How 
 hot, with anger, grew the blood in his veins. To 
 think that this tender and beloved flower, that 
 he would have protected from even the summer's 
 changes, had been so cruelly assailed ; had been 
 blown on by the sharp breath of cold-hearted 
 selfishness ! 
 
 " Ellen ! You must not remain here for another 
 hour !" said he, passionately. 
 
 " Archie Archie !" said Ellen, who had re- 
 gained,her self-possession, and now spoke with a 
 calm and gentle earnestness " Do not give way 
 to anger. We have many lessons of patience and 
 forbearance to learn in this life ; and the more 
 thoroughly we learn them, the wiser we will be, 
 and the better able to act right in the time to
 
 SPARING TO SPEND 37 
 
 come. Have I not heard almost these very words 
 from your own lips, Archie? Strength, many, 
 many times have they given me in trial. I have 
 numerous kindnesses to acknowledge at the 
 hands of Mrs. Sly, and her conduct now cannot 
 make me forget them." 
 
 " She is wicked and cruel !" persisted Lofton. 
 
 "Her conduct is an outrage and cannot be ex 
 cused on any ground." 
 
 " It was wrong, I know," said Ellen ; " but she 
 cannot see with our eyes cannot feel as we do. 
 All her inclinations are sordid, and all her motives 
 are low and selfish. We must think of her as 
 she is." 
 
 " But you will not remain here, surely, after 
 what has occurred ?" replied Lofton. 
 
 " I shall stay for a few weeks longer. My 
 mind was already made up to change, after that 
 time." 
 
 " But why not go from here at on'ce ? Why 
 remain for two or three weeks ?" 
 
 "I am not prepared to leave, now, Archie. 
 It does not just suit me. Mrs. Sly is over her 
 fretted state by this time. These tempers don't 
 last long. She's sorry for what she said, I'm
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Don't think of it any more. In three or 
 four ?eeks, if I keep well, I intend looking out 
 for ? pleasanter home." 
 
 " If you keep well, Ellen ?" 
 
 Lofton looked earnestly into her thin face, as 
 hw voice lingered on the words, " keep well." 
 " Your hand is too hot for health now," he added. 
 " You have been at work, to-day ?" 
 
 Yes." 
 
 "Too soon too soon." The young man's 
 tones were troubled. " You will never recover 
 your former health if you go on in this way. 
 You huvn't the strength, Ellen, for this." 
 
 " I'm getting stronger," she answered. But 
 her own consciousness that such was not the case, 
 betrayed itself in her tones. 
 
 " Weaker, you mean," said Lofton. " Ellen," 
 he added, with emphatic earnestness, " this must 
 not be. My own happiness is too intimately 
 bound up with yours, to look on indifferently 
 and see you destroying your own life. This 
 season of all others, will not permit over effort, 
 in a weakened condition of the body. To the 
 exhausted frame, spring often comes with new 
 life and vigor ; but there must be gentle exercise
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 39 
 
 in the fresh and fragrant air, with freedom from 
 anxious thought, or its health-giving influence 
 will be exerised in vain." 
 
 How deeply Ellen felt the truth of these words. 
 From the time the disease, by which she had suf 
 fered so severely, left her, up to the period when 
 she resumed her work, there had been a daily 
 visible improvement in her health. But, since 
 then, the gain had been very slow indeed, while 
 her tasks were performed under the pressure of 
 painful weariness. Usually, when sne turned' 
 her steps homeward, at night, she had scarcely 
 the needed strength remaining. And there was 
 another reason, beyond the ten or twelve hours' 
 incessant needle-work, why she failed to regain 
 the strength she so much needed ; and this was 
 an inexcusable want of thought in the lady for 
 whom she had been sewing for some three weeks. . 
 At seven o'clock, Ellen began her daily task, and 
 an hour elapsed before she was called to break 
 fast. By this time, she usually had a faint, sick, 
 feeling, that nourishing food taken at an earlier 
 hour would have prevented, but which now took 
 away all appetite. A few mouthfuls of bread 
 and butter, and a part of a cup of tea or coffee, 
 almost forced upon her reluctant stomach, made
 
 40 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 up her morning meal. By twelve or one o'clock ; 
 her exhausted system began to ask for nutrition, 
 which, if then supplied, would have been grateful 
 and health-giving. But three o'clock was the 
 dining hour, and to the thoughtless mistress of 
 the family, herself in robust health, it did not 
 once occur that the pale, toiling seamstress might 
 need a luncheon to sustain her till the regular 
 dinner hour arrived. 
 
 It was usually half-past three, and sometimes 
 four o'cldbk, ere Ellen was summoned from the 
 apartment, where for eight or nine hours she 
 had bent weary, often in pain and exhausted, over 
 her work. Sometimes she came to the table with 
 so eager an appetite, as to be induced to overload 
 her stomach ; and sometimes with such an aver 
 sion to food, that it was with difficulty she could 
 eat at all. There was little to tempt her at the 
 evening meal, usually taken with Mrs. Sly ; and 
 when her head pressed her pillow she was fre 
 quently too tired and feverish to sleep, until hours 
 had passed away, and then her slumber was so 
 heavy, that profuse night-sweats completed the 
 work of exhaustion. 
 
 Yes, deeply did Ellen feel the truth of Lofton's 
 remark. To her, the fresh and fragrant airs of
 
 SPARINQ TO SPEND. 41 
 
 spring brought no health-inspiring influence. In 
 Btead of gaining strength, too sadly was she be 
 coming conscious with each returning day, of a 
 loss of bodily vigor. She made no reply to her 
 lover's earnest appeal, and he added : 
 
 " You must go to the country for a few weeks, 
 Ellen. It is little better than suicide to continue 
 on as you are now doing." 
 
 " That is impossible, Archie," replied Ellen, 
 half reproachfully. The suggestion seemed to the 
 poor girl almost like mockery. 
 
 " Why is it impossible ?" asked theyoungman. 
 
 There were reasons enough in Ellen's mind, 
 to another, her reply would have been most conclu 
 sive. But, to him, she could not say that besides 
 being in debt for boarding, she had no money to 
 bear the expense. She was, therefore, silent 
 to this last interrogation. It was easy enough for 
 Lofton to conjecture the cause of her silence; and 
 he did so, correctly. How gladly would he have 
 offered her money sufficient to pay the sum due 
 for boarding, and to meet the expense of a few 
 weeks' sojourn in the country. But true delicacy 
 of feeling prevented an offer, which a like delicacy 
 would have certainly declined. 
 
 " It is not impossible for you to take at least a
 
 42 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 week's relaxation. Health nay, life itself, de 
 mands this," said Lofton, earnestly. 
 
 " It will be at least a week before I can finish 
 what Mrs. Blain wishes me to do. She is one of 
 the first who gave me work, and I would not like 
 to disappoint her." 
 
 " But, surely she is human ! Where the very 
 life of another is at stake, who would put the 
 making of a dress or two against it ?" 
 
 " You are too serious altogether, Archie," said 
 Ellen Birch, forcing a smile, yet leaning closer to 
 him as she spoke, and feeling an inward joy at 
 the loving interest he manifested. 
 
 " No no no, Ellen," he replied " there is too 
 much at stake for both of us. I cannot bear to see 
 your thin face still so pale ; your eyes so languid ; 
 your whole appearance that of one gradually sink 
 ing towards the grave, instead of rising to buoyant 
 health." 
 
 His voice trembled with emotion. 
 
 "Don't let this trouble you," replied Ellen, 
 touched by the words and manner of Lofton; 
 " your fears magnify the reality. I shall do well 
 enough. From so serious an illness, recovery is 
 always slow. In a few weeks you will see a great 
 improvement."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 43 
 
 " Not if you go on as you are going. Improve 
 ment under present circumstances is impossible." 
 
 In many ways the young man sought to lead 
 Ellen to refer so distinctly to her own affairs, that 
 he could offer the aid of which she stood so much 
 in need. But, her native delicacy so guarded her, 
 that he failed entirely ; and when they parted 
 for the night, there was, on both sides, an anxious 
 looking into the future, and a painful conscious 
 ness that its burdens, for at least one of them, 
 were too heavy to be borne without the risk of 
 dangerous consequences.
 
 CHAPTER. TV 
 
 " YOTT don't know what you missed last night, 
 young man," said Pinkerton in a tone of triumph 
 as he met Lofton on the following morning. 
 
 "Nor you either," replied the latter, rather 
 coldly. He had, in his thought, Pinkerton's nar 
 row escape at the theatre-door, from the anger of 
 his neglected washerwoman. 
 
 " Mrs. Wood never sang so well. " That every 
 one says. Oh ! It was glorious. And you lost 
 it all for the sake of a paltry half-dollar. Archie ! 
 Archie ! You are unjust to yourself and, shall I 
 say it without calling a red spot to your cheeks, 
 to that pretty little seamstress of yours. You 
 should have gone yourself and taken her also."
 
 SPAKITJG TO SPEND. 45 
 
 " You think so ?" The brow of Lofton was 
 slightly bent as he said this. 
 
 " I both say it and think it! The mind loses its 
 healthy tone unless we award to it occasional re 
 creations. What so exhilarating, and at the same 
 time, so refining, as music ?" 
 
 " Perhaps you are right," said Lofton, thought 
 fully. 
 
 " Take my advice. Go this very day and secure 
 a couple of seats. Be generous for once, and 
 you'll never repent of it the longest day you live." 
 
 " I'll think about it," answered Lofton. The 
 bell rung for breakfast, and the interview closed. 
 
 For the sake of Ellen, Lofton at first thought he 
 would ^secure seats for the opera on that evening. 
 But a little reflection told him that, in her feeble 
 state, the excitement of music and acting, with 
 the fatigue consequent upon several hours' occupa 
 tion of one of the uncomfortable seats with which 
 theatres are always provided, would do her far 
 more injury than to remain at home. So that idea 
 was very wisely abandoned. But, he by no 
 means abandoned a better purpose. Earnestly he 
 sought to devise some plan by which she could be 
 relieved, for a few weeks, from the toil that was 
 in danger of entirely destroying her health. The
 
 46 SPARING TO SPWSD. 
 
 two hundred dollars, saved by such steady self- 
 denial and careful economy how gladly would 
 he devote all of this, if needful, to meet the present 
 need ! But, how was he to use it, and not hurt 
 the maidenly delicacy of one so tenderly and so 
 worthily beloved ? That was the question he found 
 it most difficult to decide. 
 
 Breakfast over, the two young men departed tc 
 their different places of business. Pinkerton step 
 ping buoyantly along, and still feeling the excite 
 ment of the previous evening ; Lofton, with his 
 eyes upon the pavement, earnestly pondering the 
 ways and means of relief for Ellen Birch. 
 
 On reaching the store in which he was employed 
 a letter was handed to Pinkerton. He knew, from 
 the post-mark and handwriting, that it came from 
 his sister, and ere the seal was broken, or a word 
 of the contents known, a soberer mood succeeded 
 to the pleasant excitementof his feelings. With 
 an uneasy foreboding, he opened the letter and 
 read: 
 
 " MY DEAR BROTHER : I wish I could write to 
 you that my health was improving, but it is not. 
 I am very weak, and, though the season of flowers 
 and singing birds is at hand, I do not seem to gain
 
 TO. SPEND. 47 
 
 any strength. As yet, I have not ventured to go 
 out even on the mildest days, lest I should take 
 cold. The slightest cold brings back my cough, 
 and that jars my poor frame terribly. Aunt 
 Mary is very kind to me ; kind as a mother. 
 Poor aunt Mary ! She is in trouble. You know- 
 she had some bank stock, that paid her about a 
 hundred and fifty dollars a year. Well, the 
 bank has failed, and she has lost it all. Now, 
 she has nothing to depend on but her dairy, and 
 what she can sell from her little farm. I am, 
 consequently, a burthen to her, and this makes 
 me, at times, feel very unhappy. Oh, how j. 
 wish I were able to keep her ; but I am not. You 
 have often said to me, dear brother, that so soon 
 as you were able, you would pay aunt Mary 
 something for my board. If you could spare her 
 a little now, Mark ; if you could send her twenty- 
 five or thirty dollars, how much good it would do 
 her, and how much it would lighten the weight 
 that now lies heavy on my feelings ! It goea 
 hard with me to ask this of you, Mark ;' but we 
 are brother and sister, alone in the world, and to 
 whom can I go but to you ? I do not think 1 will 
 bo very long here to burden any one. I feel my 
 self growing daily weaker and weaker. But
 
 48 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 few sands remain, and they are falling rapidly 
 Let me lean on you a little more heavily. Let 
 me feel your arm bearing me up, Mark. I will 
 not know the bitter sense of dependence that now 
 so often oppresses me, if from your hand come 
 the few things needful to sustain this failing life. 
 
 "I cannot write a longer letter to you now. The 
 effort has exhausted me so much, that I must 
 close at once. May I hope to hear from you soon, 
 dear Mark ? 
 
 " From your loving sister, Lucy." 
 
 To say that the young man was not deeply 
 moved by this letter ; to say that the instant im 
 pulse of his mind was not to respond fully to the 
 earnest appeal of his sister, would be to do him 
 great injustice. 
 
 " My poor dear sister 1" he sighed, as he re 
 folded the letter. " How gladly would I shelter 
 
 you from every storm of life ! But " 
 
 He did not finish even in thought, the sentence, 
 but repressed the mental utterance, and in the 
 bitterness of conscious inability to respond as he 
 could wish, clenched his hands tightly.
 
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 49 
 
 "Twenty -five or thirty dollars," he said to 
 himself, a little while afterwards, as his thoughts 
 began to run clearer. " It does not seem a great 
 deal ; and yet, I am not the possessor at the pre 
 sent time, of a tenth part of the sum ; while the 
 whole of the current quarter's salary has already 
 been drawn. I might borrow what is needed for 
 poor Lucy." 
 
 " A lad wants to see you," said a fellow-clerk 
 to Pinkerton, as these thoughts were passing 
 through his mind. The young man turned around, 
 and there stood a boy with a piece of paper in his 
 hand. It was a bill from his boot-maker. 
 
 " Mr. Slocum," said the boy, " wants you to send 
 the money for this bill. He's got a note to pay." 
 
 " Tell him," replied Pinkerton, no little dis 
 turbed by a dun at this particular time, " that I 
 can't do any thing for him to-day. I'm short 
 myself." 
 
 " But Mr. Slocum says you must send the money. 
 The bill's been standing for months already." 
 The lad spoke with an impertinence of manner 
 that was very offensive. 
 
 " Go back and tell your master that must is a 
 hard word, and he'd better withdraw it," said 
 Pinkerton, looking sternly at the boy. 
 3
 
 50 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 But sir " 
 
 " Off with you !" 
 
 The shoemaker's lad turned away and left 
 the store, muttering something to himself that 
 Pinkerton did not hear. 
 
 The current of the young man's thoughts were 
 considerably changed by this untoward incident. 
 Other unsettled bills were remembered ; and, as a 
 very natural consequence, the sense of his own 
 wants and pecuniary deficiencies threw into the 
 shadow those of his sick and dependent sister. 
 Still, he did not forget her ; neither did he resolve 
 to let her wants go unsupplied. 
 
 " Poor Lucy !" he sighed, as the thought of her 
 returned more vividly. " Oh, that I were rich for 
 your sake ! There is nothing in this world that I 
 would think too good for you. How unfortunate 
 that money matters should be with me as they 
 are at present ! I wish I had been more econo 
 mical. I spend a great deal more for trifles than 
 is at all consistent with true economy. Ah well ! 
 It can't be helped now. I must try and do better 
 in the future." 
 
 ft Mark," said a fellow-clerk, touching hhn on 
 the shoulder at this moment, " don't you want a 
 gold watch, cheap ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 51 
 
 Now to be the owner of a gold watch, had, for 
 a long time, been the ambition of Pinkerton. 
 Three or four times he had commenced saving up 
 money for the purchase of one, but his weak pro 
 pensity to waste small sums on trifles, never per 
 mitted the attempted accumulation to reach be 
 yond three or four dollars, and then the whole 
 would suddenly disappear like frost-work in the 
 sunshine. To the clerk's question he gravely 
 shook his head. 
 
 " You'll never meet with such a chance again 
 if you wait a dozen years," said the other. 
 
 " Who's got it ? What's the price ?" asked 
 Pinkerton. A feeling of interest in the matter 
 was being awakened. 
 
 " Joe Purdy has it. It belongs to a friend 01 
 his who wants money badly, and will sell it 
 cheap." 
 
 " What kind of a watch ?" 
 
 " A patent lever." 
 
 " Altogether beyond my ability," said Pinker- 
 ton. "And, besides, I am desperately poor just 
 now." 
 
 " It can be bought for thirty dollars," remarked 
 the other.
 
 52 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Thirty dollars Tor a gold patent lever. You're 
 joking/' 
 
 " Not a bit of it. It's a first-rate watch, and 
 is worth sixty dollars, if it's worth a cent. If I 
 hadn't purchased last winter, I would take it 
 myself. You'll never have such another oppor 
 tunity. Take my advice and secure it on the 
 apot." 
 
 " But I havn't the money." 
 
 " Borrow it." 
 
 " Will you lend ?" 
 
 " Havn't a dollar of my last quarter's salary 
 left. But you can get what you want from Joe 
 Purdy." 
 
 Pinkerton shrugged his shoulders, as he re 
 plied, 
 
 " And pay him two or three per cent, a month 
 for the use of it. He shaves too deep for me." 
 
 " As you like about that," returned the other. 
 "But if you paid five per cent, a month on 
 thirty dollars, until you drew on your next quar 
 ter's salary, you'd have the best of the bargain. 
 Take my advice and secure the watch." 
 
 Advice so accordant with his desire to possess 
 the article thus temptingly set before his rnind, 
 Pinkerton felt very much inclined to follow. A
 
 SPARING TO SPEXD. 53 
 
 sight of the watch confirmed his inclinations. 
 Without pausing to take counsel of prudence ; to 
 think again of the wants of poor Lucy ; yielding 
 to the persuasions of others and his own plead 
 ing wishes, he bought the watch and gave to Joe 
 Purdy, a shrewd, unscrupulous, money-loving 
 fellow-clerk, his due bill to be paid two months 
 thereafter for thirty-four dollars, the four dollars 
 extra being interest at the rate of nearly seven 
 per cent, a month on the loan of thirty dollars ! 
 
 Ah ! it never entered into the head of Mark 
 Pinkerton to conceive of the painful, almost sick 
 ening reluctance with which his sister Lucy had, 
 under her heavy pressure, forced herself to 
 write to him as she had done. That he would 
 respond, promptly and affectionately, she had 
 no doubt. Yet, did not that take away the 
 strong disinclination that was felt to ask him for 
 money. 
 
 Five days had passed since Lucy wrote, and 
 she was now in hourly expectation of a reply. 
 Aunt Mary was looking 'troubled; and Lucy 
 knew that she had cause of trouble. Oh, how it 
 hurt her to think that she was now a burden to 
 her kind relative ! As she sat by her window
 
 54 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 looking out, the butcher drove up, and, alighting, 
 knocked at the gate. 
 
 " I wonder what he wants ?" said Lucy to her 
 self, as an uneasy feeling crept into her mind. 
 She bent nearer to the window. Soon aunt 
 Mary came out, and Lucy heard the butcher say, 
 
 " Good morning, Mrs. Jones. Fine weather 
 ihis. I've called down, as you wished, to look 
 at old brindle." 
 
 The heart of Lucy gave a violent bound. Then 
 tears gushed from her eyes. And was dear, 
 faithful old brindle to go to the slaughter-house ? 
 The thought made her so faint, that she had to 
 lie down. Shutting her eyes, she lay eagerly 
 listening for every movement below. The mur 
 mur of voices, continued for some time, reached 
 her ears. Then Lucy heard the butcher say, as 
 he clicked the latch of the gate. 
 
 " Very well, Mrs. Jones. I '11 send for her to 
 morrow morning ; and some time during the day 
 will bring you down the twenty dollars." 
 
 By this time the butcher was in his saddle. A 
 word to his horse, and he was off in a brisk trot, 
 never dreaming of the grief his visit had occa 
 sioned. 
 
 Aunt Mary's chamber was next to Lucy's. 
 The unhappy girl soon heard footsteps slowly
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 55 
 
 ascending the stairs. Her aunt's door was opened 
 and shut. A low sob or suppressed groan, 
 reached her ears ; then all was still. More than 
 half an hour elapsed before the slightest movement 
 was again audible. Then the good lady came 
 into Lucy's room, and with a slightly shadowed, 
 yet serene brow, sat down by the bedside, and, 
 taking in her's the white, almost transparent 
 hand of the pale invalid, said, with much tender 
 ness : 
 
 " You don't look so well to-day, Lucy. I'm 
 afraid you've been sitting up too long. Is there 
 anything I can get for you ?" 
 
 " Nothing, aunt Mary," replied Lucy, scarcely 
 able to restrain her tears. " What did the 
 butcher want ?" she asked, as soon as she could 
 speak with some steadiness of voice. "You 
 won't surely let him have our dear old 
 brindle ?" 
 
 " You musn't take it to heart, dear," replied 
 aunt Mary, with far more composure of manner 
 than she had herself hoped to obtain. " "What 
 can't be helped must be borne with fortitude. 
 Brindle has been dry for some time ; and we can 
 very well part with her. I owe just twenty dol 
 lars for taxes, and they've threatened to sell our
 
 *6 SPARING TO SPKXD. 
 
 little place if it isn't paid. So, there is no help 
 for us. Don't think of it, my child." 
 
 " Ohj I can't help thinking of it !" sobbed 
 Lucy ; "Dear, good old brindle! Ah, aunt 
 Mary," she said, after gaining a little composure, 
 " I feel, now, as if I ought no longer to be a bur 
 den to you. It isn't with you as it was." 
 
 Gently the hand of aunt Mary was laid upon 
 the lips of the girl, and lovingly she answer 
 ed : 
 
 " Hush ! While a roof and a loaf remain to me, 
 dear child, you will share them. Oh, never, never 
 again wound me by uttering the words 'a burden.' 
 It is love for you, Lucy, that throws light upon 
 my way, that gives warmth to my heart; that 
 brings strength and cheerfulaess. Could I only 
 call back the roses to your cheeks, I would be 
 blessed indeed." 
 
 And with many loving -words, she sought to 
 drive away the impression which she had, even 
 before this, seen gradually forming in the mind 
 of her niece. 
 
 Now more than ever did Lucy's thoughts turn 
 to her brother. She was certain he would send 
 her the money she had asked for; and should it 
 come by the post that day, the sacrifice of
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 57 
 
 brindle would be saved. An hour afterwards she 
 saw the postman turn in at the gate. How her 
 heart leaped ! She was sure he had a letter for 
 her, and she was not mistaken. The welcome 
 missive was from Baltimore, and the direction in 
 the hand-writing of Mark. Eagerly, and with 
 unsteady hands, she broke the seal. There was 
 no enclosure ! 
 
 " MY DEAR SISTER LUCY : I cannot tell you 
 how much I am pained to hear of our good aunt 
 Mary's misfortune, and grieved that your health 
 continues so poorly. Your letter could not have 
 come to me at a worse time. I havn't a dollar 
 by me, and will not be able to draw on my salary 
 for two months to come. Then I will certainly 
 send you some money. Oh, I wish that I were 
 rich for your sake ! " 
 
 Thus far Lucy read, when tears blinded her. 
 She did not sob, nor weep aloud. Her disap 
 pointment was too deep for that. But the pres 
 sure on her bosom was so great that it seemed 
 as if her heart would really cease its throbbings. 
 
 Mark Pinkerton was the owner of a gold 
 watch. In his selfish extravagance and pride, he 
 3*
 
 58 SPARING TO SPEND 
 
 dreamed not at how serious a cost he had obtain 
 ed it. 
 
 On the next morning old brindle was driven 
 off by the butcher. Poor Lucy, worse than 
 usual, did not leave her bed during the whole 
 day.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 " MRS. Sly," exclaimed Lofton, turning quickly 
 from his desk, on hearing his name uttered. 
 
 He had but a short time before reached the 
 store in which he was employed. 
 
 The old woman dressed for the street, in a 
 faded Scotch plaid cloak and a rusty, plain black 
 mode bonnet, stood before him with a troubled 
 expression on her hard features. 
 
 " Ellen Birch is very ill, sir !" The voice of 
 the woman was subdued in tone, and indicative 
 of no little anxiety. 
 
 " Very ill ! What ails her ?" asked Lofton hur 
 riedly and in alarm. 
 
 " I don't know, I'm sure, Mr. Lofton. But she's 
 been going on very strangely all night. I think
 
 60 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 she s some out of her head. And she's got an 
 awful high fever." 
 
 " Has the doctor seen her ?" inquired the young 
 man. 
 
 " No, sir. I I didn't like to I don't have 
 any doctor oi my OWL." 
 
 "But why didn't you call in Dr. Baker at 
 once ?" 
 
 " Well, I I thought I'd see you first," stam 
 mered the old woman. 
 
 " Is any one with her now ?" 
 
 " No, sir. She's a little quiet, and I thought I'd 
 run down and tell you.' 1 
 
 " Go back then, quickly," said Lofton, impa 
 tiently ; " I'll be there with the doctor in a few 
 minutes." 
 
 The old woman turned away, but, ere she had 
 reached the door, Lofton passed her at a rapid 
 speed. Fortunately, he reached the office of Dr. 
 Baker just in time to see him before he went out 
 on his morning round of visits. The doctor ac 
 companied him to the house of Mrs. Sly, which 
 they reached before the old woman's arrival. 
 Ellen still slept; or, as Mrs. Sly had said, was 
 quiet. Her eyes were closed ; there was a marked, 
 rather painful contraction of forehead and her
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 61 
 
 lips, unnaturally compressed, had now and then 
 a slight nervous movement. 
 
 Doctor Baker, who had attended Ellen during 
 her recent illness, stood gazing at her wan, suf 
 fering countenance, for some moments, without 
 speaking. Then, with a shake of the head, he 
 sat down beside her and laid his fingers on her 
 pulse. As he did so, the sick girl opened her 
 eyes, fixed them first on the doctor, then upon the 
 face of her lover, and then let them wander, as if 
 searching for some one else about the room. At 
 this moment Mrs. Sly came in. Instantly a look 
 of fear darkened the countenance of Ellen, and 
 she shrunk closer down in the bed. Both the 
 doctor and Lofton noticed the sudden change. It 
 heeded not the few incoherent sentences that fell 
 from her lips, to tell them that the mind of the 
 poor girl wandered. 
 
 The only information Dr. Baker could get 
 from Mrs. Sly, bearing on the case, was that Ellen 
 had awakened her in the night, by overturning a 
 chair, and that on going to her, she had found 
 her wandering about the room, and talking to her 
 self in a strange way. The straightforward re 
 lation by Lofton, of what had occurred on the 
 evening before, and his impression that Ellen had 
 gone to work much too early since her illness,
 
 62 SPARING TO, SPEND. 
 
 afforded the doctor sufficient data to understand 
 the condition of his patient. 
 
 Such prescription as the emergency required 
 being ordered, the doctor said in a low voice to 
 Lofton : 
 
 " This case is an exceedingly critical one, and 
 by no means to be trusted in the hands of this 
 woman. A faithful nurse is as much needed as 
 a skilful physician. And good nursing this sick 
 girl will not receive here at least not at the 
 hands of Mrs. Sly. Has she no friend or relative 
 who would take care of her during her illness ?" 
 
 "She has no relative," replied Lofton. 
 
 " Then it would be better to have her removed 
 to the Infirmary than trust her here." 
 
 " Oh no," said the young man quickly. " That 
 need not bo. I will have her placed in the hands 
 of one who will be as kind to her as a mother. 
 But can she be safely removed ?" 
 
 " Yes provided it be done as soon as possible 
 to-day. This fever will exhaust her rapidly. 
 To-morrow, it might be attended with extreme 
 peril." 
 
 " I will have her removed within an hour," said 
 Lofton. " Will you see her again this after 
 noon ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 63 
 
 " I had better do so. Where will I find 
 her ?" 
 
 " I will call on you at two o'clock in your office, 
 and give the right direction. Mrs. Sly," he added, 
 turning to the old woman, and speaking aloud 
 " I wish you to have Ellen's clothes, and all thai 
 belongs to her, packed in her trunks. In less 
 than an hour I will be here in a carriage for the 
 purpose of taking her away." 
 
 " Mr. Lofton !" The old woman was about to 
 remonstrate, when the doctor said 
 
 " I have ordered the removal, Mrs. Sly, and it 
 must take place immediately." 
 
 " But is it safe, doctor ? Isn't she too ill ?" 
 
 " She is too ill to remain here, madam," replied 
 the doctor, fixing a stern look on the old woman, 
 who did not misunderstand the meaning of his 
 words. 
 
 Soon after, Lofton and the physician left the 
 house together. 
 
 On Mulberry street, some distance beyond 
 Pearl street, and then quite in the suburbs of the 
 city, stood a small two-storied brick house, a 
 little back from, and with its gable end to, the 
 street. It was a half-house, so called. In front 
 was a neat flower-garden, enclosed by white 
 palings, the diamond shaped tops painted green.
 
 64 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Every thing in and around this house bore the 
 stamp of neatness. Tho front door opened directly 
 into a small parlor, furnished very plainly. On 
 the floor was a rag carpet, woven into regular 
 stripes of black, red and yellow, which, crossing 
 each other at intervals, produced a good effect. 
 A bureau, a mahogany breakfast-table, on which 
 lay an old family Bible, six green Windsor chairs, 
 a small mantel looking-glass, a pair of brightly- 
 polished andirons, shovel and tongs, and a pair 
 of brass candlesticks, made up the furniture of 
 this room. 
 
 In the chamber directly over the parlor, sat a 
 woman whose countenance showed her to be past 
 the prime of life. She was engaged in sewing, 
 not on a garment for herself, but on work for 
 which she was to be paid a price for Mrs. Wilson, 
 although she owned the comfortable house in 
 which she lived, had no income beyond what her 
 industry secured. The opening of the gate caused 
 her to lift her head and look from the window. 
 
 " Mr. Lofton ! I declare !" said she, both pleasure 
 and surprise in her tones. And she laid aside her 
 work quickly and went down stairs, in time to 
 open the door for him ere his hand had lifted the 
 little brass knocker that was polished to the ex 
 treme of brightness.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 65 
 
 " (lood morning, Archie. How d'ye do ? walk 
 in. I'm right glad to see you ! But what's the 
 matter ? You look sick or in trouble." . 
 
 " I am in trouble," replied the young man, as 
 he seated himself in Mrs. Wilson's little parlor. 
 " Ellen is sick again." 
 
 " Why, Archie I I'm sorry to hear that. Is 
 she very sick ?" 
 
 " Yes. Dangerously so, Dr. Baker says." 
 The young man's voice choked. In a moment he 
 recovered himself, and added, " She went to work 
 a great deal too soon, and now she is in a relapse 
 Her mind has been wandering all night." 
 
 "Archie!" 
 
 " I 've come to see you about her," said 
 Lofton. 
 
 " Well, Archie, any thing in my power to do 
 for Ellen, shall be done. You know I have always 
 liked her. She's a good and true-hearted girl." 
 
 " The doctor says she's too ill to be trusted 
 with Mrs. Sly." 
 
 " It never was a good place for her," replied 
 Mrs. Wilson. " Mrs. Sly is not the right kind of 
 a woman. If she is so ill again, she ought to be 
 removed, by all means." 
 
 " The doctor has suggested the Infirmary ; but
 
 66 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 indeed, Mrs. Wilson, I cannot bear the thought 
 of that." 
 
 Mrs. Wilson shook her head. 
 
 " Won't you let her be brought here ?" said 
 Lofton, almost imploringly. " Oh, if you would, 
 it might be the means of saving her life ! I will 
 pay you more for nursing her than you can earn 
 with your needle. Oh, my good friend, forgive 
 me for asking so much ; and do not deny my re 
 quest." 
 
 "It was already on my lips to make the offer," 
 said the kind lady, smiling yet with dimming 
 eyes. 
 
 " What a mountain you have taken from my 
 heart!" ejaculated Lofton, seizing the hand of 
 Mrs. Wilson. 
 
 Of all that passed between them, we need not 
 pause to speak. Mrs. Wilson immediately ac 
 companied Lofton and assisted in the removal of 
 the sick girl to her own house. 
 
 " Is every thing that belongs to Ellen in these 
 trunks," inquired Lofton, when some time after 
 wards he returned with a porter to have them 
 taken away. 
 
 " Yes, as far as I know. But "
 
 SPAH1MG TO SPEND. 67 
 
 " But what ?" asked Lofton, seeing hesitation 
 and perplexity on the countenance of Mrs. Sly. 
 
 " She. owes rne twelve dollars for board, and if 
 I let them go, where is my security ? She'll die, 
 maybe, and then who am I to look to for my 
 own ?" 
 
 " "Wretch !" was the involuntary and indignant 
 exclamation of Lofton. " And it was for this that 
 you threatened to send her to the poor-house ha ? 
 But" and he took out his pocket-book " here's 
 your money. Not a word !" he added sternly, 
 as the instantly changed woman began some 
 cringing apology. " There is your own take it ! 
 And now Stephen," speaking to the porter, "take 
 these to the house of Mrs. Wilson, in Mulberry 
 street. You know where it is." 
 * Remaining long enough to see the trunks fairly 
 in the porter's possession, Lofton then returned 
 to the store, from which he had been absent over 
 two hours. 
 
 " Where have you been, Archibald ?" one of 
 his employers enquired, as soon as the young 
 man re-appeared. Absence, during business 
 hours, was a thing not permitted in the establish 
 ment, unless for causes beyond those of ordinary 
 occurrence. Knowing this, Lofton felt that justice
 
 G8 SPAUING TO SPE.N'D. 
 
 to himself required a clear statement of his rea 
 son for being away. His employer listened with 
 a good deal of interest, and when he had con- 
 eluded, asked the name of the person in whom 
 his clerk had been so much interested. On hear 
 ing it, he said 
 
 " Ellen Birch. Isn't she a dress-maker ?" 
 
 " She is," replied Lofton. 
 
 " Oh, I remember her very well now. She has 
 worked for my family, off and on, during the last 
 few years. And is she so very ill ?" 
 
 " Yes, sir ; Dr. Baker considers the case ex 
 ceedingly critical." 
 
 " I'm really pained to hear it, Archibald. She's 
 an excellent girl. My wife and daughters are 
 much attached to her, and will be grieved to hear 
 of her sickness. Where did you say she had 
 been removed ?" 
 
 " To Mrs. Wilson's, in Mulberry, a little be 
 yond Pearl street." 
 
 " I'll remember that. Some of my family will 
 see her immediately, and do all they can for her 
 comfort. Dr. Baker is attending her ?" 
 
 Yes, sir." 
 
 " She couldn't be in better hands. How long 
 have you known her, Archibald ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 69 
 
 " A long time, sir." 
 
 " And, excuse ray freedom, are no doubt under 
 an engagement of marriage with her." 
 
 " It is true, sir." 
 
 " A wise choice, my young friend. She will 
 make you an excellent wife. Don't let her illness 
 trouble you too much. A good physician and good 
 nursing will, I am sure, soon bring all right again. 
 You have my full permission to be absent, while 
 she remains so very sick, as often as may be 
 needful." 
 
 Briefly but earnestly Lofton expressed his 
 grateful thanks for this kind interest on the part 
 of his employer, and once more resumed his daily 
 tasks.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FROM this time, during a period of three 
 months, there was a steady draught on the sum 
 which Lofton had accumulated ; but the diminu 
 tion gave him pleasure, not pain. A source, it 
 proved, of deep gratification that he was able to 
 procure for Ellen, during a long and dangerous 
 illness, the comforts of a home, and the loving 
 care of one who nursed her with the tenderness 
 of a mother. As the sick girl began to recover 
 strength, and her mind to acquire something of 
 its wonted activity, her native independence and 
 maidenly delicacy threw a shadow over her fee'l- 
 ings, and produced something of reserve towards 
 her lover. Gradually she learned, through 
 guarded answers to her questions, both from
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 71 
 
 Lofton and Mrs. Wilson, all about her removal 
 from the house of Mrs. Sly, and her present 
 actual dependence on the generosity of the young 
 man, to whose prompt interference she was in 
 debted for life itself. 
 
 Ellen had so far recovered as to be able not 
 only to sit up a greater part of each day, but to 
 walk a few squares, leaning on the arm of Lofton. 
 Strength was coming back rapidly. Already, a 
 faint flush might be seen on her cheeks, and the 
 brightness of returning health in her eyes, ' It 
 was now midsummer. Earlier than usual, one 
 afternoon, and ere the twilight succeeding the 
 long day had closed in, Lofton called upon Ellen. 
 He opened the little parlor door without knock 
 ing. There she sat, near the window, sewing, 
 while on the table beside her were portions of a 
 new silk dress, the rich materials and fashionable 
 style of which left him in no doubt as to the na 
 ture of her employment. The work from a cus 
 tomer. The flush on her cheek, which he had 
 marked, at his last visit, with so much pleasure, 
 was gone ; and lines of weariness were too visible 
 on her brow. 
 
 " Why, Ellen !" he said, in a tone of surprise,
 
 72 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " what is the meaning of this ? You are not well 
 enough to go to work yet." 
 
 " I'm' gaining strength very fast, Archie," she 
 replied, smiling cheerfully. " It's over two 
 months, now, that I've been idle, and a burden 
 to others " her voice slightly faltered on the 
 word " burden," while her eyes drooped beneath 
 the earnest gaze of her companion " and I shall 
 feel better to be doing something, if it is ever so 
 little. Mrs. Brown was here, yesterday, and 
 urged me so strongly to make this dress for her, 
 that I couldn't well refuse." 
 
 " Mrs. Brown has neither feeling nor conside 
 ration !" said the young man, with more than his 
 ordinary warmth of speech. 
 
 " I would rather make it than not," replied 
 Ellen, showing some slight confusion of manner. 
 " I feel a great deal stronger, and must begin to 
 do something." 
 
 " You began too soon before, and against all 
 my earnest persuasion. The imprudence came 
 near costing you your life. Do not, let rne beg 
 of you, Ellen, act so unwisely again. Send the 
 dress back to Mrs. Brown, and tell her that you 
 find yourself too weak to finish it. If she be a 
 true woman, she will take no offence,"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 73 
 
 " But I think I am well enough,'' persisted 
 Eilen. 
 
 " No, child, you are not," said Mrs. Wilson, 
 now coming into the room, and replying to her 
 last sentence, " and I have told you so before. 
 But she has a woman's will, Archie, and a pretty 
 strong one." 
 
 " Now, don't say that, Mrs. Wilson," quickly 
 spoke up Ellen, slightly coloring. She felt that, 
 to the ear of her lover, there was something dis 
 paraging in the remark. 
 
 " I do say it, child," returned Mrs. Wilson. 
 " Havn't I been talking to you all day, and telling 
 you how wrong it was to attempt this work with 
 your present strength." 
 
 " But, Mrs. Wilson," urged Ellen, " you know 
 my reasons for wishing to make this dress. You 
 know you know " 
 
 Ellen did not finish the sentence. Her face 
 was still more suffused, and she bent it so low 
 upon her bosom, that its expression was con 
 cealed. 
 
 " I know," returned Mrs. Wjlson, thrown a 
 little off of her guard by excitement of feelingj 
 " that Mrs. Hly has no claim on you so imperative 
 4
 
 71 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 that life itself must be put in jeopardy to secure 
 the payment." 
 
 " Mrs. Sly !" ejaculated Lofton. " And, pray 
 what claim has she upon Ellen ?" 
 
 " Oh ! Mrs. "Wilson," said Ellen, in real dis 
 tress, "how could you speak so ?" 
 
 Mrs. "Wilson was silent. She felt that she had 
 done wrong in thus referring, in the presence of 
 Ellen's lover, to the existence of an embarrassing 
 pecuniary obligation. Lofton comprehended all 
 in a moment, and said 
 
 "Let both of your hearts be at rest on this sub 
 ject. Mrs. Sly has not the shadow of a claim on 
 Ellen." 
 
 " I believe you are in error, there," answered 
 Mrs. Wilson, who, not choosing to understand 
 Lofton, went on to explain somewhat particularly 
 the state of affairs between Ellen and Mrs. Sly , 
 dwelling, as she did so, with some prominence, 
 on the previous sickness of Ellen, as the cause of 
 her indebtedness. 
 
 " Not the least in error," said the young man 
 smiling, when ^ Mrs. Wilson ended her explana 
 tions. " Mrs. Sly has no claim, not even to the 
 value of a barley-corn, upon Ellen." 
 
 The young girl raised her suffused face and
 
 SPARING TO SPENI). 75 
 
 looking reproachfully at Lofton. The meaning of 
 his last remark she clearly understood. Far 
 deeper than this reproachful glance, the eyes of the 
 young man penetrated, and saw radiant and 
 beautiful a look of grateful, confiding love. 
 
 Silence succeeded, and a gradual calming down 
 of excited feelings. Then Lofton related his 
 closing interview with Mrs. Sly, and on conclud 
 ing the narrative, turned to Ellen and said ab 
 ruptly, " What would you have done, had you 
 been in my place ?" 
 
 " Just as you did," replied Mi's. Wilson, before 
 Ellen had time to frame an answer. " And, now 
 that we all understand each other, let us give a 
 little thought to the future. It is plain that 
 Ellen's health will be permanently injured if she 
 persist in doing as she did before. Now that she 
 has agreed to make this dress for Mrs. Brown, I 
 do not positively object to her finishing it, pro 
 vided she work only a few honrs each day. But, 
 I should regard the taking in of any more work, 
 for at least a month or six weeks to come, as posi 
 tively wrong." 
 
 " But, Mrs. Wilson," interposed Ellen, " I can 
 not live in idleness, I cannot " 
 
 "You are, for the present, under our guardian-
 
 76 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 ship, my child," said Mrs. Wilson, laying her 
 hand tenderly on that of the young girl. " Leave 
 to us the care of thinking and acting for you in 
 the present. When able to walk alone, we will 
 restore all your freedom. Can you not trust us ? 
 Have you not faith in our love for you ?" 
 
 " Oh yes all faith all trust," answered Ellen, 
 betraying strong emotions. A flood of tears came 
 to the relief of her oppressed feelings, and she 
 wept for a time freely. How weak and depen 
 dent she now felt. Bravely had she striven to 
 stand alone, while the thought of leaning upon 
 her lover for support, was something from which 
 her mind shrunk with an instinctive sense of in 
 delicacy. Yet, in her earnest struggle, she had 
 fallen to the earth, and his was the hand that 
 raised her up his the arm that still sustained 
 her. 
 
 The barriers of reserve were all broken down. 
 Though formally betrothed to each other, yet no 
 marriage day had been named, because the cir 
 cumstances of Lofton were not such as to justify 
 the step. Both were young, and both willing to 
 wait the better time coming in the future. Such 
 being the case, a certain maidenly reserve had 
 marked the intercourse of Ellen with her lover.
 
 SPARING TO SPL.NU. 77 
 
 But the evening they spent ulone after' the inter 
 view just described, was one marked by a different 
 tone of thought and feeling from any that had 
 gone before. Circumstances utterly beyond her 
 control had left Ellen helpless. His arm was in 
 stantly reached forth to protect and to sustain her. 
 She had leaned upon it in utter weakness, and 
 now that her step still faltered, she could not 
 refuse the support so earnestly and so lovingly 
 proffered. And as her thoughts took new forms, 
 while she listened to all his more freely uttered 
 plans for the future, and saw herself leaning still 
 in her weakness upon him, a deep interior joy 
 warmed her bosom. She felt herself drawn nearer 
 to him : felt her life blended, as it were, with his. 
 A higher respect for his manly intelligence, and a 
 higher confidence in his manly virtues, were also 
 inspired. In her almost abject weakness, new 
 strength had been born. 
 
 When Lofton parted from Ellen on that even 
 ing, there was something of despondency and im 
 patience in his heart. 
 
 " Oh, that my income were larger !" he ex 
 claimed, throwing out his hands as he gained the 
 street, after leaving the house of Mrs. Wilson. 
 And then, with bowed head, in deep meditation,
 
 78 SI'AJRINO TO SPEND. 
 
 he took his way homeward. Earnestly, as he 
 walked along, did he ponder the present and the 
 future. He still had nearly one hundred and fifty 
 dollars in the Savings' Fund. With a salary of 
 only four hundred dollars, and but a hundred and 
 fifty dollars a-head, would it be prudent to take 
 so important a step as marriage ? This was the 
 distinct proposition in his mind. It was very far 
 from being decided, when he reached his boarding 
 house. The hour was late, at least for him. On 
 entering the parlor, he found no one there but 
 Pinkerton, who was walking the floor with 
 uneasy step. 
 
 " I'm glad you've come at last, Archie," said 
 the young man. " I've been waiting for you all 
 the evening. Just walk up to my room. I have 
 Bomething very particular to say to you. " 
 
 " Nothing wrong, I hope," remarked Lofton, 
 who saw that his friend was much disturbed. 
 
 As soon as they were in the room, Pinkerton 
 drew a letter from his pocket, and, handing it to 
 Lofton, said 
 
 " Read that." 
 
 The letter was from his sister, and the con 
 tents were as follows:
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 79 
 
 " DEAR BROTHER MARK I feel a little stronger 
 to-day, and aunt Mary, after a good deal of per 
 suasion, has consented to let me bear the fatigue 
 of writing. She has propped me up in bed with 
 pillows, and opened the large Bible before me, on 
 which to lay my paper. I have grown very, very 
 weak, brother. It may be, that I shall never 
 have strength to write you again. And I want 
 you just to answer this, if it is ever so briefly. 
 It is nearly three months, now, since your last 
 letter came. What a long time it has seemed ! 
 the longer that I had so many reasons for wishing 
 to hear from you. Oh, I should like so much to 
 see you, Mark. Can't you leave business for H 
 week, and make us a visit ? Aunt Mary will be 
 delighted, and I oh, I shall weep for very joy. 
 Do come, brother ! I don't think I have much 
 longer to live in this world. You don't know 
 how much I have failed. . I hardly think you 
 would know me. 
 
 " Should I never see you again, Mark, let this 
 be my dying request, Don't forget Aunt Mary ! 
 She has been all to me that a mother could have 
 been. I mentioned, in my last letter, that she 
 had lost her bank stock. Deprived of the income 
 it yielded, she has since been in- much embarrass-
 
 80 fci'AUING TO SPJi.ND. 
 
 ment, and, at times, greatly depressed in spirits. 
 How my heart aches for her ! Don't forget kct; 
 Mark, when I am gone. I feel too weak to writo 
 any longer. Try, won't you, to come and see 
 me ? Oh, I want to look upon your face again 
 before I die. Do come, dear brother ! 
 
 " From your loving sister, 
 
 " LUCY.' 
 
 Lofton read this letter through, and then lift 
 ing his eyes to the face of Pinkerton, which 
 showed great disturbance, said 
 
 "You will see your sister, and that imme 
 diately." 
 
 " I must see her. Poor Lucy ! I had no idea 
 that she was failing so rapidly." 
 
 " Under the circumstances, there will, of course, 
 be no difficulty in your obtaining a week's leave 
 of absence." 
 
 " O no. Tnere '11 be no difficulty on that score. 
 But " Pinkerton paused. 
 
 "But what?" 
 
 " "Want of funds is the great trouble. The 
 fact is, Archie, I can't think of going to see 
 Lucy with less than a hundred dollars in my 
 pocket. Twenty to bear my expenses, and the
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 81 
 
 rest for her. I blame myself bharply for not 
 having sent her a supply of money weeks ago. 
 She wrote to me of aunt Mary's loss, and how 
 oppressed she was by a sense of dependence. I 
 had no money then, and was embarrassed by 
 sundry small debts. It is little, if anything, 
 better now. Still, matters have reached a crisis, 
 and 1 must get the needed sum if I borrow it. 
 You have money in the Savings' Fund. Lend 
 me a hundred dollars for six months. I will pay 
 you good interest. I would not ask the favor, 
 were not my wants so imperative." 
 
 " My own wants, Mark," replied Lofton, " are 
 nearly as imperative as yours. 1 have now but a 
 hundred and fifty dollars in the fund, and shall 
 in all probability, use the whole of it within 
 three months from this time." 
 
 " Imperative as mine !" exclaimed Pinkerton, 
 greatly excited, and with something rude and 
 contemptuous in his voice. "And in your cold 
 calculation, you will let the pleading voice of a 
 dying sister quiver on the air in vain ?" 
 
 " No, Mark," returned Lofton, calmly ; " I will 
 not do this. Against you, if against any one, 
 will lie the charge." 
 
 " What do you mean ?" 
 4*
 
 82 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 '' Your real wants are no larger than mine, 
 while your income is larger. Am I to blame 
 that no part of your earnings have been reserved, 
 through self-denial, for an only sister, wasting 
 away by disease, dependent and helpless ? The 
 little that I have saved, I shall want in a very 
 short time, and for a purpose quite as near my 
 heart as yours. To put it out of my power to serve 
 this purpose I think would be criminal ; and for the 
 reason that another's very life may depend on 
 my ability to extend aid and comfort. Borrow 
 somewhere else ; or get an advance on your sa 
 lary, which a representation of your pressing 
 need will readily secure. But, don't urge me 
 farther ; for L regard the fulfilment of my own 
 obligations in life as my first duty. A sense of 
 this may narrow my views somewhat; may lead 
 me to feel little inclined to aid others in fulfilling 
 their neglected obligations but so it is." 
 
 Though the words of Lofton were full of re 
 buke, yet his tone and manner which were un- 
 impassioned, and even kind, allayed, rather than 
 excited the feelings of Pinkerton, who rather 
 coldly apologized for his hasty remark, and then 
 changed the subject. Lofton soon after retired to 
 his own room. Half the night he lay awake,
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 83 
 
 pondering the questions excited by his recent in 
 terview with Ellen. And equally wakeful was 
 Pinkerton. Never had the latter felt so deeply 
 disturbed in mind. He loved his sister as much 
 as it was possible for a man like him to love any 
 one. There were ; many early memories that 
 bound her to his heart; and when these were 
 stirred, he thought of her with real tenderness. 
 They were stirred, now, even in their remotest 
 chambers. Had he possessed thousands of dol 
 lars, and the sum were needed for her comfort of 
 mind or body, in his present state all would have 
 been freely given. But, he had nothing. In 
 useless trifles, and vain self-indulgence, all and 
 more than all of his income had been spent ; and 
 now, when half of what he had foolishly wasted 
 in a twelve-month would have filled the heart of 
 his dying sister with gladness, he had nothing 
 for the emergency.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE meeting of Lofton and Pinkerton the next 
 morning, was attended by a certain coldness and 
 reserve. Not that the former wished to appear 
 cool, or the latter to seem offended. Both, in 
 memory of their recent conversation, and the 
 causes leading thereto, felt a measure of sobriety, 
 and this showed itself in their exterior. 
 
 A careful review of his pecuniary affairs, and a 
 summing up of his resources, which had been made 
 by Pinkerton during the sleepless hours of the 
 preceding night, in no way lessened the embarrass 
 ment of his situation. More than once, in ask 
 ing for small advances on his salary, his employers 
 had expressed surprise that a young man, with 
 rio one but himseff to support, should, being in
 
 SPATUNQ TO SI'EXD. .85 
 
 thu receipt of six hundred dollars a year, be 
 under the necessity of making such a request. 
 And the last time he did sp, it was hinted that 
 he must make a bad use of a part of his money. 
 Under these circumstances, again to ask an 
 advance, and especially of so large a sum as one 
 hundred dollars, he felt to be doubtful policy,. 
 He could, it is true, urge the serious illness and 
 dependent condition of his sister. But, a certain 
 feeling of shame deterred him from this. "Were 
 he to do so, his neglect of that sister could 
 hardly, without falsehood, be concealed and he 
 had, naturally, too high a regard for truth to 
 make of it so direct a violation. This mode of 
 raising the desired sum was, therefore, after 
 due deliberation, abandoned. Other efforts to 
 borrow were then made. But, none of his ap 
 plications during that day were successful. In 
 fact, a week elapsed before he was able to get the 
 sum of fifty dollars, and then obtaining leave of 
 absence for a few days, he started for the village 
 where his sister resided. Had Lofton needed 
 four times the sum, he could have obtained it in 
 an hour; but Pinkerton's credit was not held in 
 very high estimation, and people who had money 
 did not much care to lend it to a young man of
 
 86 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 extravagant habits, who was never over-prompt 
 in meeting his little obligations. 
 
 We now transfer our readers to the pleasant 
 
 little village of L , the residence of Lucy 
 
 Pinkerton. Her letter to her brother was no 
 overdrawn picture. The last sands in time's 
 hour-glass were falling. The effort to write, as 
 aunt Mary Jones had feared, exhausted her very 
 much ; and, to the increasing uneasiness of her 
 kind relative, she did not rally again from the 
 prostrate condition in which it left her. On the 
 day following, she remained in a half sleeping, 
 half-waking condition, noticing little that passed, 
 and only speaking in answer to some enquiry. 
 On the second day, she was something brighter, 
 but did not attempt to sit up even in bed. On 
 the third morning, in coming early into her 
 room, Mrs. Jones was both pleased and surprised 
 to find her propped up with pillows the work 
 of her own hands her face all a-glow, and her 
 eyes bright. 
 
 "Why Lucy dear ! How are you, this morn 
 ing ?" said Mrs Jones. 
 
 " Oh, I feel so much better, aunt Mary. I've 
 been awake ever since day dawn, and now, I'm 
 just waiting for the sun to look over the moun-
 
 SFARING TO SPEND. 8? 
 
 tain. I dreamed all night about Mark. I'm 
 sure he'll come to day." 
 
 "Don't set your heart too much on that, 
 child," said aunt Mary. " If Mark started by the 
 very next stage after getting your letter, he could 
 only arrive to-day. You may receive an answer 
 saying that he will be here to-morrow, or next 
 day : but I wouldn't count on anything beyond, 
 for fear of disappointment, and you are too weak 
 to bear even that.' 1 
 
 As Mrs. Jones spoke, something of the light 
 faded from Lucy's countenance. She answered : 
 
 " I'm sure he will come to-day. He wouldn't 
 linger a moment after getting my letter, for I 
 told him" 
 
 Lucy checked herself. 
 
 " Told him what, love ?" Mrs. Jones leaned 
 over, and laid her hand softly on the white fore 
 head of the invalid. 
 
 But Lucy did not answer. Slowly her long 
 lashes drooped, until their dark fringes lay upon 
 ner colorless cheeks. A little while she com 
 muned with herself, and then her calm, deep, 
 spiritual eyes rested again upon the face of her 
 relative.
 
 88 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " That if he did not come immediately, he 
 might not look upon my living face." 
 
 Did the voice falter that uttered these words ? 
 No : it betrayed nothing of human weakness no 
 mortal dread. Afar off, Death had seemed to 
 Lucy a very king of terrors. But, as he came 
 nearer and nearer, and less of earthly atmosphere 
 intervened, the distorted image gave place to a 
 form of angelic beauty. The valley into which 
 we must all descend, looked down upon from some 
 far distant mountain, was dark and fearful : 
 but rays of heavenly light were now piercing 
 every gloomy recess, and she saw it but as a safe 
 passage to a world of joy beyond. 
 
 Aunt Mary Jones was not self-deceived in regard 
 to Lucy. That the time of her departure was 
 near at hand, she knew by many unerring signs. 
 .How gently, and earnestly, and guardedly even 
 while her own heart grew faint as she thought of 
 the coming separation had this excellent woman 
 sought to lift the mind of Lucy upward into the 
 contemplation of things heavenly. Yet, even as 
 she did so, the pupil often became the teacher. 
 Far above the uplifting word of aunt Mary, 
 would soar the spirit of Mary. 
 
 Xever before had the sick girl spoken in such
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 89 
 
 direct terms of her approaching death. At the 
 first utterance, Mrs. Jones felt a thrill along every 
 nerve. But after a slight effort at self-composure, 
 she was able to say, in a voice of tender en 
 couragement : 
 
 " And you really think, my dear child, that the 
 change is so near at hand ?" 
 
 " It cannot be very fur off now, aunt Mary," 
 was calmly replied. This poor body is nearly 
 worn out. It scarcely obeys the smallest demand 
 for action." 
 
 " And your heart beats evenly ?" , 
 
 Lucy took the hand of her relative, and laid it 
 against her breast. 
 
 " Is not the motion undisturbed ?" she asked, 
 smiling. Yet, why should it be disturbed ?" 
 
 " True. Angels will attend you !" 
 
 " I feel their presence already," said Lucy. 
 " Oh, why should I be fearful ? why should I 
 shrink and tremble ? I shall sleep sweetly, and 
 awake ; and the awaking will be my resurrection 
 into eternal life. An earthly night a heavenly 
 morning ! As a child lays its weary head on ita 
 mother's bosom, and falls away into sweet slum 
 ber, so will I sink to rest. A brief season of 
 blessed unconsciousness, and then refreshed and
 
 90 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 happy as that child, I will awake in a world of 
 spiritual life and beauty. Will it not be so?" 
 
 " It will, my child ! It will !" replied aunt 
 Mary. Her voice betrayed her struggling emo 
 tions. 
 
 " A world, whose excellence and beauty are 
 dimly shadowed forth in our natural world, where 
 things visible give faint images of things invisible. 
 A world wherein are the real things which have 
 so many lovely types in this. How often have 
 you told me of that world, dear aunt; and how, 
 of late, I have loved to hear you speak of it. All 
 is to rne a blessed reality. It does not seem as if 
 I were going to a strange country. As if I were 
 about launching my bark on a dark river, flowing 
 towards an unknown shore. All such gloomy 
 images have ceased to haunt me. My heart 
 blesses you, dear aunt, for the beautiful faith into 
 which you have led me. I lean my head upon it 
 as a downy pillow I repose on it as on a couch." 
 
 " May you sleep your last sleep on it sweetly, 
 peacefully, confidingly !" said Mrs. Jones, so low 
 that her voice was almost a whisper. And she 
 pressed her lips to those of her fading flower, 
 whose odor was exhaling to heaven. 
 
 From this state, thoughts of her brother soon
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 91 
 
 drew Lucy down again to the earth. Natura*. 
 affection still held over her its potent influence, 
 and so far as Mark was concerned, appeared to 
 grow stronger and stronger the nearer her depar 
 ture came. As the time wore on, and the hour 
 approached when the stage from Baltimore usually 
 came in, Lucy's expectation grew disturbing in 
 its intensity. Her kind relative saw this, and 
 tried to divert her mind from the narrow and too 
 rapid current in which it was flowing : but her 
 effort was fruitless. She thought only of Mark 
 and the joy of the meeting soon to take place. 
 
 " What time is it now, aunt Mary ?" she asked, 
 late in the afternoon, as Mrs. Jones came into 
 her room. 
 
 " Nearly six o'clock," replied Mrs. Jones. 
 
 " Is it so late ?" There was disappointment 
 in Lucy's voice. 
 
 "Yes, dear." 
 
 " The stage sometimes gets here as early as five, 
 does it not ?" 
 
 " It is hardly ever later," answered Mrs. Jones. 
 
 " I wonder if it is in ?" A shadow of disappoint 
 ment was already gathering on her face. 
 
 " I think it most likely. Yes it is in, Lucy
 
 92 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 and must have arrived halt' an hour ago, for there 
 goes Wilkins, the driver, now, on his way nome." 
 
 How quickly the already gathering shadows 
 darkened on the face of Lucy Pinkerton. She 
 made no exclamation uttered no word of disap 
 pointment seemed not to feel acutely slowly 
 the long, dark lashes fell upon her cheeks. 
 
 " Oh, Mark ! Mark !" said Mrs. Jones, speaking 
 to herself, as she stood looking sadly down upon 
 the pure, white face of Lucy " If your love had 
 been even as the shadow of her love, that sum 
 mons would have brought you here to-day." 
 
 Then, stooping down and touching with her 
 lips the forehead of the sick girl, she whispered 
 
 " Don't let your thoughts dwell upon this too 
 intently. I did not expect him to-day. But, to 
 morrow, he will no doubt be here." 
 
 There was a motion of the lips, and a slight 
 quivering of the eyelids, as if Lucy were about 
 to look up and speak. But neither lips nor eyes 
 unclosed. As aunt Mary still bent over and 
 gazed tenderly down upon her, two tears came 
 stealing out from beneath the closed lashes, and 
 then a low sob struggled up from the grieving 
 heart of the failing invalid. With the wise in 
 stinct of a loving woman, Mrs. Jones uttered a
 
 FPAHIXG TO SPEND. 93 
 
 few words, hoping thereby to unseal the fountain 
 of tears. They were not spoken in vain. The 
 trickling drops were succeeded by a gushing 
 stream, and the pent-up waters flowed forth, re 
 lieving the oppressed bosom. Briefly, the w r eak 
 frame of Lucy quivered with excess of feeling.. 
 Then all was calm again. 
 
 " I am but a foolish child, aunt Mary," she 
 said, after entire self-possession was restored, 
 " and you will forgive my weakness. You warned 
 me against building too much on the coming of 
 Mark to-day. But T had set my heart so on 
 seeing him, that I felt certain he would be here. 
 The bitterness of my disappointment is over, 
 now, and I can wait patiently. To-morrow he 
 will come." 
 
 It was on the lips of Mrs. Jones to say that, 
 even in this expectation, she must not be too san 
 guine ; but she could not find it in her heart to 
 utter the words. 
 
 The reaction \ipon Lucy's excited state of mind, 
 during this day, came, as reaction ever follows 
 undue excitement of any kind. When, after 
 leaving her for half an hour to attend to some 
 household duties, Mrs. Jones returned to her 
 chamber, she found Lucy in a very low and
 
 94 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 prostrate condition. The food she had prepared 
 for her was not even tasted, and, during the whole 
 evening, she remained in so low a state as to 
 excite in the mind of her relative the most pain 
 ful anxiety.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 MORNING found Lucy again in a state of lively 
 expectation. The fear that Mark would not come, 
 naturally caused doubts to arise in the mind of 
 Mrs. Jones. But these, often as they were on 
 her lips, she could not gain her own consent to 
 utter. The day wore on. It was three, four, five, 
 six o'clock, and still, though the ear of Lucy was 
 alive to every sound, she listened in vain for the 
 foot-fall or voice of the expected one. 
 
 " Is the stage in yet ?" inquired Mrs. Jones of 
 a neighbor, who went by, 
 
 "Laws, yes : ever so long ago," was the answer. 
 
 With a heavy heart, aunt Mary went up to the 
 chamber of Lucy. What an eager, questioning 
 look was in the eyes of the sick girl as she entered.
 
 96 SPARING TO SPEN'H. 
 
 The good woman tried to appear unconcerned ; 
 but was not able to hide her feelings. 
 
 " Oh, aunt Mary ! Hasn't he come-!" And as 
 she made the eager inquiry, she arose from her 
 pillow with a strength born of mental excitement. 
 
 It needed no lip-language to strike her hopes 
 to the ground. She read in the countenance of 
 aunt Mary that the waning day had mocked her 
 fond expectation, and sunk back with a sigh upon 
 her pillow. And now, to keen disappointment, 
 was added a sharper pain. Was Mark, indeed, 
 so indifferent as this ? Did he so poorly return the 
 sisterly affection, that as a spring of water in her 
 heart was ever gushing forth and flowing towards 
 him ? There had been enough, and more than 
 enough, in the conduct of Mark, to have long ere 
 this excited similar doubts and questions. But, 
 the unselfish love of Lucy had ever been fruitful 
 in assigning reasons for the brother's apparent 
 neglect. Now, even love itself could offer no 
 excuses. 
 
 From the excitement of confident hope, the sick 
 girl rapidly sunk into the same low state, that fol 
 lowed her disappointment on the previous evening. 
 Earnestly did Mrs. Jones seek, by trying to lift 
 the thoughts of Lucy upward into the perceptions
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 97 
 
 of things heavenly and eternal, to prevent this 
 exhausting re-action. But the wings of her spirit 
 fluttered only for a brief season in these higher 
 regions, and then drooped feebly. 
 
 The morning that succeeded did not find Lucy 
 Pinkerton as bright and full of expectancy as on 
 the two preceding days. She did. not mention 
 the name of her brother, although it was very 
 plain to her auut that the thought of him was 
 ever present to her mind. Frequently it was on 
 the lips of Mrs. Jones to say " Mark will cer 
 tainly come this afternoon," and she confidently 
 expected him but every time the utterance was 
 about being made, she checked herself. He might 
 not come, and, therefore, it would be wiser not to 
 excite, more than was already the case, the mind 
 of Lucy. If he failed to arrive, the disappointment 
 would be keen enough as it was. 
 
 And so the hours of another day moved stead 
 ily on, until evening came again. The sun went 
 down behind the distant mountain ; the hush of 
 twilight succeeded; darkness came brooding over 
 the earth but Lucy and aunt Mary were alone. 
 Silent both had been for many minutes. Lucy lay 
 with her eyes closed, and, as the dim lamp-light 
 
 fell upon her face, looked as if she were sleeping 
 5
 
 OS SPARING TO 
 
 her last earthly sleep as if her struggling spirit 
 had freed itself from mortal entanglements, and 
 was already breathing the pure air of the inner 
 world. Aunt Mary was near, and almost bend 
 ing over her. The lips of the sick girl moved 
 her eyes unclosed in a low voice she mur 
 mured ; 
 
 "There is One who sticketh closer than a 
 brother." 
 
 "Yes, dear child !" was answered " One whose 
 love for us exceeds the love of a mother for her 
 nursing child. He never leaves us nor forsakes 
 us. Lean on Him, dear love ! lean heavily His 
 arm is around you ; He will be your all-sufficient 
 strength in weakness." 
 
 Lucy's eyes closed, and she was silent for a 
 time longer. 
 
 " Tell Mark," said she, speaking again, " that 
 my latest thoughts were of him. Tell him, that 
 I have prayed for him daily, that he might be 
 kept free from evil. If I could only look upon 
 his face and hear his voice before I die ! But I 
 will not hope for that now. He cannot arrive be 
 fore the close of to-morrow, and ere then, aunt, I 
 shall begone." 
 
 From that time, through all the night that fol-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 99 
 
 lowed the dying girl gave no sign of external 
 consciousness. A lonely and heart-stricken 
 watcher, Mrs. Jones remained at her side until 
 morning broke, and the sun looked in and kissing 
 the white lips of the sleeper, awoke her. She 
 smiled as she opened her eyes, and said that she 
 had been dreaming a pleasant dream. 
 
 " I thought I was dying, and, as the time ap 
 proached, I was conscious of the presence of two 
 angels. They sat near my head conversing, and 
 they talked of heaven, of its beautiful scenery, its 
 inhabitants and their employments, its spiritual 
 joys and celestial beatitudes. In their thoughts I 
 saw the images of wonderful things, to describe 
 which, there is no power in human language. As 
 they conversed I remained in a state of elevation, and 
 had no consciousness but of heaven and life eternal. 
 And thus it was until I lost myself, as it were, 
 in a sweet slumber, from which awakening, I 
 found myself in a chamber so much like this one, 
 that it appeared the very same, yet all had a 
 heightened and living beauty. I was lying, it 
 seemed, upon this very bed. Beside me, now in 
 full vision, stood the two angels, and, as they ex 
 tended their hands, they said to me ' Your life 
 on earth has closed, and you have now arisen into
 
 100 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 the world of spirits. Come with us, and we will 
 show you our beautiful land and its people !' I 
 was so filled with a glad surprise at these words, 
 that I awoke. Oh, aunt ! was it not a sweet 
 dream ?" 
 
 "Yes, love, a sweet dream and a true dream," 
 answered Mrs. Jones. It was only by her utmost 
 efforts that she retained her calmness. " Even so 
 will be your tranquil passage. You may not be 
 conscious of angelic attendants ; yet they will be 
 with you, and, even as in your dream, keep 
 your thoughts on heavenly life. You will sleep 
 tranquilly, and afterwards be welcomed by 
 angels." 
 
 A sob choked the utterance of aunt Mary, and 
 she was silent. Ah ! How could she speak 
 thus, and not feel the bitterness of her approach 
 ing bereavement ? How could she think of Lucy's 
 death, and not, at the same time, think of the 
 sad, lonely, grieving days that were to follow ? 
 She did think of them, and when she turned from 
 the bedside of Lucy, she went back to her own 
 room, and wept. 
 
 It was now too evident that the dying girl 
 had but few hours to live. The physician called 
 as usual, but was grave and silent. An unim-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. f 101 
 
 portant prescription was made, and then he re 
 tired, with little expectation of looking again 
 upon the living face of his patient. As the day 
 wore on, Lucy gradually sunk lower and lower, 
 while her mind, for the most part, was completely 
 indrawn. About four o'clock in the afternoon 
 she aroused up, and asked the hour. On receiv 
 ing an answer, there was a slight change in the 
 expression of her countenance. From that time 
 she gradually revived ; and though she said no 
 thing, it was plain that her mind was active. 
 
 About five o'clock, as aunt Mary sat by the 
 bedside of Lucy, holding her hand, and looking 
 sorrowfully upon her death-stricken face, the 
 latch of the garden gate was lifted, and the heavy 
 tread of a man was heard below. 
 
 " Mark !" exclaimed Lucy, suddenly opening 
 her eyes. 
 
 " No, love," replied aunt Mary, quickly, for 
 already she had glanced from the window " it is 
 the postman." 
 
 " A letter for Lucy," said a neighbor, who had 
 been staying with them through the day, and 
 now came up. She retired, as Lucy grasped the 
 missive 
 
 " From Mark ! It is in his own hand. Read
 
 102 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 it for me, aunt Mary. "What does he say ?" Her 
 utterance was confused and rapid. 
 Mrs. Jones broke the seal, and read 
 
 " MY OWN DEAR SISTER To-morrow I will be 
 with you. Oh ! how your letter has afflicted me. 
 From the moment it came to hand, I have been 
 straining every nerve to get away. I was cer 
 tain yesterday that I should, start to-day; but 
 was sadly disappointed. Now, all is arranged, 
 and I will leave in the stage to-morrow. I never 
 dreamed that your health was failing you so ra 
 pidly. Is it indeed so bad ? Were you not in a 
 mood of despondency at the time of writing ? I 
 try to think that you were. I write hurriedly. 
 To morrow you will see me. Good by keep a 
 brave heart. 
 
 " Ever yours, MARK." 
 
 The eyes of Lucy were tightly closed, while 
 aunt Mary read this letter. On looking up, the- 
 latter saw a change in her countenance, that 
 caused her to drop the paper from which she had 
 been reading. 
 
 "Lucy, dear ! Lucy !" she said, tenderly, yet in 
 a troubled voice, as she drew an arm beneath
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 103 
 
 her neck, and pressed her white face against her 
 bosom. " Lucy, dear. What ails you ?" 
 
 The lips of the dying girl moved. Aunt Mary 
 bent down her ear. 
 
 " Too late ! Too late !" was the low whisper 
 that scarcely stirred the air. 
 
 Another day had nearly waned. As promised, 
 Mark Pinkerton left Baltimore on that morning, 
 and was now within a few miles of the village in 
 which his earlier days had passed. Soon, every 
 object that met his eyes wore a familiar aspect. 
 There was the fine old woods in which he had 
 gathered nuts ; the fields over which he had so 
 often roamed with Lucy when both were happy 
 children ; the silver brook, running as clear and 
 merrily as when they sat upon its grassy bank 
 with their white feet plashing in its crystal 
 waters. And there was the lazy mill race into 
 which Lucy had fallen, and from which ho had 
 dragged her forth with a boyish heroism, that 
 made him, for the time, an object of admiration 
 to the whole village. How little of change was 
 written on things around him, though years had 
 passed since the thoughtless, innocent days of 
 childhood. Everything he looked upon had 
 power to awaken former memories, to stir bis
 
 104 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 heart with tender emotions, and to reprove him 
 for bis selfish neglect of an only sister. 
 
 " Dear Lucy !" he murmured, as a flood of old 
 feelings and old recollections rushed back upon 
 him ; " how could I have grown o indifferent ? 
 How could I have thought so much of self and 
 so little of you ? I am angry with myself. I arn 
 more than half ashamed to look into your face. 
 But, dear heart ; you were always so forgiving and 
 so forgetful. I will kiss away the tears my 
 wrong to you have occasioned, and never again 
 shall word or act of mine cause them to brighten 
 on your cheeks. Hereafter, I will deny myself 
 for your sake. I will practice Lofton's economic 
 virtues if I can." 
 
 The last part of the sentence was uttered 
 after a slight pause, and left some strong impres 
 sions of doubt on Pinkerton's mind as to his 
 ability to exercise the promised self-denial. 
 
 Soon the stage came rumbling into the village. 
 The moment it paused at the usual stopping 
 place, the young man, who was unencumbered 
 with baggage beyond a light valise, sprung from 
 the old vehicle, and hurried off" in the direction of 
 Mrs. Jones' cottage. In a few minutes he was 
 there. Doors and windows were all closed, and
 
 I 
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 105 
 
 as he passed quickly along the narrow garden 
 path, he was suddenly oppressed with a strange 
 feeling ; and now, for the first time, came the 
 thought that Lucy might be dead ! A chilling 
 sensation ran along every nerve. Momentarily 
 his heart ceased to beat, while his breath was 
 suspended. Then, as he laid his hand on the 
 door, his heart bounded on again, and his chest 
 heaved in constricted respiration. He entered. 
 The room was shrouded in white ! He was alone 
 with his sister. But the silver cord was loosed, 
 and the golden bowl broken. "With the dawning 
 of day her spirit had awakened into eternal life !
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 A SADDER, perhaps, in some respects, a wiser 
 man, Mark Pinkerton returned to the city, after 
 staying in his native village until the clods of 
 the valley were laid upon the mortal remains of 
 his sister. Never, in all his after years, did his 
 thoughts go back to this period of life, without a 
 feeling of painful self-reproach, made sharper by 
 a few plainly spoken words from the lips of aunt 
 Mary Jones, that could not be forgotten, and 
 were never forgiven, and which, moreover, were 
 made the self-justifying excuse for his disregard 
 of Lucy's dying injunction. 
 
 Return we , now, to Archibald Lofton. On the 
 morning after the interview with Ellen Birch, 
 which has already been described, the young
 
 TO SPEND. 1 
 
 man went to the store in which he was employed 
 in a more sobered and thoughtful mood than 
 usual. The question, as to whether he would be 
 justified, or not, in marrying under present cir 
 cumstances, was still debated, and still as far 
 from being decided at first. 
 
 " How is Ellen getting ?" enquired one of his 
 employers the same who had previously shown 
 so kind an interest in the young girl pausing at 
 the desk where Lofton was writing. 
 
 " She's a great deal better, I thank you," was 
 answered. 
 
 " I'm much pleased to hear it." 
 
 The two were silent for a few moments. 
 
 " How much salary are we paying you now ?" 
 enquired the merchant. 
 
 " Four hundred dollars," said Lofton. 
 
 " Four hundred." The merchant stood musing 
 for some time. " Four hundred," he repeated, as 
 if speaking to himself. " I think you're worth 
 more than that, Archibald," he added, in a cheer 
 ful voice. " Suppose we say six hundred?" 
 
 " Oh, sir !" Lofton was taken by surprise, 
 " If you could increase my salary to that sum 
 you would make me one of the happiest of men 1" 
 
 "Would I, indeed !" The merchant smiled.
 
 108 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 He understood what was in the thought of his 
 clerk. Lofton looked slightly confused, and let 
 his eyes fall to the ground. 
 
 " Six hundred it is," said the former. " "We 
 will let the increased salary date from the com 
 mencement of the current quarter. And may 
 you be as happy, my young friend, as your heart 
 can wish." 
 
 The merchant turned away, and Lofton bent 
 low over his desk, not, for the time being, to' re 
 sume his duties, but to think over the new and 
 brighter aspect which his aft'airs had so suddenly 
 assumed. 
 
 How slowly the hours went by ! It seemed to 
 Lofton as if the day would never come to an end. 
 At last, he was by the side of Ellen, clasping her 
 hand tightly in his, and telling her of his good 
 fortune. Before they parted, that evening, an 
 early day was fixed for their marriage, so early 
 that only time for needful preparation on the part 
 of Ellen remained. If her health had been good, 
 Lofton would have deemed it wiser to defer so 
 important a step for at least a year, or until he 
 could have saved enough to buy furniture for a 
 small house, that they might, in beginning the 
 world, have a home of their own. But it was
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 109 
 
 otherwise. To leave her, any longer, self-depen 
 dent, would be risking too much. 
 
 So it was arranged, as the most prudent course 
 for the young couple, to take a room which Mrs. 
 "Wilson offered them in her house, and to board 
 with her at the moderate weekly rate of six dol 
 larsjust one half of Lofton's income. The ad 
 dition of fifty dollars in the current quarter, to 
 the young man's salary, enabled him to raise hia 
 deposit in the Savings' Fund to the previous 
 amount two hundred dollars, while the balance 
 of the quarter's income one hundred dollars 
 procured him a wedding-suit, and a few articles 
 of chamber furniture to give a somewhat neater 
 and more comfortable .appearance to the apart 
 ment Mrs. Wilson had assigned them. 
 
 And so this young couple began their new life. 
 No brilliant wedding had they ; none, with gay 
 parties, welcomed them into the matrimonial 
 world. A few friends gathered, one quiet even 
 ing, in Mrs. Wilson's small parlor, and there the 
 impressive words were said, that sealed their 
 life-long contract. Among those present was 
 young Pinkerton. He was, in fact, groomsman 
 on the occasion. Lofton's refusal to lend him 
 money, although it fretted him at the time, did
 
 110 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 not estrange him from one whose many good 
 qualities he well knew, and whose sterling in 
 tegrity of character he could not but admire. 
 Since the death of his sister, Pinkerton had in 
 some respects changed, though he was scarcely 
 more prudent than before in matters of personal 
 expenditure. For a while, he was sober-minded ; 
 but this external mark of the bereavement he had 
 suffered was fast wearing off. 
 
 Not until the wedding night had Lofton's friend 
 been at the house of Mrs. "Wilson. Its small size, 
 out of the way location, and poverty of furniture, 
 were noticed ; and he could not but wonder at 
 Lofton's choice of such a place as the home of his 
 bride. On meeting him next day, he said 
 
 "In the name of wonder, Archie, how came you 
 to choose that little old salt-box as a cage for your 
 pretty bride ?" 
 
 "She will be as happy there as in a palace," 
 answered Lofton. 
 
 "Oh, nonsense! Don't talk to me after that 
 fashion. I know too much of human nature. And 
 do you really mean to shut her up there with that 
 old woman ? She'll die of melancholy." 
 
 " Not she," was smilingly answered. " Oh no. 
 She'll sing as gaily in that cage, o& you are
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. Ill 
 
 pleased to call it, as if the wires were of silver or 
 gold. As for the old woman of whom you speak 
 half-indifferently, no mother could have shown a 
 wiser love for a child than she has shown for 
 Ellen. They have lived happily together for 
 months, and, if need be, will live as happily to 
 gether for years." 
 
 " But, why did you go away out there, Archie ? 
 Why didn't you bring your wife to your old home, 
 if not prepared for housekeeping ? That is near 
 the centre of the city, and there your wife would 
 have some chance of making the acquaintance of 
 people in good standing. She'll see nobody 
 where she is. You'll be lost, man, both of you." 
 
 " No danger of our being lost, Mark," said 
 Lofton, smiling again. " We'll wait patiently ; 
 and, if there is buoyancy in us, will come to the 
 surface in good time. With my present income, 
 I could not afford to pay nine dollars a week for . 
 boarding, and that is the lowest for which a good 
 room can be obtained at Mrs. Elder's." 
 
 " And what are you going to pay Mrs. Wilson 
 for her elegant accommodations ?" 
 
 " Six dollars." 
 
 " Well, that is a difference of only three dollars
 
 112 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 a week," said Pinkerton. " And I'm sure Mrs. 
 Elder's room is worth twelve in comparison." 
 
 " Only three dollars a week ? And how much 
 will that amount to in a year, Mark ?" 
 
 " About a hundred and fifty dollars." 
 
 " Worth saving, in my opinion." 
 
 " Not at the sacrifice you are making," said 
 Pinkerton. 
 
 "I'm making no sacrifice," was calmly an 
 swered. 
 
 " Perhaps you are not," said the other, a little 
 impatiently. " You can live any where in a 
 barn, for that matter, if money is to be saved 
 thereby. But you must remember, Archie, that 
 a young wife may have different views and feel 
 ings altogether." 
 
 " I am happy to say," replied Lofton, " that my 
 young wife has no views nor feelings on this sub 
 ject that differ from my own. She knows the 
 extent of my resources, to the uttermost farthing, 
 and she knew them before we were married. All 
 this was talked over and definitely settled in ad 
 vance. The manner in which we have com 
 menced life is in every way accordant with pre 
 vious arrangements." 
 
 " Upon my word ! A regular business transac-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 113 
 
 tion ! You exhibited your bank account, and 
 she emptied her purse into her lap, that you might 
 see how many shillings it contained. The ruling 
 passion ! You don't mean to say that you have 
 married for love !" 
 
 Lofton smiled as he answered 
 
 " We are neither of us rich. I am a humble 
 clerk, on a very moderate salary, and she was only 
 a poor seamstress. In contemplating marriage, 
 we were sensible enough to take eating, drinking, 
 raiment, and such like matters into consideration, 
 and had forethought enough to settle a range of 
 expenditure in the beginning that would leave a 
 little margin. We shall probably increase our 
 deposits in the Savings' Fund at least three dollars 
 a week ; or, at the rate of a hundred and fifty 
 dollars a year. And this we both think better 
 than paying that sum extra to our present ex 
 penses, in order to get into such < good society ' 
 as Mrs. Elder's boarding-house offers." 
 
 " And you really talked all this over before 
 your marriage ?" said Pinkerton, with more than 
 a mere affectation of surprise. 
 
 " We certainly did ; and when ypu contemplate 
 marriage, let me advise you and your intended to 
 imitate so good an example. It may save you
 
 114 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 future disappointments, embarrassments, and 
 perhaps ruin." 
 
 " I would hardly like to throw such a wet 
 blanket over the girlish fancies of my lady-love;" 
 replied Pinkerton, with a toss of the head. " In 
 fact, I shall not attempt matrimony until some 
 brighter prospects open before me. Not, in fact, 
 until I am in business for myself, as I hope soon 
 to be. There is no such thing as maintaining a 
 respectable establishment on a clerk's salary, and 
 none other I shall ever regard as good enough for 
 the woman who consents to become Mrs. Pinker- 
 ton ! "When I take a wife, you may be sure of 
 one thing I will never hide her away in a little 
 salt-box, as if I were ashamed of my bargain." 
 
 For a moment there was a flush on the counte 
 nance of Lofton. But his brow quickly grew 
 clear again. He answered 
 
 " We did not marry in order to exhibit our 
 selves before the world. Such a thing as making 
 a sensation, never entered our thoughts. We 
 married, because we loved each other, and be 
 cause the relation would bring a nearer and mu 
 tual dependence, from which would arise the 
 purest happiness. We married on our own ac 
 count. We regard ourselves as private citizens ;
 
 SPAUIXU TO SPEXII. 115 
 
 not actors on a social stage. For such things we 
 have no taste, and could not, therefore, derive 
 any pleasure therefrom. Depend upon it, Mark, 
 we shall find a higher satisfaction in acting, as 
 we think, wisely and prudently, than you will 
 ever find in flaunting before the world, at a ruin 
 ous cost, for which more critical fault-finding 
 than praise will be awarded. Those who seek to 
 maintain appearances beyond their ability, 
 usually do it at a heavy sacrifice. It not only 
 costs money, but character." 
 
 " How character, Archie ?" 
 
 " Society- is exceedingly critical, and not over 
 charitable." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " A couple who, at the start in life, maintain, 
 for the mere sake of appearances, a style of liv 
 ing beyond their real ability to support, are 
 noted and censured. Many a young man's pros 
 pects have been ruined by the impression such 
 want of common prudence has made. I have 
 heard people talk, and so have you : in fact, have 
 talked myself, and so have you. It is easy to 
 .condemn such things. The part of true wisdom 
 is to avoid the errors we see in those around us." 
 
 " You're a philosopher. Archie," was Pinker
 
 116 SPAKIJNG TO SPEND. 
 
 ton's reply, uttered in mock gravity. " But I 
 am an every-day man of the world. I cannot 
 profit by your wise saws and leaden wisdom ; 
 which you must excuse me for saying, have a 
 rather musty savor are rather Poor Richardish, 
 so to speak." 
 
 " It would be better for some people, you among 
 the number, Mark," said Lofton, " if they were 
 to gather a little musty wisdom from Poor Rich 
 ard. It might save them from disappointment, 
 ruin, and heart-ache in the future." 
 
 " So I have heard you say before. Well, 
 twenty years hence, we will compare notes. I 
 cannot but smile as I think of the comparison." 
 
 " I hope neither of us will be made sadder 
 thereby," returned Lofton. 
 
 " I hope not. But, as I intimated a little 
 while ago, Archie, I've serious thoughts of enter 
 ing into business." 
 
 " Where's your capital ? How much have you 
 saved ?" 
 
 " Capital ! Savings ! I've half a mind to get 
 downright angry with you. Capital saved from 
 six hundred a year ! Did you imagine I thought 
 of opening a Jew's shop in Second street '?" 
 
 " no. But, when a man talks of going into
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 117 
 
 business, it is but natural to enquire how much 
 capital will be at his command." 
 
 " If I go into business, I will have capital at 
 command. You may be sure of that," said 
 Pinkerton. 
 
 " You will form a co-partnership ?" 
 
 " Exactly. I've had two or three conversa 
 tions with a gentleman who has about ten thou 
 sand dollars. He is anxious to get into busi 
 ness ; and between you and I, thinks the ability 
 of your humble servant ranks A No. 1. Of 
 course I encourage that opinion, as in duty 
 bound." 
 
 " Who is the person to whom you refer ?" 
 
 " I don't think you know him. His name is 
 Ackland." 
 
 " A resident of Baltimore?" 
 
 " For the past two years." 
 
 " Does he know anything of business ?" 
 
 " He's a first rate book-keeper. Beyond that, 
 his capital is the best part of him. And I'd just 
 as lief it would be so. Whenever I enter into bu 
 siness, I want a controlling influence. I' 11 find the 
 customers, and see that goods are sold." 
 
 "It is well for a rnuu to have a good conceit of
 
 118 SPARING TO BPEND. 
 
 himself," Lofton said, with the slightest percepti 
 ble sarcasm in his tones. 
 
 "I wouldn't give sixpence for a person who had 
 no conceit of himself," was very promptly answer 
 ed. " If a man doesn't know what is in him, the 
 possession of ability will not avail mucn towards 
 his advancement in life. I have no faith in your 
 slumbering giants." 
 
 "Ten thousand dollars is the amount of cash 
 capital your friend can bring into the business ?" 
 said .Lofton. 
 
 " It is : and, upon that as a basis, almost any 
 amount of business can be done." 
 
 " How much ?" 
 
 " A hundred thousand, if you please." 
 
 Lofton shrugged his shoulders, and bade his 
 friend good morning. 
 
 "I've really frightened him, said Pinkerton, 
 speaking to himself. "Poor, plodding, penny- 
 wise Lofton ! You'll never fill a very large space 
 in the world's observation. Ah, well ! All men 
 have their uses. There must be the foundation 
 stones in a building, as well as the heaven- 
 piercing spires. Those who are content to nestle 
 close to mother earth may do so. But I am of 
 another genius."
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 " AND what of Angela Raynor, the beautiful 
 creature who had so captivated the fancy of Mark 
 Pinkerton ?" we hear it asked. "How is their little 
 love matter progressing ? Is. Mark in a fair way 
 to secure the young lady 's hand and the father's 
 money ?" 
 
 There is a little story connected with that affair 
 reader, and you shall hear it. We will go back 
 a few months. It was a pleasant night in spring, 
 and Miss Raynor, who had been disappointed 
 about going to the opera, sat alone, reading, or 
 trying to read. 
 
 " Is your mother at home, Miss Angela ?'' 
 
 The young lady looked up, and Bridget, the
 
 120 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 washerwoman not yet forgotten by the reader 
 stood just within the entrance of the room. 
 
 " She went out after tea," replied Angela. " Is 
 there anything that I can do for you ?" 
 
 "I don't know as there is," returned Bridget, 
 sighing as she spoke. " I wanted jest to say a 
 word till ye'r mother. But, I can come round 
 again in the morning." 
 
 " You want some money, I suppose," said 
 Angela, in a kind, encouraging way. " Isn't that 
 it?" 
 
 " It's you that says it, Miss," returned the 
 Irish woman. " Faith ! An' the like o' me are al 
 ways in want of money." 
 
 " How much is coming to you, Bridget ?" 
 
 " I'm only owed for two weeks' washing; and 
 I'm ashamed to ask for my money so soon. If 
 some of the gay young chaps that go dandying 
 about in Spanish mantles and whisking their little 
 sticks, as if they were great lords and jintlemen, 
 would pay me up, I'd have no call to come 
 here oftener than once a month." 
 
 The eyes of Angela Eaynor brightened with 
 interest at this remark of the washerwoman. 
 
 " It isn't possible," said she, " that gay young
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 121 
 
 men, who sport their Spanish mantles, are in 
 debt to you for washing their clothes !" 
 * " 'Deed then and it is possible, my young lady. 
 I could give you the names of two or three, if it 
 was just proper and right, who've been owing me 
 for weeks and weeks, and it's like drawing an 
 eye-tooth to get a dollar out of them." 
 
 " That isn't right," said Angela. 
 
 " Eight, indeed ! It's wrong, downright and 
 downright ; and my blood fairly boils over some 
 times, when I think of it. I was on my way to 
 the boarding house of one of these high-goers last 
 evening, intending to catch him, if possible, 
 before he went out, when who should I see, as I 
 was passing the theatre in Holliday street, but 
 my fine gentleman walking up the steps, as grand 
 as may be ! I tell you, Miss, but I was strongly 
 tempted to grip tight hold of him and demand my 
 money." 
 
 " Why didn't you do it I wish you had," said 
 Miss Raynor, carried away by a quick feeling of 
 indignation at the injustice to which the poor 
 woman had been subjected. 
 
 " It wouldn't have been right, Miss." 
 
 " I don't know about that. It would have 
 taught him a good lesson," replied Angela. 
 6
 
 122 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 "It would have disgraced him, Miss. And it's 
 bad to disgrace a young man. He's clever enough, 
 and kind enough, and I believe never refused to 
 pay me when he had anything in his pocket. But 
 he wastes his money in torn-fooleries on canes 
 and gewgaws, and then has nothing for his poor 
 washerwoman when she calls. It's too bad, 
 though." 
 
 "I should think it was. And so, while in debt 
 to you, he indulges himself in the opera." 
 
 "He jist does that same, Miss." 
 
 "A nice young man truly ! And pray, Bridget, 
 what is his name ? Do I know him ?" 
 
 " "Well, as to that, Miss Angela, all I can say 
 is, that I once saw him attending ye home from 
 church." 
 
 " Me ! 
 
 " Sure and it was so, if I am to believe me 
 eyes." 
 
 "Why Bridget ! Of whom are you speaking ?" 
 A warm flush covered the young lady's face. 
 
 " I rather think I'd better call no names," re 
 plied the cautious Irish woman. " The least said 
 the soonest mended, you know." 
 
 " A young gentleman, who wore a Spanish
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 123 
 
 mantle last winter ?" Angela looked Bridget now 
 steadily in the countenance. 
 
 " I've said he wore one. But they're very com 
 mon, you know." 
 
 " Dark hair and eyes, and a fresh complexion." 
 
 " I suppose so." 
 
 " Tall and slender." 
 
 " If ye'll have it so, Miss Angela,." 
 
 " A young clerk ?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And his name is Pinkerton ?" 
 
 " Now, Miss Angela, I never said that. It was 
 you, for all the world." 
 
 " Come, Bridget," said the young lady, in so x 
 earnest a voice, that she betrayed to the quick 
 witted Irish woman the interest she felt in the 
 young man. " I want you to say yes or no to my 
 questions. Is the young man of whom you are 
 speaking named Pinkerton ?" 
 
 " It is, Miss, and I'm sorry to say it. But I'm 
 sure he's not quite so bad as my words might 
 seem to make him out." 
 
 " How much does he owe you ?" 
 
 " Six dollars, just lacking a quarter." 
 
 " And you've asked him for it ?" 
 
 " Troth I have that same, and more nor once."
 
 124 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Angela sat musing for some time. Then recol 
 lecting herself, she said 
 
 " Mother owes you for two weeks ?" 
 
 " Yes, Miss." 
 
 " At how much a week ?" 
 
 " A dollar and a quarter." 
 
 The young lady drew a purse from her pocket, 
 and counting qut the money, handed it to Bridget, 
 who, after overwhelming her with thanks, and 
 begging that she would forget all about what she 
 had said of Mr. Pinkerton, took her departure. 
 
 But, this business of forgetting is never a very 
 easy matter. As for Angela, she did not even try 
 the experiment. Committed, though her feelings 
 were, in favor of the young man, love had not 
 progressed to a state of blindness. For a short 
 time, all the elements of her nature were in agi 
 tation ; then her heart grew calm and her mind 
 clear. She thought of Pinkerton still not to love, 
 but to despise him. 
 
 On the Sunday following, Mark Pinkerton, who 
 had become a very regular church-goer, was early 
 in his accustomed seat at St. Paul's. The house 
 was pretty well filled before his charmer made 
 her appearance. How suddenly his heart quick 
 ened its motion as she brushed past the end of the
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 125 
 
 pew in which he was seated, and took her place 
 at a convenient angle beyond ! The usual adjust 
 ment of dress over, Mark waited for the stealthy 
 glance, which, for weeks, had visited him on these 
 occasions. But, strange enough, Angela did not 
 in the slightest manner indicate her consciousness 
 of the young man's proximity Nor once during 
 the service of the morning, did she permit him so 
 much as to get even a glimpse of her face. 
 
 All this, to Pinkerton, was very strange and 
 very unaccountable. Instead of enjoying the 
 music, or profiting by the services, he spent the 
 whole time that he remained in church in boot 
 less speculations as to the meaning of Angela's 
 unusual conduct. Never before had the good Dr. 
 Wyatt seemed so tedious. When, at last, the 
 closing act of worship was over, Pinkerton stepped 
 into the aisle, and lingered, as he had been wont 
 to do, in the expectation of having Angela pass to 
 his side on her way to the door. But he lingered 
 in vain. The onward moving crowd in which he 
 was involved gently bore him toward the vesti 
 bule of the church ; and though he glanced back 
 continually, his eyes were not gladdened by a 
 vision of his beautiful Angela. In the vestibule, 
 at last, he made a pause, and -there helped to
 
 126 SPARING TO' SPEND. 
 
 make up one of the little eddies of expectant young 
 beaux, usually to be found at church doors while 
 the congregation is passing forth. Here he waited 
 for several minutes. At last his time came. Miss 
 Raynor, leaning on her father's arm, appeared. 
 The hand of Pinkerton went instantly to his 
 beaver. She did not notice the act of courtesy. 
 He moved a step or two in advance of her. At 
 the very instant her eyes were attracted to some 
 thing beyond. A moment longer, and she was 
 upon the pavement, while he shrunk back sur 
 prised, mortified and alarmed. He had felt certain 
 of his conquest. Already, in imagination, his hand 
 had toyed with the gold in her father's coffers; 
 already he had seen himself bearing off in triumph 
 the beautiful heiress, while a crowd of disap 
 pointed suitors envied him his prize. And had 
 all this been a cheating dream ! No wonder he 
 was alarmed as well as- mortified. 
 
 How far from Pinkerton's thoughts was the 
 real cause of this sudden change in the conduct of 
 the young lady ! He imagined a hundred reasons, 
 but never dreamed of the true one. 
 
 And now what was to be done ! Eesign the 
 lady on this first indication of a change in her 
 feelings ? Oh, no ! Mark Pinkerton was not the
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 127 
 
 man to yield so rich a prize without at least a 
 struggle to retain it. In varied plans and specu 
 lation the day was passed. Evening came, and 
 he debated the propriety of calling on MissN 
 Eaynor. But, after considering the pros and 
 cons, finally concluded not to risk a direct and 
 definitive rebuff. 
 
 Monday found Pinkerton with some new views. 
 Self-esteem had suggested that Angela was only 
 in a coquettish mood. That she wished to teaze 
 him a little, so as to bring out the true character 
 of his regard for her. To think this, was to be 
 lieve it ; and to believe it, was at once to deter 
 mine his course of action. Mrs. Wood sung in 
 opera that night. Miss Raynor, who was pas 
 sionately fond of music, would no doubt be there. 
 He resolved to attend also, and by a well managed 
 indifference excite her alarm. Accordingly, he 
 occupied a place in one of the boxes, not very far 
 from where the young lady was seated with her 
 father. During the whole of the first act, he did 
 not once turn his eyes towards Angela; but af 
 fected to be entirely absorbed in the music and 
 the performance. Before the second was half 
 through, an occasional stealthy glance towards a 
 certain part of the house, betrayed his anxiety to
 
 128 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 know how far this well-acted indifference was 
 affecting the young lady for whose special benefit 
 it was assumed. The result was neither flattering 
 nor satisfactory. Miss Raynor not only seemed 
 altogether unconscious of his presence, but was 
 in her usual good spirits. Her exquisite en 
 joyment of the music and acting was not to be 
 mistaken. 
 
 Mark Pinkerton was still more puzzled. During 
 the performance of the third act, he made sundry 
 little efforts to attract Angela's attention. But 
 _ it was all in vain. To all external appearances, 
 she seemed not to be aware that he was in the 
 house. 
 
 " What can it mean ?" These were the young- 
 man's oft-repeated words, as he went thought 
 fully homeward that night. What have I done 
 to her ? Who can have injured me in her good 
 opinion ? 
 
 On the next night he attended the opera again 
 it was the last of Mrs. Wood's engagement. 
 Miss Raynor was there, and sat in the box ad 
 joining the one occupied by Pinkerton. Once 
 their eyes met, and the young man bowed and 
 smiled. He received a slight nod in return, and 
 a look as cold as an icicle ; nor were the eyes of
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 129 
 
 Miss Eaynor again turned towards him during 
 the whole evening. 
 
 " I'll call and see her," said ho, desperately. 
 " There's something wrong. Some jealous rival 
 has slandered me." 
 
 He did call on the very next evening. On send 
 ing up his name, the servant returned with word 
 that Miss Eaynor was slightly indisposed, and 
 asked to be excused. 
 
 "Worse and worse. What could it mean! On 
 the next Sunday, Pinkerton occupied his usual 
 place in church, and so did Angela Eaynor. At 
 the close of the services, he managed, in passing 
 forth to the street, to get by her side. 
 
 " Shall I have the pleasure, Miss " 
 
 " Excuse me, if you please," was the cold in 
 terruption of his offer to attend her home, as she 
 turned away quickly and haughtily. 
 
 And so ended his loye affair in that quarter. 
 He did not attempt to renew the acquaintance. 
 The cause of Miss Eaynor's sadden change of 
 manner towards him, ever remained a profound 
 mystery. How deep would have been his hu 
 miliation had the truth been known ! The lover 
 was discarded because he had neglected to pay 
 
 his washerwoman ! 
 6*
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE heart-wound in the case of Pinkerton 
 was not very deep : although he suffered rather 
 severely from disappointment and mortification, 
 and sunk a few degrees in his own estimation. 
 Possessing too little self-denial to base his fu 
 ture worldly well-being on present industry and 
 economy, he had very deliberately resolved to 
 look out for a rich wife. This was the first pro 
 mising affair. The disaster came at the very 
 moment when he felt that all doubt of a success 
 ful issue was over. He had aimed high, but the 
 arrow failed to reach the mark. He was not long 
 in bending his bow again. This time, he was 
 less ambitious ; and there was, pehaps, a little
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 131 
 
 more heart in the case. Still, worldly considera 
 tions had their influence. 
 
 The new flame of Pinkerton's was a Miss 
 Flora Allen, only daughter of James Allen, Esq., 
 attorney-at-law. Miss Allen had a very pretty 
 face, was passably well-educated and accomplish 
 ed, moved in "good society ' and possessed a due 
 regard for all of its fashionable requirements. 
 She had begun to feel a little concerned about the 
 matrimonial future, when young Pinkerton came 
 in her way. He was good-looking, dressed well 
 and talked well ; moreover, some one had spoken 
 of him as a young man of no ordinary business 
 capacity, and likely to rise in the world rapidly. 
 On the other hand, the Aliens belonged to what 
 was called a " good family," though it must be 
 owned, that some members thereof had acted 
 very badly. Indeed, the maternal grandfather of 
 the young lady had once been tried for the em 
 bezzlement of public moneys, and only escaped a 
 term in the State prison through a flaw in the in- 
 lictment : while an uncle on her father's side, 
 ifter betraying the sister of his most intimata 
 Jriend, shot him in a duel. Still the "family,' 
 was a " good one," and Pinkerton felt that an al 
 liance therewith, was something quite desirable
 
 132 SPAK.ING TO SPEND 
 
 Moreover, if common report was to be credited, 
 Mr. Allen, though not the possessor of large 
 wealth, owned several pieces of property in good 
 locations, that were destined, in time, to be very 
 valuable. His practice at the bar was considered . 
 lucrative. 
 
 The advances of Pinkerton in this quarter, 
 though encouraged by Miss Flora, were not coun 
 tenanced by the proud father, who was very far 
 from thinking an alliance with a poor clerk, of 
 obscure extraction, in the least desirable. He 
 belonged to a "good family ;" and so did the mo 
 ther of Flora, who was equally averse to any 
 plebeian connexion for her daughter. 
 
 Opposition in the case had its usual effect. 
 Flora only gave her heart away more fully, while 
 Pinkerton, from meeting with coldness from the 
 parents, very naturally came to set a higher 
 value than at first upon the young lady. And 
 so the spark at first kindled was soon blown 
 into a flame. Acting on first impulses, an offer 
 of marriage was made, and promptly accepted by 
 the young lady ; though, with the understanding, 
 that Pinkerton was to use every possible means 
 to gain the consent of her father, who would,
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 133 
 
 she knew, most positively object to their mar 
 riage. 
 
 The first approach of Pinkerton to the proud 
 lawyer was met by angry insult. Mr. Allen 
 flung him off with a bitter contempt, that smarted 
 on the young man's feelings like the bite of a 
 serpent. He felt, for the first time in his life, the 
 towering insolence of that mere family pride 
 which bases itself on the elevation of ancestors 
 above the few common people around them, 
 at a time when " giants in the land " were few, 
 and when conceit of personal superiority fed it 
 self on what would now be considered very 
 meagre aliment. 
 
 " I shall never go to your father again," was 
 the young man's positive assertion when next he 
 found himself alone with Flora Allen. " I hold 
 myself to be a man, and worthy an alliance with 
 the proudest and the best. He chose to insult 
 me : but I will not again repeat the opportunity." 
 
 Flora soothed her lover as best she could, 
 promised eternal fidelity ; and ended by saying 
 that she would marry him with or without her 
 father's consent, should opposition continue. 
 The fact is, Flora liked the spirit of the young 
 man ; and was much better pleased at his manly
 
 134 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 indignation against her father, than if he had 
 shown a more conciliatory temper. 
 
 Thus stood affairs at the time of Lofton's mar 
 riage ; and the reader can very well understand 
 why Pinkerton felt desirous of getting into busi 
 ness for himself. To marry under present cir 
 cumstances, was not to be thought of for a mo 
 ment. On six hundred dollars a year, he had 
 not been able to meet even his own expenses, 
 and was now at least three hundred dollars in 
 debt. To add a wife to the cost of living and 
 that wife the daughter of James Allen, Esq. 
 would have been folly indeed. The consumma 
 tion of his dearest wishes was not, therefore, of 
 possible attainment, until he could rise above the 
 condition of clerk, and take the appellation of 
 merchant. The young man, possessing a capital 
 of ten thousand dollars, of whom he had spoken 
 to his friend Lofton, was quite as anxious to be 
 gin the world for himself as Pinkerton. He had 
 but few acquaintances in the city among business 
 men : was by no means shrewd or " pushing :" 
 and had, from some cause, formed a very high 
 opinion of Pinkerton's talents for merchandising, 
 and ability to influence custom an opinion which 
 the latter took everv opportunity to strengthen.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 135 
 
 And, in truth, Pinkerton was a young man of no 
 mean business capacity. He had in him all the 
 elements of a thrifty merchant, lacking patience. 
 Everything moved too slow for him. He was too 
 eager to grasp results ; to draw sight drafts, so 
 to speak, on the future. As a clerk, so was he 
 likely to be as a merchant ever anticipating his 
 income. 
 
 In due time, the proposed co-partnership was 
 formed, and Baltimore street saw, one morning, 
 an additional sign, in gold and blue smalt, bear 
 ing the names of Pinkerton & Ackland, while the 
 new firm was announced in the "American" and 
 " Patriot," and circulars sent off through the 
 mails to various country merchants whose cus 
 tom Pinkerton hoped to influence. 
 
 With ten thousand dollars as a cash capital, 
 our young beginners found no difficulty in ob 
 taining all the goods they were disposed to buy. 
 Everybody wanted to sell them. With a hand 
 some store, a handsome assortment of goods, the 
 reputation of having double the cash capital 
 really possessed for common report wonderfully 
 magnifies these things, sometimes and a for 
 ward, active, soliciting manner on the part of 
 the leading business member of the new firm,
 
 136 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 sales were made, in the first year, of something 
 over forty thousand dollars' worth cf goods ; and, 
 what was a little remarkable, considering the 
 anxiety felt by Pinkerton to sell, very few bad 
 .debts were made. 
 
 The fact that his daughter's lover was in busi 
 ness for himself, and in connection with a man 
 of " large capital " we quote from common 
 rumor failed to remove objections to the pro 
 posed alliance from the mind of Mr. Allen. All 
 this diti not make purer the " blood " that coursed 
 through the young man's veins. And, moreover, 
 Mr. Allen was a close observer, and shrewd 
 enough to know that success is the exception, and 
 not the rule, for young men who make a bold 
 start in business, even with a few thousands to 
 back them. A bankrupt son-in-law, he said to 
 himself, would be no flattering addition to his 
 family circle. And so he continued to set his 
 face like brass against the proposed union. 
 
 What, then, was to be done ? Our lovers were 
 quite independent in their way of thinking ; and 
 this kind of thinking usually shows itself in in 
 dependent action. The unexpected amount of 
 business done by the new firm quite lifted 
 Pinkerton above the earth. He saw himself on
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 137 
 
 the high road to fortune, and at no very great 
 distance from the glittering goal. The first busi 
 ness year had passed. The estimate of profits 
 had been made, and the business for the next 
 year beautifully and flatteringly displayed on 
 paper. How rapidly and rejoicingly did the 
 blood go dancing through the young man's veins ! 
 Everything looked promising beyond his warmest 
 anticipations. He already felt like a rich man. 
 Not a dollar of personal debt, beyond a new cur 
 rent tailor's bill, was against him anywhere. 
 Every old claim had been cancelled, even to the 
 six dollars, lacking a quarter, due Bridget, the 
 washerwoman. How stands his individual ac 
 count on the books of the new firm ? asks some 
 one. Let us see. Sixteen hundred dollars ! That 
 does look rather formidable. So we think ; and 
 so thought Mr. Ackland, his partner, to whose 
 debit just six hundred dollars had been passed 
 during the same period of time. What did 
 Pinkerton do with so much money ? How did 
 he, with only himself to support, manage to get 
 rid of so large a sum ? It is easily explained. A 
 few hundred dollars went to pay off old obliga 
 tions. Then it cost something for the handsome 
 gold watch and diamond ring which he gene-
 
 138 SPARING TO SPEND 
 
 rously presented to his lady-love, and for the 
 horse and buggy that so frequently bore them 
 away from the hot and dusty city to drink the 
 pure, breezy air of the pleasant environs. The 
 reader, from this hint, will find no difficulty in 
 gathering additional items to make up the im 
 posing aggregate. 
 
 What was to be done by the lovers, we have 
 asked, seeing that Mr. Allen would not consent 
 to their union ? That question it was easy to de 
 cide. Get married without his consent ! And 
 this it was now resolved to do. Pinkerton con 
 sidered himself perfectly able to take a wife, and 
 to maintain her in the style in which his wife 
 should live. On announcing this intention to his 
 partner, that gentleman received the intelligence 
 rather coldly. Already he had been turning over 
 in his thoughts, and not with much pleasure to 
 himself, the large sum which Pinkerton had 
 drawn out during the year ; and he was not alto 
 gether satisfied, either as to the necessity for such 
 an important abstraction, or as to the use which 
 had been made of the money. " If, " he very na 
 turally said to himself, " it takes sixteen hundred 
 dollars a year to support him as a single man, it
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 139 
 
 will take at least double that sum to meet his ex 
 pences as a married man." 
 
 But the cogitations of Mr. Ackland, as they did 
 not find their way into verbal expression, had no 
 effect upon Mr. Mark Pinkerton, who, having 
 made up his mind to get married, at once for 
 warded all due arrangements for the important 
 business. Being a merchant , and in the pro 
 cess of " coining money," he felt it not only 
 due to his own position, but to that of his in 
 tended bride, also, to set up, in the beginning, 
 an establishment of his own. To this end, he 
 took a house in Courtland street, at a rent of four 
 hundred dollars a pretty good rent in that day 
 and furnished it at a cost of over two thousand 
 dollars. For the greater part of this sum, the 
 cabinet-maker, carpet-dealer, and upholsterer, 
 very readily took his notes payable in six months. 
 The next act was to run away with Flora Allen, 
 get the matrimonial knot tied, and then intro 
 duce her into her new home, all of which was 
 done in the usual romantic way , and all of which 
 became town talk for the ensuing nine days. 
 
 To James Allen, Esq., and his high-born lady, 
 the event was not altogether unexpected. Though 
 common rumor credited them with sundry most
 
 140 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 unparental and unchristian speeches on the oc 
 casion, we believe they wisely forbore to give ut 
 terance to anything very savage, or to commit 
 themselves in broad declarations that might, at 
 some future time, have to be recalled. Yet it is 
 not to be concealed, that they were greatly in 
 dignant at the event, and considered themselves 
 and their family eternally disgraced by so low 
 born an alliance. 
 
 Of course, Flora wrote home immediately on her 
 marriage, humbly asking forgiveness for an act 
 which was unrepented of, and of course her letter 
 remained unanswered. She would have been sur 
 prised, and, perhaps, a little disappointed, had it 
 been otherwise. Too quick a reconciliation would 
 have stripped the affair of more than half of its 
 romance. The reconciliation came in due time, 
 though not with a good grace. Pinkerton was 
 ever made to feel that the blood flowing in his 
 veins was not worthy to mingle with the blood of 
 an Allen 1
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 IN most'cases, with marriage, early friendships 
 begin to decline. Two young men, for instance, 
 may be warmly attached, and desire still to main 
 tain old relations. They introduce their wives 
 but one, or both of the ladies, perceive something 
 uncongenial in the other or, one regards the 
 other as inferior in social rank, taste, or intelli 
 gence. For a short time they meet formally ; and 
 then mutually turn from each other or, in the 
 very outset, pride on the one side shrinks sensi 
 tively back, and the first introduction and cold 
 compliments are the beginning and end of their 
 social intercourse. 
 
 Pinkerton had always felt an attachment for 
 Lofton ; and the feeling, different as they were in
 
 142 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 their tastes, habits, and principles of action, was 
 reciprocated by the latter. After Lofton's mar 
 riage, his friend often called to see him, in the 
 evening, or on Sundays, and the more frequently 
 he met Mrs. Lofton, the more did he become 
 charmed with the beauty of her character. While 
 her mother lived, the education of Ellen had been 
 as carefully attended to as very limited means 
 would permit. Mrs. Birch was a woman of cul 
 tivated mind, and had moved at one time of life 
 in a circle of great refinement. Though restricted 
 in her circumstances, she had never permitted low 
 and vulgar influences to come so within the reach 
 of her daughter, as in any way to deprave her 
 native delicacy of feeling*; while, at the same time, 
 she had taught her to set a true value upon those 
 homely virtues, which one in her station would 
 be called upon to exercise. Under so wise and 
 loving a teacher, Ellen had learned her lessons 
 well, the more so, that within her lay inherent 
 all the germs of a true woman. From the time 
 of her mother's death, until her marriage, Ellen 
 had found little time for mental improvement. 
 But, after her marriage, as her husband had a 
 fondness for books, an hour or two every even- 
 Ing were spent in reading. Possessing a clear and
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 143 
 
 active mind, the young wife soon began to feel 
 the elevating and expansive power of knowledge. 
 She seemed to be raised into a higher and purer 
 atmosphere, where she not only breathed deeper 
 and more freely, but had a wider range of vision, 
 in which were new objects, the sight thereof filling 
 her with a new delight. And, as this went on, 
 her sweet young face took in a higher type of 
 beauty, and her graceful form grew erect with a 
 dignity all its own. 
 
 Soon, to Pinkerton, she was no longer the half- 
 despised, and only tolerated sewing-girl tolerated 
 because she was the wife of his friend but an 
 intelligent, graceful woman, commanding the 
 respect of all who came near enough to perceive 
 her true character. And yet she was so retiring, 
 so gentle, that, like the humble violet, she was 
 unnoticed, except by the few who were willing to 
 believe that beauty and perfume may sometimes 
 be hidden along by-paths, and in the world's UD 
 trodden places. 
 
 Nearly up to the time of Pinkerton's marriage, 
 Lofton continued to reside with Mrs. Wilson, both 
 he and his young wife deeming it most prudent 
 yet to live within their moderate income, and thus 
 be steadily accumulating something, small though
 
 144 SPAKING TO SPEND. 
 
 it might be, against the time when heavier ex 
 penses would come. As to what this thoughtless 
 or that proud individual might say of their style 
 of living, it was a matter that did not trouble 
 them in the least. They knew their own re 
 sources, and wisely narrowed every thing down 
 to a prudent limit. 
 
 A number of times had Pinkerton spoken of 
 
 'Mrs. Lofton to his bride to be, and once, when 
 
 they were walking on a Sunday afternoon, in the 
 
 western part of the city, he prevailed on Miss 
 
 Allen to call with him upon his friends. 
 
 " Not here !" exclaimed the young lady, draw 
 ing back, as Pinkerton laid his hand on the little 
 gate through which they were about to enter. 
 
 " Yes. This is the place," replied the young 
 man, smiling. " You mustn't judge too directly 
 from appearances. Remember what the poet 
 says : 
 
 " ' Full many a gem of purest ray serene.' " 
 
 At this moment, Lofton having seen them from 
 the window, opened the door of Mrs. "Wilson's 
 little " salt-box," and advanced to meet them. Re 
 treat and Miss Allen had attempted retreat 
 was now impossible ; so assuming a well-bred,
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 145 
 
 dignified indifference, the young lady permitted ' 
 herself to be escorted into the poor little parlor, 
 where sat the wife of Archibald Lofton. 
 
 Too much dimmed by pride and vain self-con 
 ceit, were the eyes of Flora Allen, to see any 
 thing in Mrs. Lofton, but a low-minded, vulgar 
 young woman, the wife of a poor clerk. Her air 
 of superiority, and her evident uneasiness at 
 finding herself in such a place, were so apparent, 
 that Mrs. Lofton felt oppressed, and almost suf 
 focated by her presence. She tried to enter into 
 conversation, but could find little to say. Half- 
 an hour of constrained intercourse followed ; and 
 then, in obedience to a glance from Miss Allen, 
 Pinkerton made a movement to go. 
 
 " "Why, Mr. Pinkerton ! How could you have 
 
 taken me to such a place !" was the exclamation 
 
 
 
 of Miss Allen, the moment they were in the street. 
 " I wouldn't have been seen going in there for 
 the world. And such stupid people ! Ha ! ha ! 
 And this is the charming, intelligent creature you 
 have been telling me about. Why, she hardly 
 spoke three words all the time we were in the 
 house, and they had no more meaning m thcrn 
 than the words of a child." 
 7
 
 146 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Y^u saw her to a disadvantage,'' said the 
 young man, venturing to a feeble defence. " She 
 is rather timid and unused to company. Evidently, 
 we took her by surprise." 
 
 " So I should think. I compared her in my 
 own mind, when we went in, to a startled rabbit. 
 But what can be expected of one in her position ? 
 Your 'gem of purest ray serene,' Mr. Pinkerton, 
 turns out a mere bit of crystal." 
 
 " I trust to> see the day, Flora, when you will 
 think differently," returned Pinkerton. 
 
 " More than I do, I can assure you. No, no ; my 
 fancy doesn't run on these kind of people, and 
 never did. They are .well enough in their 
 place. Very good for service that you need. But 
 as companions, no no." And the young lady 
 curled her lip in sharp scorn, and tossed her head 
 with a proud air. 
 
 Pinkerton was silenced, and partly convinced. 
 We mean, his estimate of Mrs. Lofton was 
 dimmed. For the time-being, he felt that she was 
 a very common-place woman ; good enough as a 
 seamstress, or as the wife of a poor, unambitious, 
 plodding clerk : but in no way fitted to take a 
 place in good society in no way fitted to be the 
 companion of* his accomplished Flora. On meet-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 147 
 
 ing with Lofton a few days afterwards, he said to 
 him : 
 
 " I am really getting out of all patience with 
 you." 
 
 " What about ? " was the natural enquiry. 
 
 " Why will you keep that nice little wife of 
 yours cooped up in such a miserable out of the 
 way place ? It is not just to her. She's fitted to 
 shine in almost any society." 
 
 "Necessity knows no law," was the quiet 
 answer. 
 
 " There's no necessity for this," said Pinkerton, 
 decidedly " none in the world. You're able to 
 take your wife into a respectable boarding-house 
 down town, where she would be brought into the 
 company of people who have a position in society. 
 Even if she make desirable acquaintances now, 
 she has no decent place in which to receive them 
 as visitors. You are not just to her. You are 
 hiding her under a bushel. It is a downright 
 shame ! " 
 
 " You really think so ?" remarked Lofton, not 
 attempting to repress the 'smile that broke over 
 his face. 
 
 " I do, in all seriousness," was answered. 
 
 " As I have said to you before, Mark, we'll bide
 
 148 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 our time," coolly replied Lofton. " We can wait. 
 As to people who think it not worth while to 
 visit us, because we do not live in a style beyond 
 our means, why, we shall have to dispense with 
 their acquaintance. To secure it on the terms 
 you propose, would be to make it cost, we think, 
 more than it is worth. It would never compen 
 sate for the annoyance, mortification and anxieties 
 of debt. If respectable people demand so high a 
 price for their friendship, we shall decline the 
 purchase." 
 
 " You are incorrigible !" exclaimed Pinkerton. 
 
 " So you have said before. And it will be very 
 remarkable, if I don't continue, at least in this 
 respect, incorrigible to the end. And so I must 
 bid you good morning. Business waits." 
 
 Lofton understood, clearly enough, what was 
 in the mind of his friend. He had not failed to 
 observe the impression his humble style of living 
 made upon the accomplished Miss Allen ; nor 
 hesitated in his conclusion, that whatever might 
 be her own impression of herself, she was not, 
 at least in his estimation, a true lady.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 ABOUT the time of Pinkerton's marriage, an 
 advance from six hundred to one thousand dollars 
 having taken place in Lofton's salary, our pru- 
 .dent young couple felt themselves warranted in 
 doing what, from the first, they had desired to 
 do commence housekeeping. Near to the dwel 
 ling rented by Pinkerton, was another far less 
 ambitious. It contained two rooms on the first 
 floor, two in the second story, and two attic 
 rooms, besides a kitchen in the basement. There 
 were no entries in the house, the street door 
 opening into the parlor, and the stairs ascending 
 from one corner of the room adjoining. The rent 
 of the house was nine dollars a month. Furnished 
 for the small sum of four hundred dollars just
 
 150 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 the amount that Lofton had saved, and which was 
 now spent with genuine pleasure it presented 
 nothing very elegant either as to the, exterior or 
 interior. Yet, the good taste displayed in the few 
 articles of furniture purchased, gave so pleasant 
 an air to the house, that few would have imagined 
 the smallness of the outlay that produced so agree 
 able an effect, and gave to the new dwelling- 
 place of our young friends an appearance so home 
 like and comfortable. How marked a contrast 
 did the two dwellings of Lofton and Pinkerton 
 exhibit. The one furnished, mainly, with an eye 
 to effect ; the other attired in only the few things 
 needful and comfortable, that were to be pur 
 chased for the moderate sum of four hundred dol 
 lars. And there was another important difference : 
 a difference that told strongly in favor of the small 
 house and meagre stock of furniture. Every article 
 of household use and comfort was paid for in the 
 latter case, while in the former everything was 
 owed for. Nor can the fact be disguised, that in 
 this difference lay the ground-work of much 
 serene enjoyment on the one side and disquiet on 
 the other. 
 
 The house in which Lofton shut himself in from 
 the common gaze his home how the word
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 151 
 
 thrilled sweetly along every nerve even to his in 
 nermost spirit ! humble though it was, met fully 
 all his present desires, and in occupying it he had 
 no troubled questionings on the score of its cost, 
 as compared to his means. And so of his neat, 
 but scanty furniture. Every article was his own 
 It was otherwise with Pinkerton. Much as he 
 had tried to argue himself into the conviction 
 that he was " coming money," and therefore fully 
 able to pay four hundred dollars rent, he had not 
 been altogether successful. He knew that it was 
 a piece of extravagance on his part not to be 
 justified on any plea. As to his furniture the 
 fact that the whole was purchased on time, left 
 no time whatever for self- approval : while the 
 ever-present remembrance that at the end of a 
 few rapidly fleeting months, over two thousand 
 dollars, in addition to his current expenses, now 
 considerably increased in amount, must be drawn 
 from his business, produced at times absolute 
 unhappiness. The beautiful apples he had grasped 
 so eagerly, were already turning to ashes in his 
 hands. 
 
 " What are these?" asked Lofton of his wife, on 
 returning home one evening, a day or two after 
 the marriage of Pinkerton. She had handed him
 
 152 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 a tasteful envelope, to which was attached a piece 
 of white ribbon. It contained cards of the newly 
 married couple. 
 
 " Indeed ! This is a piece of condescension I 
 had not expected," said the young man. 
 
 " Nor I," returned his wife. 
 
 " It means, I suppose, that they desire us to 
 call ?" 
 
 "Yes : that is the meaning." 
 
 " And yet, Ellen, I do not believe they wish to 
 number us among their intimate friends. Indeed, 
 1 am sure that Mrs. Pinkerton does not. She 
 belongs to one of the proudest families in the city 
 and yet how little have they on which to foster 
 pride." 
 
 " Pride usually sustains itself on very meagre 
 aliment you know," was the smiling answer. 
 
 " True enough. At home on Thursday so the 
 cards say. Shall we call ?" 
 
 " Just as you wish, Archie. Mr. Pinkerton is 
 your friend; if you desire intimate social relations 
 with him, we must make them a bridal visit. 
 They have indicated their wish to have us do so 
 by sending their cards. If the tender is a false 
 one, we will soon know it; if sincere, the acquain-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 153 
 
 tance may have its uses and pleasures. I am 
 ready to do just as you desire." 
 
 " We will call, then," said Lofton. " For years, 
 Mark and I have been on terms of friendly inti 
 macy. I shall be well pleased to have that inti 
 macy still continued ; and if you and Mrs. Pinker- 
 ton can find in each other anything to inspire a 
 mutual attachment, so much the better." 
 
 The next day being Thursday, when Mr. 
 and Mrs. Pinkerton were " at home," to their 
 friends, a bridal call was made. It was a very 
 formal matter ; the want of heart in Mrs. Pinker- 
 ton being covered by a well-assumed exterior, and 
 the utterance of fitly chosen words, that meant 
 anything or nothing. She did not say to Mrs. 
 Lofton "I am happy to see you;" or "I am 
 happy to make your acquaintance." No "I had 
 the pleasure of meeting you some few months 
 ago," was entirely non-committal, and so was th 
 charming smile with which the words were 
 spoken. A few common places were uttered on 
 the one side, and responded to on the other. 
 Some cake was eaten and wine drunk, and then 
 Mr. and Mrs. Lofton retired, each with a certain 
 pressure on the bosom that neither felt as at all
 
 154 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 agreeable, while the cause of it was hardly sus 
 ceptible of explanation. 
 
 " Well, what do you think of it all?" said the 
 former, on gaining their unambitious home, and 
 seating themselves in their little parlor. 
 
 " They are commencing the world in a showy 
 style, certainly," replied Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 " It's Pinkerton all over," said her husband, 
 shaking his head. " I'm sorry for him." 
 
 Why sorry ?" 
 
 " He's only making trouble for himself. Though 
 I know nothing of his personal affairs, yet I am 
 just as sure as that we are sitting in this room, 
 that the whole of. that furniture is yet to be paid 
 for." 
 
 " He vould hardly be so foolish as that," re 
 plied Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 " He's foolish enough for anything, where show 
 
 d appearance are concerned. I never knew a 
 'man so weak in this respect. He never has been 
 and never will be satisfied to live in a style war 
 ranted by present resources. Were he a lord, he 
 would emulate the style of a duke; if a duke, 
 nothing below the establishment of a prince 
 would suit him. He has many good qualities ;
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 155 
 
 but his defect of character must ruin everything 
 in the end. The result is inevitable." 
 
 " Do you think Mrs. Pinkerton will return our 
 call ?" asked Ellen. 
 
 " I have my doubts. "We are not the kind of 
 people whose society she would enjoy. Neither is 
 our style of living up to the mark she regards as 
 respectable. But we will see." 
 
 A few days after Pinkerton's marriage and 
 showy advent into the social world, the firm of 
 which he was a member, received advice of the 
 failure to take up a note by a country merchant 
 who owed them three thousand dollars. Here 
 was a damper to the young man's business en 
 thusiasm. If doubts had already visited him as 
 to the prudence of his course in buying costly fur 
 niture on credit and he had not escaped such 
 troublesome visitors these doubts were now in 
 creased to convictions. 
 
 "But," said- he, rousing himself, from a t 
 of rather gloomy reflections, which had intruded 
 themselves, "what's done can't be helped, and 
 it's folly to sit down and cry over it. I've bought 
 the furniture, and it must be paid for. That bur 
 den disposed of, everything will go on smoothly 
 enough afterwards. It won't be just the thing
 
 156 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 for me to draw so much money out of the con 
 cern ; but, no doubt, I can borrow a part of it 
 when the notes come due, and so throw the hea 
 viest portion some months still in advance." 
 
 Time wore on. The country merchant had 
 actually failed, and the loss was total threo 
 thousand dollars. The man was a rogue, and 
 had made away with everything. Mr. Ackland 
 was very nervous about the matter, and said a 
 number of things that were not altogether plea 
 sant to the- ears of his partner, who, in view of 
 the immediate maturity of his personal obliga 
 tions, felt particularly uncomfortable. 
 
 " What are these ?" asked Mr. Ackland, one 
 morning, holding in his hand three or four bank 
 notices, each bearing the name of Mark Pinker- 
 ton. His brow was slightly contracted, and on 
 his face was a rather troubled expression. 
 Ik Pinkerton glanced over the notices, and then 
 replied, in a careless way 
 
 " Oh they have nothing $6 do with the busi 
 ness. I'll take care of them. They were given 
 in settlement of my furniture bills." 
 
 Mr. Ackland made no reply. But he was far 
 from feeling satisfied. Shortly "afterwards, he 
 had the ledger open at Pinkerton's account, and
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 157 
 
 pencil in hand, was footing it up. With a grave 
 face and a shake of the head, he closed the book, 
 muttering 
 
 " Eleven hundred dollars in six months ! This 
 will never do for me never." 
 
 A week from that time, one of these notes, for 
 the sum of five hundred dollars, became due, and 
 on a day. when the firm had over four thousand 
 to meet. It was quite as much as the business 
 could do to bear its own burdens. So Mr. 
 Pinkerton did not think it wise, especially as he 
 was beginning to understand something of his 
 partner's feelings on the subject of his heavy per 
 sonal expenses, to let the firm provide for his ob 
 ligations. But, out of the business, he had no 
 resources. What, then, was to be done ? His 
 first effort to raise the sum required was after 
 this wise. He drew a note at four months for 
 five hundred dollars, payable to his own order, 
 and took it to a cerfcajjknote-broker. The broker 
 
 .,v 
 
 looked at the nqJ;e^^Bhed it over and over two 
 or three times, andlKen shook his head. 
 
 " Can't }^ou get the money for me?" asked 
 Pinkerton. 
 
 " I'm afraid Hot." 
 
 " Why ?"
 
 158 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " How can you ask the question ? It isn't 
 strong enough." 
 
 " I guess I'm perfectly good," said Pinkerto n, 
 with some dignity of manner. 
 
 " No doubt of that, sir none in the world," 
 answered the broker. " But we can't convince 
 any man who has money that it is safe to lend it 
 on the security of a single name the more par 
 ticularly when the paper is not legitimate." 
 
 " Not legitimate ! What do you " 
 
 " Oh, I mean not business paper that's all. 
 Of course, this is a mere made note not based 
 on any commercial transaction ; and such notes, 
 to be taken at all, must be half covered with the 
 best of names." 
 
 " You can't get the money for me?" 
 
 " I'm afraid not." 
 
 Pinkerton looked disappointed and perplexed 
 
 " I'll tell you what I think can be done," said 
 the broker. 
 
 "What?" The countenance of Pinkerton 
 brightened. 
 
 " Bring me the note of Pinkerton & Ackland, 
 drawn in your favor, if you choose, and there 
 will be no difficulty." 
 
 " That can be done, you think ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 159 
 
 " Oh yes no doubt of it. The firm is regard 
 ed as one of the most substantial in the city. 
 There'll be no difficulty with their note." 
 
 Pinkerton departed. He did not like this pro 
 position. To create an obligation for the firm, 
 out of the business and for his own use, and this 
 secretly, was too clearly wrong to be thought of 
 But what was he to do ? From what source was 
 money to be obtained ? Another broker was 
 tried but the individual note, unendorsed, would 
 not go down. The young man now began to 
 feel much worried in mind, and much less, confi 
 dent touching the potency of his name in money 
 circles. - 
 
 The extremity became pressing. Although 
 Pinkerton could not think of signing the name of 
 the firm to a note of his own creating, after much 
 debate with himself, he resolved to draw a note 
 in- favor of Pinkerton & Ackland, and endorse it 
 with the signature of the firm. This, although 
 it did not materially change the moral character 
 of the transaction, "was felt to be a safer proceed 
 ing, as he could take up the note when it became 
 due, and thus conceal from his partner all about 
 the endorsement. A note was accordingly made, 
 signed, and duly endorsed. This he took to the
 
 160 * SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 broker upon whom he had first called. That 
 worthy examined the note, and again shook his 
 head. 
 
 " What's the matter ? Won't that do ?" said 
 Pinkerton. 
 
 " It may do but " 
 
 "But what?" 
 
 " It isn't in the right shape. It should have 
 been signed Pinkerton & Ackland." 
 
 " The security is just as good. The firm is as 
 much bound in one case as in the other." 
 
 " I know. Still we always like the drawer's 
 name to be strongest." 
 
 " It will be lifted just the same." 
 
 " I don't in the least doubt that, my young 
 friend ; and, if I were going to discount the note 
 myself, would not hesitate a moment. But I 
 deal with a shrewd, cautious, worldly-wise class 
 of men, who, when they lend their money, re 
 fuse paper unless braced up by the strongest se 
 curity. You want this money to day ?" 
 
 Yes." 
 
 " Very well. I'll try for you. But you mustn't 
 be disappointed should I fail." 
 
 " How soon may I call ?" 
 
 " In an hour."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 161 
 
 " Very well. I will be here." 
 
 " If you must have the money to-day," said 
 the broker, detaining him, " it is hardly wise to 
 lose time. On a firm note, the discount is sure. 
 The offering of this may have a bad efiect. Had 
 you not better draw a new note ?' 
 
 Pinkerton lingered and hesitated. 
 
 " Here are blanks," urged the broker, who 
 wished to make his commission with as little 
 trouble as possible, and who knew where Pinker- 
 ton & Ackland's note wonld be taken. " I un 
 derstand the transaction entirely. You wish a 
 little money for your private use, and don't want 
 to draw it out of the business." 
 
 " That's just it," said Pinkerton, in a half 
 confidential tone of voice. " You know I hava 
 been taking myself a wife, and a wife always 
 brings some extra expenses." 
 
 " Exactly." The tempter smiled and nodded. 
 " I understand it all. Here's a blank note. 
 Draw to your own order, and sign it Pinkerton 
 & Ackland, and it shall be cashed for you in half 
 an hour." 
 
 Thus urged, the young man yielded. He drew, 
 signed and endorsed the note, as proposed, and 
 then went back to his store, feeling by no means
 
 162 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 comfortable, the more particularly as fifteen 
 hundred dollars more would have to be raised in 
 the next two or three weeks. 
 
 In due time, Pinkerton received from the 
 broker the net sum of four hundred and seventy 
 dollars ; thirty dollars having been abstracted 
 from the five hundred to cover discount and 
 broker's commission. 
 
 In order to lift the remaining notes given for 
 furniture, Pinkerton, who did not deem it wise 
 or prudent to draw even a portion of what was 
 needed from the business, resorted to a like expe 
 dient. Notes of the firm were created and dis 
 counted. He was over the difficulty for at least 
 four months to come, and hushed for a time all 
 troubled questions as to the future, by saying, 
 " Let the morrow take thought for the things of 
 itself; sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." 
 As the time for the maturity of these notes 
 drew nearer and nearer, our imprudent young 
 friend began to feel uneasy. The transaction was 
 not to be justified on any plea whatever. It was 
 in direct violation of common principles of .right 
 involved, though not expressed, in the provisions 
 of that co-partnership under which he was doing 
 business. The fact that he had used the name
 
 SKA KING TO SPEND. 163 
 
 of the firm in order to obtain money for his private 
 use, should it become known to Mr. Ackland, 
 would not only destroy that gentleman's confi 
 dence in him, but might lead to a dissolution. 
 And a dissolution, with such a reason assigned, 
 would ruin his prospects in life. It had never 
 been his intention, from the first, that his part 
 ner should know anything about these notes. 
 How this was to be prevented had not been clear 
 ly seen when they were given ; but he had flat 
 tered himself that no trouble need arise on this 
 account. As the time for their payment' drew 
 near, his mind dwelt almost constantly on this 
 perplexing subject. It seemed but a little matter 
 to prevent the bank notices from coming under 
 the eyes of Mr. Ackland and only this was 
 needed to make all safe. But so many contin 
 gencies were in the case, that it was scarcely 
 possible for four notices to be left at the store, 
 and each one of them escape observation. It 
 Pinkerton had deemed it prudent to take one 
 or more of their clerks into his confidence ; or to 
 have ascertained in what banks the notes were 
 to be deposited for collection, and then had an 
 understanding with the runners thereof as to the 
 delivery of the notices, the affair might have been
 
 164 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 managed very well. But this was a dangerous 
 kind of business, and might put him into the 
 power of men not to be trusted. 
 
 So time went on, until the first day of the 
 month, in which these notes came due. Very 
 hard had Pinkerton tried, during the previous 
 week, to induce his partner to go to New York on 
 business. Some very desirable goods were to be 
 sold at auction on the second, third, and fourth 
 of the month ; but Mr. Ackland could not be in 
 duced to leave his place at the desk, where, he 
 steadily affirmed, he was of far more use than 
 in buying goods, a department in the business 
 with which he was not familiar. 
 
 It was Pinkerton's place to attend these sales, 
 at which were many new styles of goods just 
 coming into market. But he dared not leave 
 home. Were the existence of these notes, 
 amounting to over two thousand dollars, to be 
 discovered during his absence, there was no tell 
 ing how disastrous the consequences might be. 
 Failing to induce Ackland to go, he plead severe 
 indisposition, and despatched a clerk to attend the 
 sale in New York, whose purchases were far from 
 being as judicious as those of his more experienced 
 principal would have been.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE first day of the month came, and Pinker- 
 ton was early at the store. Not earlier, however, 
 than his very punctual associate, who was gen 
 erally at his accounts an hour before he came to 
 look after .customers. 
 
 " A pretty heavy month this," remarked Mr. 
 Ackland, who was poring over the bill book. 
 
 " How much to -pay ?" enquired Pinkerton. 
 His manner was slightly absent. 
 
 " Five thousand dollars," replied Ackland. 
 
 " So much !" The announcement of so large a 
 sum startled the young merchant. 
 
 " Yes ; five thousand. We have, however, a 
 balance of over fifteen hundred dollars in bank,
 
 166 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 and a good many country merchants are now ar 
 riving." 
 
 " We shall go through easily enough," said 
 Pinkerton, lightly. He had quickly recovered 
 from his momentary surprise. 
 
 At this moment a teller from the Union Bank 
 entered. Both Pinkerton and Ackland knew him, 
 and understood that the little package of papers 
 which he held in his hand were bank notices. 
 The heart of the former almost ceased to beat, 
 as the young man came forward, so great was 
 his anxiety and suspense. Leaving his partner, 
 he advanced half way down the store to meet the 
 teller. Four notices were handed to him, one of 
 which, from the amount it called for, he recogniz 
 ed as referring to one of his accommodation 
 notes. This he adroitly concealed, while his 
 back was yet towards Mr. Ackland. He breath 
 ed freely again. So much, at least, was safe. 
 But, the danger was still imminent. Three more 
 notices were to come in. In the first, he had 
 been very fortunate ; but he could not hope for a 
 like good fortune so far as the others were con 
 cerned. Nor was he so fortunate. 
 
 "There's something wrong here," said his 
 partner, meeting him with a grave face, as he
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 167 
 
 came in from dinner on that day, about half past 
 three o'clock in the afternoon. Ackland held two 
 bank notices in his hand. In spite of his effort 
 to maintain an air of unconcern, the color rose 
 instantly to his face. 
 
 " What is wrong ?" he inquired. 
 
 " We have no bills out answering to these," 
 said Mr. Ackland, presenting the notices to his 
 partner. 
 
 " Are you certain ?" remarked Pinkerton. 
 
 " Very certain." The bill book was opened, 
 and laid before Pinkerton, who ran his eyes along 
 the various entries. 
 
 " You may have omitted to enter them," was 
 ventured as a suggestion. 
 
 " No," said Ackland, promptly ; " I'm too care 
 ful an accountant for that." 
 
 " There's some mistake at the bank, no doubt. 
 It's too-late to see to it this afternoon ; but I'll go 
 over and investigate the matter to-morrow." 
 
 " I've already been over," was the reply of 
 Ackland to this. 
 
 " You have !" The brow of Pinkerton con 
 tracted, and a shadow fell over his face. 
 
 " Yes, and have seen the notes. They are
 
 IBS SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 drawn to your order, and have your endorse 
 ment." 
 
 It was on the lips of Pinkerton to pronounce 
 them forgeries ; but an instinctive conviction that 
 this would only make matters worse, restrained 
 him. 
 
 " Oh !" he exclaimed, with animation, his eyes 
 brightening, and his face breaking into a smile ; 
 " I understand all about it now. Didn't I tell 
 you four months ago, when thejfc notes for my 
 furniture came due, that in ordsr to meet them, 
 without taking money from the- business, I had 
 drawn two accommodation notes, and got them 
 discounted ?" 
 
 " No," was the positive answer of Ackland, 
 who received this announcement with compressed 
 lips, and a look of stern displeasure. 
 
 " Oh ! I'm sure I did," returned Pinkerton, 
 driven now into subterfuge -and direct falsehood. 
 " I never would have done a thing like that with 
 out speaking of it never." 
 
 " You certainly did it in this instance," said 
 Ackland, firmly ; " for I had not the remotest 
 suspicion that any paper of the firm was out, not 
 the representative of some business transaction.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 169 
 
 And to speak plainly, Mr. Pinkerton, 1 don't 
 like the look of it." 
 
 " You don't !" The tone of voice, as well as 
 the words of Ackland, were far from being plea 
 sant to his partner. 
 
 " No, I do not." Ackland's manner was not in 
 the least softened. 
 
 " What do you think it indicates ?" said Pink 
 erton, who was too much irritated by the lan 
 guage of his partner, to maintain a prudent self- 
 control. 
 
 " You ask the question, and I will answer it 
 plainly." Mr. Ackland was now quite composed, 
 but very decided in his manner. " It indicates 
 nay, Mr. Pinkerton, it is on your part, a direct 
 violation of partnership faith !" 
 
 " Mr. Ackland ! I cannot permit this ! I will 
 not bear such language from " 
 
 " Calm yourself, Mr. Pinkerton," said Ack 
 land, who was perfectly cool. " This is by far 
 too serious a matter to be discussed in a state of 
 angry excitement. You have no right to be of 
 fended with me for using plain language. Tho 
 act is a breach of good faith, and you would so 
 regard it, were it mine instead of yours." 
 
 Pinkerton saw the folly of any thing rash on 
 8
 
 170 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 his part , and, therefore, endeavored to recover 
 his self-possession. Glimpses of consequences . 
 ruinous consequences were already presented to 
 his mind. Clearly in the wrong, it was not for 
 him to play off the indignant too broadly, especial 
 ly with a man of the cool, decided temperament 
 of his partner, whose character he had misappre 
 hended in the beginning, in more than one parti 
 cular. 
 
 " I did not mean it as a breach of good faith," 
 he said, with something conciliatory in his voice. 
 " I trust I am a man of better principles than 
 that, Mr. Ackland. My notes were out, and had 
 to be lifted. I had already drawn as much, on 
 private account, from the business, as I felt it 
 right to draw. This being the case, I tried to 
 raise the sum needed on my own notes ; but ut 
 terly failed in the effort. ' The firm notes can be 
 discounted,' was answered to my application ; and 
 on the credit of the firm I was at last compelled, 
 most reluctantly, to fall back. You have now 
 the whole story. I wish it had been otherwise , 
 but so it is." 
 
 Ackland accepted the explanation, but looked 
 very grave about it, and was far from feeling 
 comfortable. On the day following, the fourth
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 171 
 
 and last notice found its way into his hands. He 
 sent immediately to the bank, and ascertained 
 that this note was similar in character to the 
 other two of which he had spoken to his partner. 
 This was more than he was prepared for ; and he 
 at once declared his wish to have the firm dis 
 solved. All confidence in Pinkerton was gone. 
 He had felt, for some time, dissatisfied with his 
 extravagant habits, and dashing business ways, 
 the latter seeming to him often more like gam 
 bling than careful mertdiandizing. They might 
 realize a splendid fortune ; but he was afraid of 
 the chances. 
 
 A little to Ackland's surprise, Pinkerton was 
 ready to meet him on this new issue, and ar 
 range for a dissolution. He would give or take a 
 certain sum, and retain or leave the business. 
 Ackland had too little confidence in himself to 
 accept the latter proposition, and so, wisely, 
 availed of the former. It was mutually agreed 
 that the cause of their separation was to remain 
 a profound secret that Ackland was to receive 
 back the amount of capital at first invested, and 
 seven thousand dollars as his share of the esti 
 mated profits which the concern had made. The 
 rapid growth of the house, and the reputation
 
 172 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 which Pinkerton had acquired for capacity, en 
 terprise and great business shrewdness, made it 
 an easy matter for him to secure a new partner 
 with four tunes the capital that Ackland had pos 
 sessed. The latter's security was, therefore, 
 ample; while Pinkerton found himself elevated 
 to a new and higher position in business. Both 
 were satisfied with the change. 
 
 For a few weeks, the withdrawal of Ackland 
 from the house was a topic of remark in busi 
 ness circles. Many conjectures as to the cause 
 thereof were made, but none guessed at the true 
 reason. The new firm of Pinkerton & Lee was 
 regarded as a much stronger one, because a larger 
 amount of cash capital was in possession. 
 
 Of Mr. Lee, the new partner so suddenly in 
 troduced, we have nothing very particular to say 
 at present. Like Ackland, he had not received a 
 thorough business education. But he was a man 
 of better address, higher ambition, and what are 
 sometimes called more "liberal" views, though 
 not competent to take the place of either sales 
 man or book-keeper. Of his principles, we cannot 
 speak with much confidence ; and yet, so far in 
 life, he had ever maintained the most honorable 
 courses of action. In all respects, he was a man
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 173 
 
 whom Pinkerton could manage far better than 
 he had been able to manage his first partner, and 
 this because he had less discrimination and less 
 suspicion. Most fortunate did Pinkerton consider 
 himself in " getting rid" of Ackland so he men 
 tally expressed It though he never felt particu 
 larly comfortable in thinking over the causes 
 which led to a dissolution of the copartnership.
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 MR. and Mrs. Lofton were not in error as to 
 the feelings and views of Mrs. Pinkerton. She 
 never returned the call. Lofton felt this more 
 than did his wife. Indeed, so far as the latter 
 was concerned, the omission was a source of con 
 gratulation rather than regret. She knew enough 
 of the family to which Mrs. Pinkerton belonged, 
 to be satisfied that a congenial intercourse was 
 impossible. This impression, a close observa 
 tion, made during two brief interviews, entirely 
 confirmed. Lofton and Pinkerton met, as friends, 
 whenever thrown together; but between their 
 families, no intercourse whatever existed. Mar 
 riage had opened for them diverse paths. Hum 
 ble, unobtrusive, scarcely observed, yet steadily
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 175 
 
 progressive, was the path along which one was 
 moving ; while that of the other mounted rapidly 
 upwards, winding among dizzy and dangerous 
 places, and attracting observation from the cu 
 rious, the envious, and the ill-natured. There 
 was firm footing for the one; while ever and 
 anon, the other felt the ground to be slippery and 
 uncertain. 
 
 Cool, discriminating, cautious and observant 
 as was Archibald Lofton, and well satisfied that 
 the foundation of his friend's business prosperity 
 was not well laid, he could not, at times, repress 
 an uncomfortable feeling on contrasting their re 
 spective positions in life Pinkerton at the head 
 of a large and rapidly growing house, and he but 
 an humble clerk, with no prospect beyond yet 
 opening its attractive vistas for his eyes. 
 
 " This is a strange world," he remarked one 
 evening to his young wife, with something of dis 
 appointment in his voice. He had seemed to her 
 more thoughtful than usual since returning at the 
 close of the day, and less interested in their sweet 
 babe, which had come, a few months before, to 
 add new gleams of sunlghit to their humble 
 home.
 
 176 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Mrs. Lofton looked at her husband for a few 
 moments, and then replied 
 
 " The ways of Providence are often strange to 
 us ; but, we know that wise designs are involved 
 in every event, and that a beautiful harmony is 
 often wrought out of things strangely involved 
 and darkly mysterious." 
 
 " A general truth, to which we may all assent 
 with the understanding. And yet when the 
 darkness lies upon our own pathway, we cannot 
 help feeling anxious in regard to what is beyond/' 
 
 " Do you really feel anxious ? Are you in 
 doubt ?" said the now serious wife, laying her 
 soft hand on the slightly clouded brow of her 
 husband. She had not at first detected the direct 
 bearing of his words. 
 
 " I ought not to feel anxious. I ought not to 
 be in doubt, Ellen," replied Lofton, forcing a 
 smile, " and yet, some things occasionally produce 
 uncomfortable states of mind." 
 
 " What things, Archie ?" A shadow stole over 
 the young wife's face. 
 
 " I believe that I possess equal business capa 
 city with Mark Pinker ton ; and a great deal more 
 prudence. And yet capital seeks him out, while
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 177 
 
 ^ 
 
 I am passed by, and left to plod along through 
 life, a simple clerk." 
 
 " I don't like to hear you talk so, Archie, dear,' 
 said Mrs. Lofton, tenderly. " Has not your 
 salary been raised, and have we not everything 
 comfortable, and something to spare? Oh, don't 
 murmur at Providence, Archie, don't let that 
 bane of all happiness, dincontent with the present 
 lot, come in to cloud the sunshine of our happy 
 life." 
 
 " I am not discontented, Ellen," replied Lofton, 
 rallying himself. " Oh no don't misconceive my 
 state of mind. But, sometimes, we can't help 
 thinking that events come out strangely. Now, 
 let me tell you of something. There's been a 
 dissolution of co-partnership between Pinkerton 
 and Ackland." 
 
 " There has ! For what reason ?" 
 
 " That is not clearly understood. There is 
 something kept back from the public. Evidently 
 a misunderstanding has arisen, ending in this se 
 paration. A low whisper, meant to be strictly 
 confidential, came to my ears to-day, charging 
 Pinkerton with having used the name of the firm 
 for his own private ends. But I will not credit 
 this, nor repeat it. Keckless as he is, and full
 
 L78 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 of temptation as the path he is treading may be 
 I will not believe him so lacking in worldly wis 
 dom as to venture so soon upon an expedient of 
 this kind." 
 
 " Worldly wisdom, Archie," said Mrs. Lofton. 
 " And is that all he possesses to restrain him from 
 dishonorable actions ?" 
 
 " I should fear for him in strong temptations,' 
 was thoughtfully replied. " And after all, there 
 may be truth in the report ; though another that I 
 heard, seems most likely to involve the true rea 
 son." 
 
 " What was that ?" 
 
 " Ackland is said to have been dissatisfied in 
 consequence of the large sums of money which 
 Pinkerton drew out for his personal expenses." 
 
 " I should not wonder if in that lay the cause 
 of the dissolution," said Mrs. Lofton. " How 
 week how very foolish ! And so, in the effort to 
 be fashionable, and to make a showy appearance, 
 he has so soon marred all his prospects in life." 
 
 " Not marred them, by any means, Ellen," re- 
 plied her husband. " But, to all appearance, 
 greatly advanced his worldly interests. And 
 this is why I said, in the beginning, that it was 
 a strange world."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 179 
 
 " Advanced his worldly interests !" 
 
 " Yes. His dissolution with Ackland leads but 
 to the formation of a new co-partnership, and 
 under far beter auspices." 
 
 " That is singular. Who is the ne\v partner ?" 
 
 " Carlton Lee, who brings into the business a 
 capital of forty thousand dollars, and credit to 
 almost any extent. The firm is now Pinkerton 
 and Lee ; and I heard a very shrewd merchant say 
 this afternoon, that he shouldn't be surprised if 
 they were worth half a million of dollars in ten 
 years." 
 
 It was but too plain, from the tone and manner 
 of Lofton, that he derived no pleasure from con 
 templating what seemed the opening good for 
 tune of his old friend. It contrasted too strongly 
 with his own humble condition. 
 
 " Do you remember what Queen Margaret in 
 the play, said ?" asked Mrs. Lofton, fixing her 
 eyes intently on the face of her husband. 
 
 " No." 
 
 " They that stand too high may chance to fall ; 
 and if they fall, they dash themselves to pieces ; 
 or something of this import. Archie, I would 
 rather have you remain a humble clerk, than oc 
 cupy the place of Pinkerton."
 
 ISO SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " So would I, if I must occupy it as he does. 
 
 But, I would stand far more securely than he 
 
 stands. 1 would not be ever in danger of stum. 
 
 'bling from looking at the stars above my head." 
 
 " I would rather have you remain as you are, 
 than be the partner of Carlton Lee, with all his 
 credit and capital," said Mrs. Lofton, firmly. 
 
 " He is not a man whom I admire, certainly," 
 was the reply of Lofton. 
 
 " We believe him to be wanting in virtuous 
 principles." 
 
 " True." 
 
 " And would you, Archie, for the prospect of 
 mere wordly advantages, enter into close business 
 relations with such a person ? O, no, I am sure 
 you would not. This seeming good fortune on 
 the part of Mr. Pinkerton has, temporarily, 
 disturbed the even balance of your mind. Turn 
 your thoughts away. Let us be content with oui 
 own lot, believing, that He who arranges things ex 
 ternal, knows what is best for us. Let us be pa 
 tient : if good fortune is in store for us, it will 
 come in its own time ; but, we must never forget 
 that thankfulness for present blessings, and an 
 earnest enjoyment of them, is the only true pre 
 paration for the enjoyment of good things in the fu-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 181 
 
 ture. Who do you think is happiest now, you or 
 Mr. Pinkerton, elated as he must be with his good 
 fortune ?" 
 
 4 
 
 A little while the young man sat musing. 
 The earnest, truthful words of his wife, were 
 doing their appropriate office in his mind, which 
 had only been temporarily unbalanced. 
 
 " / am happiest," he at length said, and 
 with anr emphasis that indicated some vivid per 
 ception of real differences in their relations and 
 sources of true enjoyment. " No, no, Ellen ! I 
 would not exchange with him on any considera 
 tion." 
 
 " Nor would I exchange with Mrs. Pinkerton," 
 calmly responded his wife. Then she added, al 
 most in the same breadth " Lucy Arden came to 
 see me to day." 
 
 " Did she, indeed ?" The fact seemed to give 
 Lofton especial pleasure. 
 
 " Yes. She called in and sat for an hour. In 
 fact, took off her bonnet and shawl, and made 
 herself quite at home. She seemed so pleased 
 with dear little Eddy, and nursed him nearly all 
 the time. Her mother gives a large party next 
 week." 
 
 " Ah ?"
 
 182 SPARING TO SPEWD. 
 
 " And what's more, we're to be invited." 
 
 " 0, no." 
 
 " It's true ; and Lucy says we must come." 
 
 " A mere compliment ; for which, no doubt, vre 
 ought to feel very much obliged," said Lofton, a 
 little sarcastically. " We can send our regrets." 
 
 " No, Archie," said his wife, firmly. " The 
 invitation when it comes will, I am sure, be in 
 good faith. Mrs. Arden is too true a woman to 
 offer the hospitalities of her house, without a 
 wish to extend them. Can you not say as much 
 for Mr. Arden ?" 
 
 " 0, yes. He has ever treated me with kind 
 ness and respectful consideration. To Mrs. Ar 
 den, I am a stranger." 
 
 " Though I am not. When you do meet her, you 
 will feel that you have met a true woman. She 
 always asks after you with an interest that can 
 not be mistaken. yes ; we will go." 
 
 Mr. Arden was one of the partners in the 
 house that employed Lofton as clerk ; the same 
 person who had shown so kind an interest in the 
 young man, and through whose generous appre 
 ciation of his wants and ability, he had received 
 an advance of salary. Before her marriage, Mrs. 
 Lofton had worked as dressmaker for Mrs. Ar-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 183 
 
 den and her family, all of whom were much at 
 tached to her. Lucy was the oldest daughter ; a 
 beautiful, highly-educated, and highly-accom 
 plished girl, now in her twentieth year. Since 
 the marriage of Mrs. Lofton, the family con 
 tinued to show her many kindnesses ; and Lucy 
 not only called to see her frequently, but often 
 insisted on her coming round and spending an af 
 ternoon with the family, on which occasions she 
 was treated by all with an affectionate interest 
 that was grateful to her feelings. 
 
 This new evidence of good-will and high ap 
 preciation of character, both in Mrs. Lofton and 
 her husband, was the more gratifying because al 
 together unexpected. Lightly as the invitation 
 was at first treated by Lofton, the more he 
 thought of it, the deeper was the sense of plea 
 sure experienced. It was an evidence that, at 
 least in one influential quarter, he was not re 
 garded as altogether unworthy of association, 
 because poor. It gave him hope too ; for, he 
 saw that this introduction into society by Mr. 
 Arden, was a public endorsement of his charac 
 ter, always of great value to a young man who 
 has nothing but his ability and good character on 
 which to build his worldly prosperity.
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 IN due time, formal invitations to the party at 
 Mr. and Mrs. Arden's, were received by the 
 Loftons. Lucy Arden called in to see Mrs. 
 Lofton on the very day the invitations were left, 
 to express personally the particular desire of the 
 family that they would attend ; and also to offer 
 her advice and assistance if needed by Ellen, in 
 matters of dress and appropiate ornament. 
 
 " What are you going to wear ?" was among the 
 first and most natural questions. 
 
 Mrs. Lofton had nothing that was just suitable 
 for the occasion, and so the purchase of a new 
 dress was decided upon. The color, material and 
 style of trimming, were then discussed and settled 
 to the satisfaction of both parties. We say to the
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 185 
 
 satisfaction of both ; although it must be admitted 
 that in the earlier portions of the important dis 
 cussion, Lucy Arden was decidedly in favor of a 
 more showy article than finally met their joint 
 approval. 
 
 " "What jewelry have you, Ellen ?" was next 
 asked by Lucy. 
 
 " None of any particular value, except a small 
 diamond pin that belonged to my father. Mother 
 would never part with it," replied Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 " Ah well no matter. I have enough and to 
 spare. Come round to-morrow or next day and 
 we will select something." 
 
 Mrs. Lofton smiled and said that she was 
 grateful for the kind offer, but thought it would 
 be wiser and more becoming in her to avoid excess 
 of ornament. 
 
 " I agree with you there, Ellen, entirely," said 
 Lucy " but I do not by any means propose ex 
 cessive ornament. A bracelet, a pin, a pair of neat 
 ear-rings, and a small string of pearls to wreath in 
 your hair will produce just the right effect, and 
 make you look charming." 
 
 The light-hearted, affectionate girl, smiled, half 
 in earnest and half in playfulness. 
 
 " So come around," she added, " and we'll find
 
 186 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 something exactly suited to your style of dress and 
 person." 
 
 " I'll come round, Lucy, but I'm very certain 
 that we shall not agree about the jewelry." 
 
 " Why not ?" 
 
 " Eemember, that I am only the wife of a 
 clerk." 
 
 " Well and what of that, pray ! Does it lessen 
 your personal value ? I wonder if the wife of an 
 honest clerk hasn't as good a right to dress with 
 taste as the proudest lady in the land ? The wife 
 of a clerk, indeed. You think too meanly of your 
 self, Ellen." 
 
 "I would rather think too humbly, than too 
 proudly, Lucy," replied Mrs. Lofton "though 
 there is not much danger of the former, for I'm by 
 no means wanting in a good opinion of myself. 
 When I speak of being only the wife of a clerk, I 
 refer to my husband's condition in life as not jus 
 tifying expenditure for jewelry." 
 
 " But, child, I don't want to sell you my orna 
 ments," said Lucy, with mock seriousness. " I 
 havn't quite come to that yet !" 
 
 " You don't understand me," was the response 
 of Mrs. Lofton. " I should think it wrong to wear
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 187 
 
 ornaments of greater value than my husband's 
 income might warrant me in purchasing." 
 
 " Ellen ! Ellen 1 I'm afraid there's something 
 behind all this," said Lucy. I'm afraid that 
 proud little heart of yours is lifting itself in 
 rebellion at the thought of borrowed ornaments ?" 
 
 No no, Lucy. With you I could feel no 
 delicacy no reluctance, however strong my 
 native pride and independence might be," returned 
 Mrs. Lofton with much earnestness of manner. 
 " My objection springs from a different considera 
 tion altogether. I would on no account, appear 
 in company wearing a single article of dress or 
 ornament which my husband's circumstances 
 might not fully warrant me in puchasing." 
 
 " That's fastidiousness, Ellen, and nothing else," 
 said Lucy. " Whose business is it, I wonder ? 
 Who has a right to ask whether your husband 
 can afford to buy what you wear or not ? The 
 enquiry would be impertinent ; and if you seek to 
 avoid all impertinent enquiries you'll have plenty 
 of fruitless work upon your hands." 
 
 " Still you fail to comprehend me, Lucy," was 
 the reply of Mrs. Lofton. " To dress, or to ap 
 pear to dress beyond our means, might injure my 
 husband's prospects."
 
 188 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " IFow so ? I cannot comprehend this." 
 
 " Has not many a man been ruined by extrava 
 gant living ?" 
 
 " Certainly. But what has that to do with 
 wearing a few trifling ornaments which cost you 
 nothing ?" 
 
 " We should avoid the appearance of evil, for 
 the world judges by appearances." 
 
 " True." 
 
 " If, as the wife of a clerk, I dress in a style not 
 warranted by our circumstances, will not the in 
 ference be fair that, as the wife of a young 
 merchant, I would be tempted still to exceed the 
 increased ability of my husband ?" 
 
 The eyes of Lucy drooped to the floor, and she 
 eat musing for some moments. A dim light was 
 breaking into her mind. Mrs. Lofton continued : 
 
 " My husband, like most men, looks forward 
 to the time when he will be in better circum 
 stances. He has some business talents, is prudent, 
 industrious and self-denying. But, he has neither 
 capital nor wealthy friends ; and must, therefore, 
 wait until by careful economy he can save enough 
 to begin the world in a small way, or meet with 
 some one who is ready to place capital against 
 his knowledge of business."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 189 
 
 " All very well. I like that," said Lucy. 
 
 " Now, can you not see," continued Mrs. 
 Lofton, " that if his wife goes into company 
 dressed in a style thought to be extravagant, his 
 prospects might be injured ? Men who have money 
 to invest are usually very careful as to who may 
 have the control of it ; and while one might be very 
 willing to avail himself of the husband's business 
 qualifications, he might be afraid of the wife's ex 
 travagance." 
 
 " Why, Ellen !" exclaimed Lucy Arden, a glow 
 of pleasure and approval diffusing itself over her 
 face " what a little philosopher you are !" 
 
 " Am I not right ?" said Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 " I believe you are; perfectly right. Well, isn't 
 it curious that such an idea never found its way 
 into my thoughtless brain ?" 
 
 " Circumstance is a wise teacher," was an 
 swered. " Every new relation in life has its own 
 peculiar lessons, and well for us will it be if we 
 learn them thoroughly." 
 
 " Eight again, Ellen ; right again. I'll tell 
 father of this. It will gratify him, I know. I've 
 heard him talk just in this way many a time ; but 
 seeing in his words no particular bearing, I never 
 gave them a second thought in fact did not
 
 190 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 clearly see their meaning. Well, you shall dress 
 just as your own taste and judgment may dictate. 
 Circumstance is a wise teacher, and you, it seems, 
 are conning your lessons well." 
 
 So it was decided that Mrs. Lofton should wear 
 no jewelry but the small diamond pin, which 
 could not attract observation. 
 
 As Lucy Arden had said, she related to her 
 father all that passed between her and Mrs. 
 Lofton. Mr. Arden seemed very much pleased, 
 and spoke with warmth of Lofton's character and 
 ability and ended by saying : 
 
 " A wife like Ellen is a fortune to any man."
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE evening of the party at Mr. Arden's came, 
 and Mr. and Mrs. Lofton prepared themselves 
 for the occassion to them, one of more than com 
 mon interest. Lofton, naturally diffident, felt 
 exceedingly nervous. He had been little in com 
 pany. A fashionable party he had never attend 
 ed ; and he felt, painfully, his ignorance of the 
 many little observances of polished life, without 
 a knowledge of which every one must suffer re 
 straint and embarrassment. Mrs. Lofton was 
 more at her ease. She had a woman's quick per 
 ception of social usages, and had been enough 
 with ladies who moved in fashionable circles, to 
 be able to compare them with herself. She did 
 not doubt her ability to act, in her own quiet and
 
 192 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 unobtrusive way, with all needful propriety. Both 
 were a little surprised, on arriving at the house 
 of Mr. Arden, at the hour named in the note of 
 invitation, to find themselves among the first of 
 the guests. But this unfashionable punctuality 
 was something in their favor. They had time to 
 get a sort of at-home feeling before the larger 
 portion of the company arrived. 
 
 It proved to be a large and brilliant party, at 
 which many of the first merchants and profes 
 sional men of the city, with their families, were 
 present. Amid the gay attire and flash of jew 
 elry, our unobtrusive little Mrs. Lofton was com 
 pletely obscured. She might have ventured the 
 bracelet and string of pearls, without much dan 
 ger to her husband's future prospects. So, at 
 least, Lucy Arden thought, as she more than once 
 contrasted the modest exterior of her friend and 
 protege with the glitter and display around 
 her. 
 
 Among the guests were Pinkerton and hia 
 wife the latter dressed in the most showy and 
 extravagant style. Mr. Ackland, his late part 
 ner, was present. Also Mr. and Mrs. Allen, 
 both rather formal in manner tdward their dash 
 ing son-in-law.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 193 
 
 Though several times thrown into immediate 
 contact with Mrs. Pinkerton, Mrs. Lofton did not 
 receive the slightest sign of recognition from that 
 lady. Mr. Pinkerton bowed to her coldly, once 
 or twice, but offered not the courtesy of a single 
 word. 
 
 Time passed on, and in conversation, now with 
 one, and now with another of the rather staid 
 and sober part of the company, Lofton became 
 more and more at ease, and in consequence, more 
 and more observant of what was going on around 
 him. Contrasts were naturally made. The ease 
 and self possession of some and the awkward 
 ness and embarrassment of others, were noted. 
 He gathered, too, from the free spoken or un 
 guarded, social and business estimates of indivi 
 duals. Pinkerton and his lady were several 
 times objects of comment in his presence ; and, 
 by the way, not over-favorable comment. And, 
 once or twice, he heard his own, dear, mo 
 dest little wife briefly enquired about, as a 
 stranger, in terms that sent the blood dancing 
 with a pleasant warmth through his veins. Not 
 less surprised than pleased was he at length, to 
 Bee her.in animated conversation with Mr. Auk- 

 
 194 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 land. Who had introduced them, he did not 
 know. But he saw that Ackland was particu 
 larly interested in something that she was saying, 
 and that when she ceased speaking, his counte 
 nance expressed a warm approval of her senti 
 ments. He would have been more pleased, if the 
 following conversation, which some time after 
 wards passed between Mr. Arden and Mr. Ack 
 land had reached his ears. 
 
 " Who is that lady with whom I have been 
 talking ?" the latter enquired. " She's a very 
 sensible woman." 
 
 " She appears to be a stranger to almost every 
 one here." 
 
 " So I think," replied Mr. Arden; " about, as 
 sensible as any here to-night." 
 
 " She is ; and some to whom she is not alto 
 gether a stranger, seem rather chary of acknow 
 ledging the acquaintance." 
 
 "Indeed! Why so ?" 
 
 " She's only the wife of a clerk." 
 
 " Who is her husband ?" was the prompt en 
 quiry of Mr. Ackland. 
 
 " A young man in every way worthy to call her 
 his wife."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 195 
 
 " May good fortune attend them. What is his 
 name ?" 
 
 " First, let me tell you a little incident about 
 bis 'wife. All my family think very highly of 
 her. They knew her before her marriage, and 
 have taken great interest in her since. My 
 daughter Lucy told me a day or two ago that she 
 wanted her to wear some of her jewelry to-night, 
 as she had none of her own fit for the occasion. 
 But this was declined, and on the ground that 
 her husband's income was too small to admit of 
 the purchase of costly ornaments, and she would 
 never, she said, mar his prospects by wearing 
 articles of dress that might lead to the inference 
 that he had an extravagant wife." 
 
 " Good ! I like that," said Ackland, warmly ; 
 " she's made of the right stuff. I thought her a 
 sensible woman. And her husband is he wor 
 thy of her?" 
 
 " He is," said Mr. Arden. 
 
 " And now for his name ?" 
 
 " Her husband is one of our clerks an old 
 friend, I believe, of Mr. Pinkerton's." 
 
 " A friend of Pinkerton's !" The brow of Ack-, 
 land slightly contracted.
 
 196 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Not like him by any means," was answered ; 
 " his name is Lofton." 
 
 " Ah ! Now I remember him. He used to 
 come to our store occasionally. What kind of a 
 young man is he ?" 
 
 " In what respect ?" 
 
 " Has he business capacity ?" 
 
 " Yes ; and of the best kind. He belongs to 
 the genus slow and sure." 
 
 " But, is he at the same time shrewd and in 
 telligent ?" 
 
 " I think so." 
 
 " What are his principles ?" 
 
 " Manly and honorable. I do not believe he 
 would swerve a hair's breadth from the straight 
 line of rectitude, under any temptation." 
 
 " What are his personal habits ? Is he at all 
 inclined to extravagance ?" 
 
 " He saved from his salary sufficient to buy 
 plain furniture for the small house in which he 
 lives ; and now strictly limits his expenses to 
 a range below his income." 
 
 ^ - " Excellent ! Excellent ! I'd like to have ano- 
 >her talk with you about him one of these days," 
 said Mr. Ackland, as the near approach of some
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 197 
 
 of the company warned them to change the 
 theme of conversation, which was rather foreign 
 to the occasion. 
 
 Nothing, beyond what has been briefly record 
 ed, occurred during this evening, that could in 
 any way interest the reader. So much only has 
 been noted as forms a link in the chain of circum 
 stances it is our business to separate from com 
 mon events. Perhaps, of all who made up the 
 company, Lofton and his wife gained most of 
 wisdom and mental strength from the social con 
 tact. They were introduced into a new circle, 
 and looked down into the heart of society from a 
 new elevation. Poor and humble though they 
 were, and scarcely noticed by the proud or 
 thoughtless ones with whom they had mingled a 
 few brief hours, the experience did not crush, dis 
 pirit, or mortify them. A virtuous self-respect 
 lay at the foundation of their characters. 
 Thoughtful, observant, and discriminating, they 
 comprehended clearly their own social relations ; 
 and was the value of the privilege so kindly ex 
 tended by Mr. and Mrs. Arden. 
 
 Not the less pleasant, or home-like, seemed-^ 
 their small and poorly furnished dwelling, on re 
 turning from the elegant drawing-rooms of Mr.
 
 198 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Arden. The contrast brought no uncomfortable 
 feelings ; but, so far as each was influenced by 
 worldly ambition, a hopeful spirit was based on 
 that self-dependent purpose which is expressed in 
 the words" work and wait."
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 IT was the morning after the party at Mr. Ar- 
 den's. Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton were standing 
 in one of their parlors, and the latter was speak 
 ing in a very animated tone of voice. Mr. Pink 
 erton, who was dressed to go out, was drawing, 
 on his gloves. 
 
 " It's a mean, shabby-looking affair," said Mrs. 
 Pinkerton, with indignant warmth, " and spoils 
 the effect of every other piece of furniture in the 
 rooms. I never noticed it so particularly until I 
 saw the Arden's sofa, last evening." 
 
 " Theirs is, certainly, very beautiful," replied 
 the husband. 
 
 "Oh, it's elegant! Such rich carving; and 
 then the style is so new."
 
 200 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " It couldn't have cost less than a hundred and 
 fifty dollars," said Pinkerton. 
 
 " I don't know, I'm sure. But, I'll tell you 
 what I do know." 
 
 " Well ?" 
 
 " A piece of furniture like that is Cheap at al 
 most any price." 
 
 How so?" 
 
 " It furnishes of itself." 
 
 " Ah ?" 
 
 " Yes it gives an air of elegance to every 
 thing in a room." 
 
 " There's something in that," remarked the 
 young man, falling in with his wife's humor, 
 and seeing the matter very much in the light she 
 wished him to view it. 
 
 " I want just such a sofa," was the next decla 
 ration. 
 
 " You do !" There was real or affected sur 
 prise in the voice of Pinkerton. 
 
 " Yes, I do," was the firm answer. 
 
 " Suppose I were to say that I could not afford 
 it?" 
 
 " Well, suppose you were ?" 
 
 " I want you to answer the question, Flora."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 201 
 
 " Can't afford it ! That is a very convenient 
 excuse among gentlemen, when they don't wish 
 to gratify their wives. I've heard it at home ever 
 since I can remember, and am free to say that I 
 perceive little force in the objection. So, don't 
 think to fall back on that pretence with me." 
 
 This was said half-lightly, yet with sufficient 
 seriousness to make it apparent that the young 
 wife was fully in earnest. 
 
 " Then, as I understand it," said Pinkerton, 
 good-naturedly, " you are bent on having a new 
 sofa ?" 
 
 " no I'm bent on no such thing, unless you 
 are entirely willing, Mark. I think we ought to 
 replace this old-fashioned affair, that really dis 
 graces our parlors, with something respectable. 
 I wonder that we ever could have selected so 
 mean a pattern. "What did it cost ?" 
 
 " Seventy dollars," replied the husband. 
 
 " Good enough for the price, I suppose ; but 
 it is a poor affair alongside of Mrs. Acden's." 
 
 " Who made theirs ?" 
 
 " Hiss & Austin so Lucy Arden told me." 
 
 " Well, suppose you go there and order one of 
 the same pattern." 
 
 " If you think you can afford it," said Mrs.
 
 202 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Pinkerton, making a faint show of prudence. "I 
 wouldn't like to do any thing that might be 
 deemed extravagant." 
 
 " I ought to be able to afford the additional 
 expense of one hundred and fifty dollars," replied 
 her husband, a little proudly. " The lum is not 
 so very heavy. yes go and order the sofa. I 
 agree with you, that the one we now have dis 
 graces the parlor. The sooner it is banished to 
 the dining-room, or to one of the chambers, the 
 better." 
 
 Mr. Pinkerton went to his store, and, during 
 the morning, his wife called at Hiss & Austin's, 
 and ordered a new sofa, precisely like Mrs. Ar- 
 den's. 
 
 On the same day, Mr. Ackland called at the 
 store in which Archibald Lofton was employed as 
 clerk, and held with Mr. Arden a long conversa 
 tion. At its close, Mr. Arden sent for Lofton, 
 and formally introduced him to Ackland. 
 
 " What are your views in regard to the future ?" 
 was enquired of Lofton, after a few general re 
 marks on both sides. 
 
 "In what respect ?" asked the young man. 
 
 " Touching business. Have you any settled 
 plans ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 203 
 
 " None sufficiently definite to be of any value," 
 said Lofton. 
 
 " Do you expect to go into business for your 
 self?" enquired Ackland. 
 
 " I certainly look to that in the future." 
 
 " Do you feel confidence in your present ability 
 to conduct a business ?" 
 
 "We are all apt to have a good opinion of our 
 selves," replied Lofton, smiling. " Too good an 
 opinion, often. I am not over-modest, I believe, 
 in this respect." 
 
 " Confidence in our own ability," remarked 
 Mr. Arden, " is an element of success." 
 
 " And a very essential element," said Mr. Ack 
 land. 
 
 " True ; but unless that confidence is well 
 based, it is rather a dangerous quality. It has, 
 perhaps, led to as many business disasters as any 
 other cause." 
 
 " Always excepting one, Mr. Lofton," said 
 Ackland, with some feeling. 
 
 " What is that ?" 
 
 " Extravagant personal expenditure." 
 
 " You may be right there. This living beyond 
 the present means is a serious defect," said Lof 
 ton. " It is one, however, into which I believe
 
 201 SPARING TO SPEXD. 
 
 I will never fall. I began life, resolved to spend 
 less than rny income, no matter how small that 
 might be. Thus far, I have kept to my good re 
 solution, and do not think I can be tempted to 
 abandon it in the future." 
 
 " I am glad to hear you speak thus, Mr. Lof 
 ton. Indeed, I had already gathered as much 
 from Mr. Arden." Then, after a slight pause, 
 Ackland continued 
 
 " You are aware that a recent dissolution of 
 co-partnership took place between myself and Mr. 
 Pinkerton. 
 
 Lofton bowed, and the other went on 
 
 " Of the causes which led to this dissolution, I 
 need not speak. Enough, for the present, that I 
 wished it to take place. I am now out of busi 
 ness, yet desirous of beginning again. I have a 
 capital of over fifteen thousand dollars to invest, 
 and this, you know, will give liberal credit facili 
 ties. In a word, I have been led to believe that 
 you possess the qualities and qualifications I seek 
 in a business partner. Are you open to a propo 
 sition ?" 
 
 " I am," was the unhesitating answer. 
 
 " Very well. So far we understand each other. 
 At an early day I should like to have an inter-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 205 
 
 view, for the purpose of talking this matter over 
 a little more particularly. When and where 
 shall we meet ?" 
 
 " I am at leisure every evening," said Lofton. 
 
 " Where do you live ?" 
 
 The number of his house was given by Lofton. 
 
 "Will you be at home to-night?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Very well. If agreeable, I will call around 
 about eight o'clock." 
 
 " I shall be very happy to see you," replied 
 Lofton.. 
 
 " And, by the way," said Mr. Ackland, speak 
 ing with animation, " I had the pleasure of half- 
 an-hour's conversation with Mrs. Lofton last 
 evening, at Mr. Arden's. Give her my compli 
 ments, if you please, and say that I trust soon to 
 have a better acquaintance." 
 
 "You will find us living in a humble way," 
 remarked Lofton, touched for an instant with a 
 slight feeling of mortification, as there came to 
 his mind a vivid contrast between the elegant 
 residence of Mr. Arden, at which Mr. Ackland 
 had met his wife, and his own poor abode. The 
 feeling, however, was but momentary. It passed 
 away, as Mr. Ackland said
 
 206 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " I should hardly expect to find you in a palace 
 if, as you say, you are living at a range of expen 
 diture below your income. One thing, however, 
 1 do expect to find a cheerful, happy home." 
 
 " That chiefest of all earthly blessings I do 
 possess," was the proud, yet feeling answer. 
 
 The interview here closed. Lofton returned to 
 his duties in the store, and Mr. Ackland retired, 
 much pleased with the individual to whom he had 
 proposed a business connection. 
 
 Never had the hours seemed to pass so slowly 
 to our young friend as they did from the time 
 Ackland left the store, until the period arrived 
 when he could return home and tell Ellen of his 
 promised good fortune. He did not break the 
 matter to her suddenly, but she saw, from his 
 manner, that something unusual was on his mind. 
 While at the tea-table, he remarked, after sit 
 ting silent for some moments 
 
 " I said a few evenings ago, Ellen, that this 
 was a strange world, did I not ?" 
 
 Yes and I have wondered many times since 
 at the state of mind you then were in. You did 
 not seem like yourself. The demon of distrust 
 had entered your heart."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 207 
 
 "It is a strange world, Ellen," said the young 
 man, fixing his eyes intently on her face, while a 
 new light shone in his countenance. " What if I 
 were to tell you that Mr. Ackland is going to call 
 here this evening." 
 
 " Mr. Ackland ! Are you in earnest, Archie ?" 
 Mrs. Lofton did look surprised. 
 
 " I am, dear. He is coming to see me this 
 very evening, and to talk about business." 
 
 " "What about business, Archie ?" A sudden 
 undefined hope was flushing the young wife's 
 face and making humid her eyes. 
 
 " About commencing business again with your 
 husband as his partner." 
 
 " Oh, Archie ! Are you really in earnest ?" 
 exclaimed Mrs. Lofton, clasping her hands to 
 gether. 
 
 " Indeed, I am, dear Ellen. He came to our 
 store to-day, and had a long talk with Mr. Ar- 
 den. Then I was called into the counting-room 
 and introduced to him ; and then, after a gqod deal 
 of talk, he said that he was in search of a busi 
 ness partner, and wished to know if I was open 
 for a proposition. I said that I was. He wanted 
 an early interview on the subject ; and finally
 
 208 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 said that, if agreeable, he would call iu to see me 
 this evening." 
 
 " Oh, Archie ! I am so glad, for your sake !" 
 Tears were already glistening on the cheeks of 
 Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 "And I'll tell you something more that he 
 said." 
 
 What was it ?" 
 
 " He sent his compliments to you." 
 
 " To me !" 
 
 "Yes. He said " I had the pleasure of half- 
 an-hour's conversation with Mrs. Lofton last 
 evening at Mr. Arden's. Give her my compli 
 ments, and say that I hope soon for a better ac 
 quaintance." 
 
 " Now, Archie ! Did he indeed say that ?" 
 
 " His very words." 
 
 " I hardly know what to think," said Mrs. 
 Lofton, after the first surprise occasioned by the 
 announcement had passed away. " This is so 
 much better fortune than I had looked for, that 
 my mind is half bewildered. You are sure that 
 he was altogether in earnest." 
 
 " Oh, certainly. This is not a matter in which 
 a man like him would trifle or commit himself
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 20'J 
 
 without due reflection. Eemember, that what tie 
 said to me was after an interview with Mr. 
 Arden and spoken in his presence." 
 
 " Yes yes I see. Well I am so glad for your 
 sake, Archie." 
 
 " And I am glad more for your sake than 
 my own ; so we are even in that respect. But 
 isn't it singular? He was in good business 
 with Pinkerton, yet retired therefrom, taking 
 with him lis capital, and now comes seeking a 
 business connexion with me. I can scarcely un 
 derstand it." 
 
 " It is no mystery to me," said Mrs. Lofton, 
 proudly. " He was afraid of Pinkerton, but knows 
 that in my excellent husband he can repose entire 
 confidence." 
 
 Thus they talked together, and hopefully 
 awaited the arrival of Mr. Ackland. How sud 
 denly they had turned a sharp angle of the high 
 mountain which towered above their lowly path 
 way ; and now they had a broader vision now 
 they could see the way rising gradually before 
 them ; now hope in the future was basing itself on 
 a reliable foundation. They had waited patiently 
 and in humble self-denial for a time like this ; yet
 
 210 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 its advent was a surprise, and thankfully and 
 gratefully they acknowledged the coming good 
 fortune.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 " OH, Ellen !" exclaimed Lucy Arden, as she 
 came bounding in upon Mrs. Lofton on the next 
 morning, her face all a-glow, and her bright eyes 
 dancing with pleasure " I've got the nicest bit of 
 news to tell you ! What do you think ?" 
 
 " I think you've lost one of your ear-rings,' 
 said Mrs. Lofton, smiling. 
 
 Lucy clapped her hands to her ears. 
 
 " I declare." A moment she paused thought 
 fully. " Now I remember ! I only put one of 
 them in, I was in such eager haste to get off to 
 see you. Ah, but Ellen, I've got some news that 
 will make that dear little heart of yours leap again. 
 Do you know that your husband is going intc 
 business with' Mr. Ackland ?"
 
 212 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " I ought to know something about it." replied 
 Mrs. Lofton, with, to Lucy, provoking calmness. 
 " He was here last night." 
 
 " Indeed ! Oh ! then mine is only 'Piper's news,' 
 though I almost broke my neck, I was in such 
 haste to bring it." 
 
 " What you say, Lucy, is none the less welcome 
 to my ears," replied Mrs. Lofton tenderly, " and 
 it brings me a double pleasure. It not only con 
 firms the promise of last evening : but your earnest 
 and loving interest in my welfare touches my heart 
 with a feeling which I have no words to express. 
 Lucy, you and yours have been fast friends to 
 me from the beginning. I can never forget it 
 never." 
 
 " And so Mr. Ackland was to see you last eve 
 ning ?" said Lucy, regaining her slightly disturbed 
 equanimity. 
 
 " Yes. He called to see Archie, and sat and 
 talked for two hours." 
 
 " And it's all arranged, I suppose, that your 
 husband is to go into business with him." 
 
 U I can't exactly say that, Lucy. An arrange 
 ment such as is proposed requires deliberation on 
 both sides. Many preliminaries were talked over, 
 and they are to have another interview in a day
 
 {TAKING TO SPENT. 21" 
 
 or two. Every thing now looks favorable, cer 
 tainly." 
 
 " It will all rest with your husband, I am sure," 
 said Lucy. " He has only to say the word. Pa 
 told us that Mr. Ackland was perfectly satisfied, 
 and ready to offer most tempting inducements. 
 And now Ellen, dear, I've got one piece of news 
 for you, that will be news. Do you know that 
 your husband is indebted to you for this good 
 fortune?" 
 
 " To me !" Well might the young wife look 
 surprised. " To me, Lucy? You are in sport." 
 
 " Indeed, then, and I am not, my dear. It's 
 true, every word of it. You remember the jew 
 elry I wanted you to wear ?" 
 
 Yes." 
 
 " And the reason you gave for not accepting 
 my offer ?" 
 
 " yes." 
 
 " You are right, Ellen : and I am so glad that 
 your prudence and good sense were good against 
 the temptation I laid in your way. I told Pa 
 all about it, and he was so delighted. You don't 
 know what complimentary things he said of you ! 
 Well, you see, Mr. Ackland was mightily pleased 
 with you at the pnrty, and enquired of Pa who
 
 214 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 you were ; and then Pa told him all about the 
 jewelry affair. This hit Mr. Ackland's fancy. 
 He asked a great many questions about your 
 husband, and said he would like to know him. 
 And so you see what has come out of apparently 
 the most unimportant thing in the world." 
 
 It was some time before Mrs. Lofton could 
 make any reply. A declaration so unexpected 
 quite overpowered her. 
 
 " And is this really all so, Lucy ?" she asked, 
 in a voice that it required her utmost effort to 
 keep steady. 
 
 " Every word of it, I declare !" was the earnest 
 ly spoken reply. " Oh ! I am so glad ! I couldn't 
 rest until I ran over to tell you all about it. Who 
 could have believed that so much hung on an 
 unimportant trifle like this? "We'll soon have 
 you out of this poor little place, Ellen. There's 
 a better time a-coming." 
 
 " Not so soon, perhaps, as you imagine," said 
 Mrs. Lofton, smiling. 
 
 " And why not, pray ?" asked Lucy. 
 
 " For the same reason that kept me from wear 
 ing jewelry that I could not afford to buy," an 
 swered Mrs. Lofton. " We shall remain here, 
 depend upon it, Lucy, for a good while after my
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 2lD 
 
 husband goes into business with Mr. Ackland, 
 should the now-anticipated change take place. 
 All our household arrangements will be quite as 
 comfortable then, as now. I will never, as I have 
 said before, mar my husband's prospects in life 
 by extravagant living. Business will only be an 
 experiment, and we shall await results, before 
 going up higher. It is much easier to remain in 
 an humble position, than be forced back into it 
 again, after having enjoyed a better style of 
 living, and the comforts and luxuries attendant 
 thereon." 
 
 " But you will not be forced back, Ellen : Mr. 
 Ackland has capital, and the new business will 
 be sure to succeed." 
 
 " Not if its first profits are wasted in extrava 
 gant living." 
 
 " O dear ! you are the most provoking crea 
 ture," exclaimed Lucy Arden, good-humoredly. 
 " Extravagant living ! This is extravagant, 
 verily !" And she olanced around the plainly- 
 furnished room in which they were sitting, in 
 mock contempt. 
 
 " Everything we have is paid for, and that ia 
 something," answered Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 " Yes, it is something," was the emphatic re-
 
 216 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 ply of Lucy. " And a great deal, Ellen. Well, 
 T suppose you are right after all ; but I do want 
 to see you living in better style. There were 
 some people at our party who didn't treat you 
 just to my liking. They hold their heads won 
 derfully high ; but their personal worth is very 
 small. I want to see you take your place beside 
 nay, above them." 
 
 " A poor ambition that, Lucy. No no. I 
 wish to enter into no social rivalry ; nor would I, 
 were we worth hundreds of thousands. If my 
 husband is successful in business, our external 
 condition will gradually improve. And this im 
 provement will not be for the sake of gaining a 
 position, but because increased means will give 
 us the ability to secure more of the comforts and 
 elegancies of life. But this is looking ahead too 
 far. We have a long time to work and wait yet, 
 and we are prepared to do so, hopeful and pa 
 tiently. So, my kind, good friend, don't come 
 here, putting extravagant notions into my head. 
 See the harm you came near doing, when you 
 tried this before." 
 
 " What harm, pray ?" enquired Lucy. 
 
 " Have you so soon forgotten the bracelet and 
 string of pearls ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 217 
 
 " True enough ! And here I am, playing the 
 part of tempter again. I think I'd better not 
 come to see you any more. I'll be sure to lead 
 you into some mischief in the end." 
 
 " No fear of that, Lucy. I shall be proof 
 against all your enticements," was the quick an 
 swer of the prudect young \vifo. 
 
 ID
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 ISN'T it beautiful ?" said Mrs. Pinkerton, as she 
 drew her husband into the parlor to look at the 
 new sofa, which had been sent home during the 
 morning. 
 
 " A very elegant piece of furniture indeed," 
 was answered. 
 
 " If anything, it is handsomer than Mrs. Ar- 
 den's. See how exquisitely the carving is done." 
 
 Mr. Pinkerton looked at the sofa admired it 
 sat upon it talked about it. But in one thing 
 he was disappointed. It did not improve the ap 
 pearance of the other articles of furniture in the 
 room, as he had weakly nattered himself would 
 be the case. Perhaps, he would never have 
 imagined such an effect, if Mrs. Pinkerton had not
 
 , SPARING TO SPEND. 219 
 
 urged it as a reason why the sofa should be pur 
 chased. Pier-tables and chairs, looked, in hig 
 eyes, sadly out of countenance, ^ut he said 
 nothing on that head. Flora would make the 
 discovery, he doubted not, in her own good time. 
 And she did make it. Ere the thought had passed 
 from him, she said, going up to the pier-table, 
 and laying her hand upon it, " This has rather a 
 dingy look." 
 
 Minutely was it now examined. The result 
 proved far from satisfactory. Flora shook her 
 head, and remarked in rather a dissatisfied tone 
 of voice 
 
 " It never was a very creditable piece of work. 
 The fact is, good cabinet furniture is not to be 
 procured except at a good price. Just look at 
 the difference between this and the sofa." 
 
 A careful inspection of the two articles of fur 
 niture showed a vast superiority in favor of the 
 sofa. 
 
 "I could hardly have believed it," said Pin- 
 kerton. 
 
 " Nor I," said his wife. 
 
 Then there was a pause, followed by a still 
 further observation of the difference that existed
 
 220 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 between the two articles of furniture. Pinker- 
 ton shook his head, and his wife looked grave. 
 
 " The table is quite sharaed by the sofa ; isn't 
 it ?" remarked the latter. 
 
 " It certainly is," replied the former, 
 
 " I never liked the white marble slab. Black 
 is so much richer," said Flora. 
 
 " Do you think so ?" There was a slight de 
 gree of coldness in the manner of " Pinkerton. 
 He saw what was coming and he was not fully 
 prepared for it. 
 
 " Oh, a great deal richer !" was replied. "Mrs. 
 Arden's pier and centre tables were all of black 
 Italian marble, and polished to a degree that 
 makes their surface like mirrors. Didn't you 
 notice them ?" 
 
 I did not." 
 
 " I wish you had. They are exquisite. Ours 
 are no comparison to them." 
 
 And so the conversation progressed, ending, as 
 Pinkerton saw, from the first, that it must end. 
 
 During the day, another visit was made by 
 Mrs. Pinkerton to the cabinet warerooms of Hiss 
 & Austin, and the object of her visit was fully 
 accomplished. A pair of pier tables were order 
 ed to take the place of the single one their taste
 
 SPARING; TO SPEND. 
 
 had condemned these cost one hundred dollars 
 each. Strongly was she tempted to purchase an 
 elegant centre-table, the price of which was se 
 venty-five dollars. She deemed it most politic, 
 however, to consult her husband. Chairs at 
 seven, eight and nine dollars each, were examin 
 ed, and mentally contrasted with the very plain 
 mahogany ones that graced her parlors, much to 
 
 
 
 the discredit of the latter at least in the estima 
 tion of Mrs. Pinkerton. 
 
 The introduction of the' pier-tables was like 
 pouring rays of strong light upon every other ar 
 ticle of furniture the parlors contained. Not the 
 slightest blemish or defect but what was now dis 
 tinctly visible, as well to the eyes -of the ambi 
 tious husband as his wife. 
 
 " Flora," said the former, after having admired 
 the tables for some time " these chairs will never 
 do." And he took one of them in his hand, ex 
 amined it for a moment, and then pushed it from 
 him, with a slight expression of contempt. 
 
 " I wish you could see a set of chairs that I 
 was looking at yesterday." 
 
 11 Where ?" he enquired. 
 
 "At Hiss & Austin's." 
 
 " Were they handsome ?"
 
 222 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " You would think so." 
 
 What do they ask for them ?" 
 
 " Eight dollars a-piece." 
 
 Pinkerton shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " It's a high price, I know. But, indeed, they 
 are beautiful. They would make these rooms 
 look charming." 
 
 " Would it require a dozen ?" 
 
 " Oh no," quickly replied Mrs. .Pinkerton. 
 " Eight is a number altogether sufficient." 
 
 " Eight. Eight times eight are sixty-four. 
 Not ruinous, certainly," said Mr. Pinkerton, 
 speaking half to himself. 
 
 " And just to think of the appearance," sug 
 gested his fair lady. " Oh, but wouldn't the effect 
 of everything be just perfect? Sofa, pier-tables 
 and chairs, all in the same style, and handsome 
 enough for a palace ! You'll let me order them, 
 won't you, dear ?" 
 
 " If you think you must have them, I suppose 
 I can only say yes," was the husband's weak re 
 ply, made with some rather uncomfortable images 
 before his mind. Experience made him but too 
 distinctly conscious that it did not take a very 
 long time for the period of six months to be ac 
 complished; and all these indulgences or, rather
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 223 
 
 Bay, extravagances would have to be paid for at 
 the expiration of that time. 
 
 Another visit to the cabinet-makers was prompt 
 ly made. It did not take much urging on the 
 part of these gentlemen to induce Mrs. Pinkerton 
 to order a dozen chairs instead of eight. So the 
 cost was ninety-six dollars instead of sixty-four. 
 
 No one will be surprised to hear that the neat 
 Brussels carpet, which many of the friends of Mrs. 
 Pinkerton had over and over again admired, be 
 came suddenly quite changed in appearance. The 
 lady's first impression was, that being a poor ar-. 
 tide, it must have faded ; and she said so to her 
 husband. He examined it, and thought her in 
 error; and yet he admitted, that from some cause, 
 its beauty had diminished. Next the material 
 was closely scanned, which .resulted in the dis 
 covery that it was coarse. Gradually from this 
 time, the favorite lost its position. Other carpets 
 were looked at comparisons were made and, 
 finally, it was unanimously voted that the old 
 friend was a very common-place affair, altogether 
 out of style, and not fit company for the newly 
 arrived denizens of the parlor. Naturally enough, 
 in the course of events, a new carpet took the 
 place of the old one ; all that Pinkerton was re-
 
 224 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 quired to do in the matter, being simply to sign 
 his name to a note of two hundred dollars, payable 
 six months after date. Very considerately, his 
 wife took fell the trouble of purchase, and such 
 matters, upon herself. 
 
 Still, the parlor arrangements were not perfect. 
 There was a want of harmony somewhere. Nei 
 ther Mr. nor Mrs. Pinkerton were satisfied with 
 the effect produced. The mirrors were not on 
 ly too small, but plain, when compared with 
 chairs, sofa, pier-tables and carpet. This dis 
 covery was in due time made : and it explained 
 the want of harmony. So another council was 
 called, and the handsome mantel -glasses voted 
 out as unworthy. Their places were supplied by 
 a pair of mirrors, " cheap at two hundred and forty 
 dollars," for which another note was given by Mr. 
 Mark Pinkerton. 
 
 Yet for all these changes, made at so heavy a 
 cost for all this yielding to the demands of taste 
 and love of display the wife of our young mer 
 chant was less satisfied with the style of her home- 
 surroundings than before the purchase of their 
 new sofa. Not yet were the parlors arrayed to 
 her satisfaction. Incongruities still existed, the 
 most prominent of which were the window dra-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 225 
 
 peries. These were of red damask moreen, and 
 the cost, for four windows, had been a hundred 
 dollars. The quality was good, and to any eye, 
 not obscured as Mrs. Pinkerton's was now ob 
 scured, really handsome. But some of her fashion-* 
 able friends rejoiced in the possession of satin da 
 mask curtains; and they were so much richer 
 and more elegant, in her estimation, than mo 
 reen, that all pleasure in her parlor drapery was 
 gone. 
 
 Nothing now would do but satin damask cur 
 tains. A little while her husband resisted this 
 new encroachment on his purse or rather on 
 his credit then yielded with as good a grace as 
 possible, consoling himself with the reflection that 
 the new firnvwas doing already a heavy business, 
 and that he could, therefore, well afford to pay 
 three hundred and fifty dollars for a set of satin 
 damask window curtains. 
 
 "Was this the end ? Not by any means. Al 
 ready the new sofa had cost over thirteen hundred 
 dollars ; and there was no telling where the outlay 
 began in its purchase would stop. At last, the 
 parlors of Mrs. Pinkerton were attired in a 
 style that nearly met her approbation. A few 
 things were lacking, it is true. She coveted some
 
 226 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 choice paintings, a piece or two of statuary and 
 such like matters, and finally became quite un 
 happy, because one of her friends received, as a 
 birth day present, a costly French time-piece, to 
 grace one of her pier-tables, while Mr. Pinkerton, 
 to whom she hinted the fact that a like remem 
 brancer would be particularly grateful, replied a 
 little pettishly, and it must be owned, rather 
 roughly, that she was like the horse-leech's daugh 
 ter, for ever crying to him " give give." 
 
 Instantly Mrs. Pinkerton was drowned in tears. 
 The cruel man had well nigh broken her heart. 
 "What now was to be done ? A wife in tears can 
 overcome any man whose heart is not like iron or 
 stone. Mr. Pinkerton apologized asked to be 
 forgiven his hasty words said he meant nothing 
 that he was merely jesting, and all that. But 
 it was of no use. He had unsealed the fountain 
 of tears, and vainly tried to check its flow. With 
 rather a heavy heart he left bis dwelling on the 
 morning when this distressing incident occurred, 
 leaving a tear-drowned face behind him. Slowly 
 he moved along on his way to the store, musing, 
 with his eyes upon the pavement. Now he blamed 
 himself for having spoken so unguardedly, and
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 227 
 
 now he was out of patience with his wife for her 
 unreasonable extravagance. 
 
 But what was to be done? That was now 
 the difficult question. Cloud and storm were in 
 his dwelling how were they to be removed ? Pin- 
 kerton lifted his eyes from the pavement just as 
 this mental enquiry was made, with more than 
 wonted earnestness. How opportune ! He was 
 just opposite the store of Mr. Gelston, and there, 
 in the window, stood a beautiful French clock. 
 Resistance was useless. Here was the remedy ; 
 and if he would cure the disease, it must be ap 
 plied. The conviction was not to be resisted. 
 So, without waiting for an obtrusive doubt, he 
 entered the store, bought the clock, and had it 
 sent home. 
 
 When, a few hours afterwards, he entered the 
 dwelling, it was full of sunshine
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ELEGANTLY furnished were the parlors of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Pinkerton, and quite up to the taste of 
 our ambitious lady and gentleman. But it is not 
 in the human mind to be satisfied with its 
 achievements. Conquest or possession is quickly 
 followed by new. aspirations or new desires. It 
 was not enough that daily they could admire the 
 beautiful effect of the costly articles with which 
 their rooms were adorned not enough that an 
 occasional visitor approved or commended. Their 
 vanity required more highly seasoned aliments. 
 They must give a party. 
 
 In justice to Pinkerton, it should be said, that 
 the idea of a party did not originate with him. 
 Too actively were his thoughts engaged in busi-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 229 
 
 ness, to leave room for suggestions of this kind. 
 When the thing was first proposed by his fash 
 ionable wife, he felt altogether disinclined thereto, 
 and from prudential reasons, which experience had 
 already taught him it would be useless to set 
 forth. He had not quite forgotten the causes 
 which led to a dissolution of his first copartner 
 ship, nor the mortifying position in which he had 
 been placed. Not once, but many times during 
 the progress of those domestic changes by which 
 his drawing rooms were made to assume an air 
 of elegance somewhat in advance of his real 
 ability to procure, troublesome doubts had in 
 vaded his mind. He felt that he was venturing a 
 little way on dangerous ground ; but it availed not 
 that he was inclined to take counsel of Prudence 
 another's ears were deaf to all her suggestions 
 and arguments. 
 
 <c It will be a great deal of trouble, Flora," he 
 said, coldly, when the party was first mentioned. 
 
 " I shall not regard it as such," the young wife 
 quickly answered. " In fact, it will be a pleasant 
 excitement. But, even if I were to feel it as a 
 trouble, the obligation to reciprocate social fes 
 tivities would be none the less binding. Eemem- 
 ber, that we have attended a number of parties, 

 
 230 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 and unless we give one in return, we must not 
 expect to hold our place in society." 
 
 There was power in that last argument for a 
 man like Pinkerton, who did not yet feel altoge 
 ther assured of his newly acquired social posi 
 tion. His feeble opposition was soon abandoned, 
 and then the current of thought and feeling flow 
 ed pleasantly in a new direction. 
 
 Who were to be the guests ? This was the 
 next important question. 
 
 In her marriage, Mrs. Pinkerton had lost caste 
 with a few families, certain members of which, 
 for the sake of Mr. and Mrs. Allen, had kept up 
 a kind of off-and-on acquaintance with her, now 
 and then leaving a card, or passing a few formal 
 compliments at accidental meetings. Deeply had 
 the pride of Mrs. Pinkerton been wounded by 
 this, and she had looked forward with an intense 
 desire for the time to arrive when it would be in 
 her power to show these persons that they had 
 committed a mistake. The activity of this desire 
 grew stronger as her drawing-rooms gradually 
 put off their modest, but genteel adornments, and 
 became arrayed in a style of greater elegance. 
 And now, in the matter of a party, it exercised a 
 leadinsr influence.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 231 
 
 "Who were to be the guests ? It was no diffi 
 cult matter to make the general and unimportant 
 selections. But the upper and lower extremes 
 were not so easily defined. Certain persons would 
 give an eclat to the affair, if their presence could 
 be secured. These Mrs. Pinkerton undertook to 
 manage by a series of calls, in making which she 
 was particularly careful to speak with great fa 
 miliarity of well-known ladies prominent in so 
 ciety, as if she were on terms of close intimacy 
 with them. As it was known that her family 
 moved in the same circles with these persons, the 
 ruse took in certain quarters, as Mrs. Pinkerton 
 clearly saw. So her mind rested from its anxiety 
 as to the presence of those who were to give 
 character to her party. 
 
 During the conference on this subject, which 
 took place between Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton, the 
 former said : 
 
 " I wish to invite Mr. and Mrs. Lofton." 
 
 " Don't think of it," was the prompt and firmly 
 littered reply of Mrs. Pinkerton. 
 
 " Why not ?" asked the husband. 
 
 M Because we don't want such people for our 
 acquaintances. And, moreover, we have invited
 
 232 BPAHING TO SPEND. 
 
 those who would regard their presence as an af 
 front." 
 
 This rather touched Pinkerton, who answered 
 a little sharply : 
 
 " Archibald Lofton is quite as good as any on 
 your list." 
 
 "I -don't know anything about that, Mark," 
 said Mrs. Pinkerton. " All I know is, that he is 
 a clerk, and that his wife is, or was, a dress 
 maker. Now, gentlemen and ladies don't expect 
 to have clerks and seamstresses intruded upon 
 them at fashionable parties. It would be looked 
 upon as an insult." 
 
 " They were both present, you will remember, 
 at Mr. Arden's," was replied to this. 
 
 " O yes, I remember that very well, and I re 
 member something else that occurred on the oc 
 casion." 
 
 " What ?" 
 
 " Mrs. G , on hearing who they were, said, 
 
 in my presence, that she considered it an outrage, 
 and that if it wasn't for certain business rela 
 tions between her husband and Mr. Arden, she 
 would promptly withdraw from the company." 
 
 " Her husband is largely indebted to Mr. Arden 
 for borrowed money. That I heard only a week
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 233 
 
 ago," said Mr. Pinkerton. " But, let me inform 
 you that you are slightly in error in regard to 
 Mr. Lofton. He is no longer a clerk. It is now 
 some weeks since he entered into business under 
 very advantageous auspices." 
 
 " With whom ?" 
 
 There was a slight hesitation on the part of 
 Pinkerton before he replied. 
 
 " With Mr. Ackland." 
 
 " Not your former partner !" 
 
 " The same. And now, Flora, I cannot for the 
 life of me see why his position, socially, is not 
 just as good as mine." 
 
 " Oh, as to him," replied Mrs. Pinkerton, " if 
 he were unmarried, there would be no difficulty. 
 But he has chosen to unite himself in marriage 
 with a low, vulgar woman, and that settles the 
 question. They cannot be invited, Mark ; and 
 so I beg you say no more about it." 
 
 " Not a low, vulgar woman, Flora," said Mr. 
 Pinkerton. " In that estimation you are in error." 
 
 " Don't, Mark, pray, dwell upon this any longer. 
 You may invite Mr. Lofton, if you are so inclined ; 
 but, as for Mrs. Lofton, I do not intend to asso 
 ciate with her, and therefore, shall not invite her 
 to my house."
 
 234 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Oh, well, if you foreclose the matter in that 
 way, it must end," said Pinkerton, in a dissatis 
 fied tone of voice. " There may come a time, 
 however, when both you and I will see cause to 
 regret the present decision." 
 
 Pinkerton spoke from a sudden intruding per 
 ception. 
 
 " I'll take the risk," was the lady's prompt an 
 swer ; and there the subject was dropped. 
 
 In due time the party came off. It was no 
 half-way affair, so far as the costliness of the en 
 tertainment was concerned, though certain draw 
 backs marred seriously the pleasure of the Pinker- 
 tons. Nearly all of those who were expected to 
 give character to the entertainment, unfortunately 
 or conveniently, had other engagements, and cool 
 ly sent in their " regrets ;" while all who were of 
 no account whatever, and some who were invited 
 out of mere compliment, came up, to the man and 
 woman, and ate, drank, and made themselves 
 merry at the expense of our foolish young 
 friends. 
 
 Among the guests was Ackland, the partner of 
 Mr. Lofton. He had attended, less from inclina 
 tion, than from a desire to see the style in which 
 Pinkerton was now living, and the kind of enter-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 235 
 
 tainment he would give. The evening was draw 
 ing near to a close, and he stood, soon after leaving 
 the luxurious supper-tables, talking with the 
 partner of Pinkerton, when a person who did 
 not know Mr. Lee approached them and said, 
 with a half-concealed sneer, 
 
 " Our young friend drives a pretty fast team." 
 
 Ackland made no response. He could not as 
 sent to the remark, although it accorded with 
 his own view ; nor did he feel disposed in the 
 least to apologize for the seeming extravagance 
 of their entertainer. 
 
 " There's plenty of go-ahead about him," re 
 plied Mr. Lee, smiling, and in a tone that showed 
 him not to be in the least uneasy in regard to the 
 fast driving of his partner. 
 
 " He's bound to break an axle, or dash down a 
 precipice," said the other, lightly. 
 
 " You think so ?" responded Lee. 
 
 "I do ; and I'm not alone in my thoughts." 
 
 " While I," said Lee, " regard him as a safe 
 driver, because he knows the road." 
 
 " Are you sure of that ?" was the quick, doubt 
 ful interrogation. 
 
 " Very sure." 
 
 " I only hope he may be," said the other.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " But for my part, I shouldn't like to be in the 
 same vehicle with him." 
 
 With this remark the stranger to Mr. Lee 
 moved across the room, and the two gentlemen 
 were alone again. 
 
 " Who is that ?" enquired the latter. 
 
 " Don't you know him ?" asked Ackland, 
 slightly evincing surprise. 
 
 "I do not." 
 
 " That is Thomas, of the house of Jacobs, 
 Thomas & Ward." 
 
 " Is it indeed ! I know Mr. Jacobs very well, 
 but never met Thomas before. He is said to be 
 a very shrewd business man." 
 
 " That is his reputation." 
 
 " I am surprised that he should speak so of 
 Mr. Pinkerton. He probably has some pique 
 against him." 
 
 " I do not know, I am sure. The firm of which 
 he is a member has the reputation of being one 
 of the most cautious, as well as one of the strong 
 est in the city." 
 
 " They cannot understand a man of a liberal, 
 enterprising spirit," said Mr. Lee, " and see 
 danger in every step not taken in the beaten 
 track."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 237 
 
 To this Mr. Ackland made no answer. After 
 a slight pause, Mr. Lee said : 
 
 " Are you of the same opinion" with Mr. 
 Thomas ?" 
 
 It was some moments before Ackland said : 
 
 " It isn't good for a young house to have an 
 impression, like- that just given by Mr. Thomas, 
 entertained in regard to a prominent, active 
 partner." 
 
 " Why ?'" 
 
 " Such things may affect, injuriously, the credit 
 of a house." 
 
 " There may be something in that," said Lee, 
 into whose mind a new light seemed all at once 
 to break. " And yet," he added, " such impres 
 sions may be altogether erroneous, as they are 
 in the present case Enterprise and activity are 
 now the order of the day, and new men, if they 
 expect to succeed, must be on he alert. Old 
 firms that have an established reputation, and a 
 large range of customers, may keep on their 
 steady course, and at the old movement, but new 
 houses cannot hope for success, unless they drive, 
 as Mr. Thomas has been pleased to say, a pretty 
 fast team." 
 
 " Let those who are willing to take the risks,
 
 238 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 do so," replied Ackland. " I am one of a class 
 that still believes in slow and sure." 
 
 "Your new partner, from all I have heard of 
 him, must be a man after your own heart," said 
 Lee, in a tone not altogether pleasant to the ears 
 of Mr. Ackland. 
 
 " I like him so far," was the quiet answer. 
 And here the two men separated. 
 
 Lightly as Mr. Lee had treated the remark of 
 Mr. Thomas, it made a lodgment in his mind, and 
 remained there, with two or three other remarks 
 heard during the evening, to be conned over. 
 Through these, he was first made aware that a 
 pretty general impression existed in regard to 
 Pinkerton, that he was an extravagant young 
 man, and ever disposed to live beyond his means. 
 Try as Mr. Lee would, to banish all this from his 
 mind, he was not successful. An impression 
 unfavorable to his partner had been made, and 
 nothing could now remove it. The result was a 
 determination on his part to give more direct 
 thought to the general movement of the business 
 in which they were engaged ; to apply, where his 
 own judgment approved, checks and balances, and 
 to look more narrowly into the personal move 
 ments and expenses of Pinkerton.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 239 
 
 Wisely enough was this determined, but Mr. 
 Lee was of too confiding a disposition was too 
 easily influenced by specious words and fair re 
 presentations to act, in the case, with the 
 decision that marked the course of Ackland. 
 Moreover, he was not a very strong-minded man. 
 In regard to business, he saw things much clearer 
 in the light of other men's intelligence than in the 
 light of his own. Close and comprehensive 
 views he did not possess, nor had be a mind that 
 was accurate in detail. "When his partner laid 
 before him plans for business, and traced out 
 results, he saw all as clear as a sunbeam ; but he 
 could not do this for himself. He therefore rested 
 almost entirely on Pinkerton. To disturb his 
 confidence, was rather a serious matter, for it 
 gave him a sense of insecurity that was far from 
 being agreeable. It wakened in his mind a 
 fruitless conflict. 
 
 Very far were Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton from 
 deriving the pleasure they had anticipated from 
 their party. The well-bred portion of their com 
 pany, who really admired the elegance of their 
 drawing-rooms, made no remarks thereon ; while 
 a few of the envious and ill-bred managed to let 
 some things reach their ears that were by no
 
 240 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 means flattering. Particularly had they been 
 disappointed and chagrined by the number of 
 " regrets" that came in from certain quarters. 
 In fact, but few of those for whom the entertain 
 ment was really designed honored them with 
 their presence. The meaning of this was but 
 too well understood by Mrs. Pinkerton, whose 
 mortification was extreme. 
 
 Quite as unpleasant to Mr. Pinkerton was the 
 necessity, a few days afterwards to draw a check 
 of three hundred dollars to meet the bills for 
 wines, confectionery, attendance, etc., that were 
 promptly handed in, and which, somewhat to his 
 regret, first came under the eyes of his partner, 
 who had conned them over with certain thoughts 
 in his mind that were kept to himself. 
 
 So much for the Pinkerton's first grand party. 
 The cost of their new sofa was increasing rapid 
 ly. It stood them, now, " in the sum " of nearly 
 two thousand dollars. But this was only the be 
 ginning.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 INSTEAD of humiliating Mrs. Pinkerton, the 
 failure of her party she regarded it as a failure, 
 because the end in view was not gained only 
 stimulated her ambition. One disparaging re 
 mark, which had reached her ears from an ill-bred 
 guest, was in reference to her chamber furniture, 
 which did not contrast very favorably with that 
 in the parlors. To have this all right, was her 
 next care. A feeble opposition was made by her 
 husband, but it was soon withdrawn. Cabinet 
 makers and upholsterers were again in requisi 
 tion. In their hands, a most striking change 
 was soon produced, as the reader may imagine, 
 when told that their joint bill was five hundred 
 dollars, 'for which Mr. Pinkerton could do no less 
 11
 
 242 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 than give bis note. The note-giving was an 
 eas^ mode of settling these little affairs for the 
 time being. Unfortunately, however, the " days 
 after date" passed away with singular fleetness; 
 and Pinkerton did not feel altogether comfortable 
 when compelled to draw the large sums needed to 
 meet his many personal obligations. 
 
 In order to justify this liberal expenditure, our 
 young friend made it a point to exaggerate, when 
 talking about business and profits to his partner, 
 and the latter weekly suffered himself to be mis 
 led by the specious declarations. In this way 
 Pinkerton not only misled, to a considerable ex 
 tent, the pliant and complying Mr. Lee, but ac 
 tually wrought in his own mind a kind of self- 
 deception. He really believed the firm to be 
 making two dollars profit, where they were not 
 realizing over one. Still, they were doing a 
 large and profitable business; were in the high 
 road to fortune. The danger of their position 
 lay in their want of mercantile prudence. 
 
 Further, to make his own relation to the busi 
 ness less annoying and open to objection from 
 his partner, Pinkerton urged Mr. Lee to adopt a 
 more expensive arid fashionable style of living, 
 as not only justified by their income, but really
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 243 
 
 due to their position. For a time Mr. Lee resisted 
 this temptation, but yielded at last ; and Pinker- 
 ton had the satisfaction of seeing the debit side of 
 bis partner's account accumulating figures in a 
 ratio approximating to his own. 
 
 It can hardly be supposed that the pride and 
 social ambition of Mrs. Pinkerton was going to 
 rest satisfied with the simple re-furnishing of her 
 parlors and chambers ; the more especially, as she 
 understood that her husband's business was ra 
 pidly on the increase, and that the annual profits 
 were very large. In due time, she discovered 
 that the dwelling they occupied was small in 
 comparison with the residences of certain fash 
 ionable acquaintances. From that moment the 
 charm of everything around her was gone. The 
 elegant sofa ah, that sofa ! for how many 
 changes was it not responsible ! the pier and 
 centre-tables ; the handsome chairs, lounges, ot 
 tomans, etc. ; how crowded they all looked in 
 those small rooms ; and how, before this not ob 
 served, did they cover the rich carpet, and hiofe 
 its gorgeous figures ! 
 
 Mrs. Pinkerton really wondered within her 
 self that she had not made this discovery before 
 wondered that she could ever have regarded her
 
 244 SPAR TNG TO SPEND. 
 
 drawing-rooms as in good taste. The fact that 
 certain families failed to honor, with their pre 
 sence, her imposing entertainment, did not now 
 so much surprise her. She had imagined 
 herself surrounded with all that was elegant and 
 imposing, while they saw nothing but what was 
 meagre, common, or contracted. 
 
 From that period, the social ambition of Mrs. 
 Pinkerton plumed its wings for a higher flight. 
 But she had by this time, become sufficiently 
 well-acquainted with her husband's character 
 sufficiently aware of his weakness to know 
 how most easily to bend him to her wishes. She 
 now sought to excite in him the desire that burn 
 ed in her own mind. He was naturally extrava 
 gant, and fond of making an appearance. More 
 over, neither her relatives, nor the class to which 
 they belonged, had ever treated him with cor 
 diality had ever more than tolerated him for the 
 sake of his wife. Often had this stung him to 
 the quick : and many, many times had he looked 
 impatiently into the future for the approaching 
 day, when ample wealth could give him the power 
 of retaliation. 
 
 All this Mrs. Pinkerton understood; and she 
 taw, clearly, its value as a means to her own
 
 "SPAIUNG TO SPEND. 245 
 
 ends. Adroitly she began, by casual contrasts 
 between the size of their dwelling, and that of 
 certain persons against whom ill-will or preju 
 dice existed in the mind of her husband. Then 
 she would repeat a remark made by this or that 
 one, in which something disparaging to their 
 style of living was but half-concealed. And so 
 she went on, observing closely the effect, and 
 varying, from time to time, her mode of attack. 
 She saw from the beginning, that her end would 
 be accomplished. 
 
 The work was not done in a week, nor in a 
 month. A year elapsed ere the mind of Pinker- 
 ton was prepared for a change ere all comeli 
 ness vanished from the dwelling he had once 
 thought so commodious and beautiful. He had 
 said that he would not move, until he moved into 
 his own house; and this promise to himself he 
 still wished to keep. Yet, was he not quite pre 
 pared to build. The business of the firm had 
 grown rapidly, and the ratio of profits had been 
 very heavy. But, even his desire to make a 
 show was not strong enough to silence the voice 
 of prudence. 
 
 " Had we not better defer any change for an- 
 other year ?" he said to his wife, after the ques-
 
 246 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 tion of removal had come fairly up for discussion. 
 "As I have often said, whenever I leave this 
 house, I wish to go into my own ; and it's out of 
 the question to think of building yet. Next 
 year, if business goes on prosperously, I hope to 
 find myself in altogether another position." 
 
 " You know best about that," replied Mrs. 
 Pinkerton, soberly, and with a look of disap 
 pointment. 
 
 " It is impossible to build this year," said the 
 husband. 
 
 " As for building, why not defer it for several 
 years ? I shall be entirely satisfied with a rented 
 house, so that it is genteel and commodious. 
 Don't you see, Mark, that we are fast losing our 
 position? we must make a change, and that 
 speedily, or some of our most desirable acquaint 
 ances will be lost. It was only yesterday that 
 
 Mrs. G turned her head away, in passing 
 
 here, that she might not have to recognize me at 
 the window. And you know that we failed to 
 
 receive invitations to Mrs. B 's last week. 
 
 It is easy enough to comprehend all this. We 
 are judged by our style of living." 
 
 " This moving into a larger house, Flora, will
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 247 
 
 involve the heavy expense of refurnishing, re 
 member." 
 
 "0 no ; not by any means," quickly replied 
 Mrs. Pinkerton. " The furniture is good enough. 
 It is the smallness of our rooms that destroys 
 the beauty of everything." 
 
 " The same carpets will not answer for larger 
 parlors." 
 
 " The carpets are just as good as new, and 
 handsome enough for any one. The addition of 
 a few yards is all that will be needed." Thus, 
 promptly was this objection met; and so were 
 all others urged by Mr. Pinkerton. 
 
 Three or four months elapsed before a house 
 just to their mind presented itself; then they re 
 moved into Charles street. The new rent was 
 six hundred dollars a year. " About the cost of 
 removal ?" we hear asked " What of the car 
 pets ? Was the addition of a few yards all they 
 needed to make them suitable for the new draw 
 ing-rooms ?" Not by any means. The new 
 drawing-rooms were at least three yards longer 
 than the old ones, and over a yard wider. To 
 manage the width was altogether a simple matter. 
 But, the other defect was only to be met by 
 piecing the handsome carpets across the breadths 

 
 243 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 in both rooms. This could not be done without 
 sewing the seam ; and the expedient was 
 scarcely more than thought of than abandoned. 
 So new carpets had to be purchased for the new 
 parlors. 
 
 It very soon became apparent to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Pinkerton, that their removal into a larger house 
 was not to be effected at a trifling cost. The in 
 creased dimensions of everything rendered arti 
 cles, almost innumerable, either entirely useless, 
 or requiring more or less expense to give them 
 a just adaptation to the new positions in which 
 they were required to do service. As for the 
 drawing-room furniture late in so crowded a 
 condition all now looked meagre. Sofas, chairs, 
 tables, etc., were at " magnificent distances" from 
 each other. Harmony and just relation were 
 only obtained by an outlay of several hundred 
 dollars for additional articles. The whole re 
 moval cost very little short of twelve hundred 
 dollars. The various particulars we need not 
 give. Any reader who has seen a little of fash 
 ionable life, and who knows anything of the emu 
 lation that exists among fashionable people in re 
 gard to furniture, can readily imagine the case 
 with which the sum mentioned could be ex 
 pended-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 249 
 
 " But what of the Loftons all this time ?" ia 
 asked. Plodding on in the old way. " Still in 
 the little house, the street door of which opens 
 into the parlor ?" Still there, kind reader, and 
 as cheerful and happy as when you looked in' 
 upon them some eighteen months ago. " Lofton 
 is in -business with Mr. Ackland ?" yes ; and 
 an active, energetic, intelligent business man he 
 has made. The new firm* is getting along brave 
 ly. Not in the dashing style that marked the 
 brief business career of Pinkerton & Acklaud, 
 but with a safe and surely progressive move 
 ment. 
 
 In the beginning it was arranged between the 
 two partners that each should draw out, annually, 
 for the two first years, fifteen hundred dollars 
 per annum. Of this sum, Lofton had saved over 
 a thousand dollars, which, added to former de 
 posits in the Savings Fund, gave him the hand 
 some sum of nearly thirteen hundred dollars. 
 
 On the evening of the very day on which 
 Pinkerton commenced moving into his new house, 
 Mr. Ackland, who frequently went home with 
 Lofton after business was over, and joined the 
 family at tea, noticed, in passing, that his old 
 partner was leaving the very desirable residence
 
 250 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 in which he had been living, and that a bill was 
 up, giving notice that the house was to rent. He 
 said nothing, but the incident set him to think 
 ing ; and the result of his thoughts will be seen. 
 Mr. Ackland was a single man ; and the present 
 prospect of his remaining single was quite flatter 
 ing. The genial home sphere at Lofton's had 
 always been very pleasant to him, as was evinced 
 by the many social evenings that were spent 
 with these new friends, to whom he grew more 
 and more attached the better he knew them. 
 
 On this occasion, as they sat around the tea- 
 table, Ackland said, after a pause in the cheerful 
 conversation : 
 
 " I noticed, as we came along, that Pinkerton 
 was moving." 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Lofton, " he is going into 
 one of those large, new houses in Charles street." 
 
 " What do you think of my taking the pleasant 
 house he is leaving ?" said Ackland, 
 
 " You !" exclaimed Mr. and Mrs. Lofton at 
 once, in no feigned surprise. 
 
 " Yes, me," was the quiet, smiling answer. 
 
 " You are about to get married ?" 
 
 " no ! No hope of that yet," was tha still 
 smiling response.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 251 
 
 " What then ? you are certainly not going to 
 keep bachelor's hall ?" 
 
 " O dear no ! But let me tell you what I have 
 been thinking about for the last half-hour ; I'm in 
 earnest. How much money have you, Lofton ?" 
 
 " Nearly thirteen hundred dollars." 
 
 " So I thought. Well, it's about ^me you 
 moved from here. I've been thinking of this for 
 some months past. Our position in trade requires 
 that you, as one of the partners, should assume a 
 rather more imposing style of housekeeping. 
 This looks as if we were not doing a profitable 
 business ; and I don't care to have such ail im 
 pression abroad. Now, I've got a proposition to 
 make. If you'll spend your thirteen hundred 
 dollars in furnishing the house that Pinkerton is 
 leaving, and which I suppose, is not good 
 enough for him, I'll pay the rent of it for a room 
 and my boarding. Now, what do you say to 
 that ? Remember that our profits are good, and 
 increasing, and that you can draw two thousand 
 a year, if needed, with the utmost propriety. The 
 only question then need be, as to whether you 
 can give me a corner in your pleasant home." 
 
 For a time neither Lofton nor his excellent 
 wife knew what to say. For such a proposition
 
 252 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 they were in no way prepared. But, thought 
 soon ran clear, and then the whole subject was 
 fully discussed. To Mr. Ackland they were 
 already strongly attached ; and that part of the 
 proposition which looked to his becoming an in 
 mate of their family, was altogether agreeable. 
 Ere the evening closed, the new arrangement, so 
 suddenly conceived and proposed, was decided 
 upon. 
 
 On the next day, Mr. Ackland secured the 
 house, and as soon as Pinkerton had completed 
 his removal, the re-furnishing commenced. In a 
 few weeks both families had fairly settled down 
 in their new homes. Both had taken a step 
 higher in the social world, and both looked to 
 increased enjoyment in consequence. But still, 
 under what different auspices, and with \yhat a 
 different promise for the future ! In one case the 
 foundations were carefully laid, and the super 
 structure above them reared with a strict regard 
 to the amount of pressure that was to be sus 
 tained; in the- other case, an elegant, imposing 
 edifice so captivated the eye and the thoughts, 
 that little attention was paid to the quality and 
 due arrangement of the stones beneath, upon 
 which the whole pressure must come. And there
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 253 
 
 was a time not very far distant, when each super 
 structure would be severely tested. 
 
 Another important difference between the two 
 families may be noted. The additional comforts 
 and elegancies of the one were procured without 
 the serious drawback of debt. " Spare to spend," 
 had been the Lofton's motto, and the present 
 result showed how wise they had been in a strict 
 adherence thereto. Every article that gave grace 
 and beauty to their new home was paid for ; and 
 no desire for elegance beyond their ability to 
 secure, dimmed the light of their pleasant home. 
 In the case of the Pinkertons, the change had 
 burdened the future with new obligations ; for to 
 meet all the heavy cost to which their removal 
 had subjected them, they had no reserved fund, 
 and so large a cash draft from the business was 
 not to be thought of for a moment. Mingling, 
 therefore, with every feeling of gratified pride, 
 was a dim consciousness of trouble in the future; 
 a shadowy skeleton intruding itself at the feast 
 they had hoped to enjoy with the keenest appe 
 tite.
 
 CHAPTER XXJ I I. 
 
 THE " house warming " of the Pinkertons, 
 which took place after their removal into Charles 
 street, was honored by the attendance of quite a 
 number of the elite who had sent in " regrets" to 
 their previous entertainments. Their upward 
 movement was too marked to escape observation 
 and as Mra. Pinkerton belonged to a " good 
 family," nothing was compromised. Even Mr. 
 Allen, the father-in-law of our young merchant, 
 who had so long maintained towards him a dis 
 tance of manner approaching almost to hauteur, 
 began to unbend himself or, speaking more cor 
 rectly, to bend himself down to Pinkerton with 
 quite an agreeable familiarity. 
 
 The truth was, Mr. Allen's affairs were becom-
 
 SPARING TO srnxn. S.'M 
 
 ing rather embarrassed, notwithstanding his 
 ownership of a piece of property, " daily becom 
 ing more valuable," and on which Pinkerton had 
 looked, in the beginning, with a commercial eye. 
 Under these circumstances, a son-in-law reputed 
 rich, was not altogether an inconvenient append 
 age to the family. Up to this time, Mr. Allen's 
 visits to the house of his daughter had been for 
 mal, and, at times, remotely distant from each 
 other ; and they usually occurred when Mark was 
 at his store. Now, he called more frequently, 
 and always in the evening, or on Sundays, when 
 the husband of his daughter was at home. His 
 manner towards Pinkerton grew daily more free 
 and familiar; and a very good understanding was 
 soon established between them. To both parties 
 this was a more agreeable state of things. Pin 
 kerton was flattered ; and Mr. Allen felt that 
 much personal advantage would accrue to him 
 self. He was a shrewd, unscrupulous, worldly 
 man, yet with not sufficient of self-denial or busi 
 ness tact to manage his own affairs with becom 
 ing prudence. When we speak of him as a 
 shrewd man, we mean a shrewd observer, with 
 something of cunning in turning this quality to 
 bis own advantage. His profession enabled him
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 to profit largely by his mental and moral pecu 
 liarities : but his lack of " management" in his 
 personal affairs caused him to make a serious lee 
 way, and threatened sooner or later to drive him 
 among the breakers. Several recent occurrences 
 had opened his eyes somewhat widely to his real 
 condition, and this had no small influence in 
 changing wholly his manner towards his son-in- 
 law. 
 
 About six months after Pinkerton's removal 
 into Charles street, in a conversation held with a 
 real estate broker, reference from some cause, 
 was made to a certain " valuable peice of pro 
 perty" owned by Mr. Allen. 
 
 " It will be worth sixty thousand dollars in ten 
 years," said Pinkerton. 
 
 The broker smiled with a meaning smile. 
 
 " Don't you think so ?" asked the young man. 
 
 " Property is rising in that direction very fast," 
 said the broker; " but sixty thousand dollars is a 
 large sum for an acre of ground." 
 
 " An acre ! He owns ten acres." 
 
 The broker shook his head. 
 
 " He certainly does," persisted Pinkerton. " I 
 ought to know." 
 
 " I won't dispute that fact, my young friend ;
 
 RPARING TO SPEND. 257 
 
 Btill your knowledge happens to be defective 
 Mr. Allen owns but a single acre of the ground 
 referred to." 
 
 " He did own ten acres." 
 
 " Ah ! that is all so. He did own the whole 
 lot, but has been selling off portions thereof, from 
 time to time, during the last three or four years, 
 and now retains but a single acre." 
 
 "You are certain of this?" said Pinkerton, in 
 a voice that betrayed the unpleasant feelings pro 
 duced by the intelligence. 
 
 " Altogether certain : it is my business to be 
 posted up in these matters." 
 
 " Even an acre may become very valuable for 
 building lots. The city is rapidly growing in 
 that direction." 
 
 " All very true. But it will be many years 
 before an acre of ground there will make any 
 man's fortune. Such an event will not occur in 
 your life-time nor mine." 
 
 " Perhaps not. Well, no matter. So far as I 
 am concerned, it is a question of but small inte 
 rest." , % 
 
 And yet, in spite of his effort to seem indiffer 
 ent, the tone in which this was said betrayed
 
 253 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 the disappointed feeling occasioned by such un 
 expected intelligence. 
 
 About the time that this conversation took 
 place, a gentleman entered the office of Mr. Allen. 
 The lawyer was sitting at his desk, writing. 
 ^Lifting his eyes, he met the face of a stranger, in 
 whose countenance was an expression that pro 
 duced an instant sense of uneasiness. 
 
 " Mr. Thornhill," said the gentleman, with 
 cold formality. 
 
 The countenance of Mr. Allen flushed instant 
 ly ; but he arose and received his visitor with a 
 show of cordiality ; using such expressions as 
 " I'm happy to see you, sir very happy owe 
 you a thousand apologies for not answering your 
 last letters promptly. Glad you have come, how 
 ever all can be fully explained and arranged to 
 mutual satisfaction." 
 
 " Happy to hear you say so, Mr. Allen," re 
 plied Mr. Thornhill, but in a way which showed 
 very plainly that he looked upon the lawyer's 
 affirmations as only words. "I have come on 
 from New Orleans to get this business definitely 
 settled." <<* 
 
 " I am not so sure that all can be closed up, 
 said Mr. Allen. " There are several claims vet
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 unsettled. I have been pressing the suits vigor 
 ously, of late ; and one reason why your last let 
 ters were not answered, was the daily expecta- 
 tion I had of getting decisions in our favor. Yes 
 terday, the court ruled out several important 
 items of testimony, and the defendants got the 
 cases continued over to another term." 
 
 Mr. Allen did not add, that this defective tes 
 timony was a matter of understanding between 
 him and the defendants' counsel, in order to se 
 cure the postponement just mentioned. Oh no 
 that was one of his professional secrets. 
 
 " All very well so far as it goes," was the 
 firm answer of Mr. Thornhill to this. " But, 
 over six thousand dollars have been paid into 
 your hands, on account of Mr. Wilding's estate, 
 during the last two years, and not one dollar of 
 the money has his dependent, almost destitute 
 widow and children been able to get out of your 
 hands." 
 
 " It's all safely invested for their benefit. 
 All" 
 
 " Precious littl,benefit have they derived from 
 it !" said Mr. Thornmll, interrupting the lawyer. 
 His manner was impatient, and his tones slightly 
 sarcastic. " When I wrote to YOU to send on the
 
 260 SPARING TO SPEND. , 
 
 amount of funds in hand to the credit of tha 
 estate, why did you not do so promptly ?" 
 
 The manner of the Southerner was so impera 
 tive, and his look so fearless and indignant, that 
 Mr. Allen cowered before him in spite of his pro 
 fessional coolness. This, however, was only for 
 a few moments. -He soon regained his self-pos 
 session, and replied, with some dignity 
 
 " If you have come on business, Mr. Thornhill, 
 I am ready to meet you for its transaction ; but 
 if to insult me, I must beg the favor of your with 
 drawal." 
 
 For some .moments the two men gazed fixedly 
 at each other. 
 
 " Pardon my warmth of speech," said Mr. 
 Thornhill, at length, in a more temperate man 
 ner; " I have given way somewhat to hasty 
 feelings, for which I owe an apology. It is for 
 the transaction of business that I have come." 
 
 " Very well, sir. I am ready to give you every 
 information you may desire in regard to Mr. Wl- 
 ding's estate. I presume you have a power of 
 attorney, in due form, from thejipirs ?' 
 
 " I have." 
 
 " As just said, my efforts to bring certain suits
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 261 
 
 to a close have been foiled, and the cases contin 
 ued until the next term of Court." 
 
 " That I understand and, of course, we shall 
 have to await the issue. But over six thousand 
 dollars due to the estate have been collected." 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " This has been invested, you say ?" 
 
 "It has." 
 
 "In what?" 
 
 " In bank stock." 
 
 " Ah ! "Well, that simplifies the matter. We 
 will have this stock sold immediately." 
 
 " Mr. Allen moved uneasily in his chair, and 
 said something about the doubtful expediency of 
 throwing the stock into market. 
 
 " All a straight-forward business," promptly 
 responded Mr. Thornhill. "The stock is of 
 course, good." 
 
 " I believed it good when I made the purchase," 
 said Mr. Allen, with some slight embarrassment 
 in his manner. " It was, in fact, above par. I 
 paid a premium of ten per cent, on each share. 
 Most unexpectedly, it has since declined below 
 par." 
 
 " Humph ! On what bank ?" 
 
 The name was given. On hearing it, the
 
 262 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Southerner shrugged his shoulders ; knit his heavy 
 brows, and with his eyes cast upon the floor, sat 
 musing for some time. Looking up, at length, 
 he said, in a firm manner : 
 
 " You were particularly instructed, Mr. Allen, 
 to transmit the proceeds of this estate as fast as 
 realized ; but instead of doing so, you have used 
 it, as I am inclined to believe, in stock spe 
 culations. Very well, this being so, the loss, if 
 any occurs, must rest with yourself. I am here 
 for a settlement, and must have it. You can sell 
 the stock or raise the sum required to be paid 
 over, in any way that best suits your con 
 venience." 
 
 "Mr. Thornhill," replied the lawyer, in irre 
 pressible indignation, " if you expect to transact 
 business with me, you must assume another ^ 
 tone and style of language altogether. I am not 
 the man to be driven into any course of action. 
 So, if you expect to get a settlement on account 
 of Mrs. Wilding, you must meet me in a different 
 state of mind, and with altogether a different 
 address. Until you are prepared to do so, any 
 thing further between us will retard, not hasten 
 the business for which you have visited our city." 
 
 Mr. Thornhill at this, walked the floor hastily
 
 SrARtNG TO SPKND. 263 
 
 for some time with a scowling brow. He was per 
 fectly satisfied, in his own mind, that no invest 
 ment as an investment had been made of the 
 widow's money. That the lawyer had used it 
 for his own purposes, and unless some deci 
 sive measures were adopted, it was more than 
 doubtful whether any prompt settlement could be 
 obtained. As for the depreciated stock, he was 
 inclined to believe that statement on second 
 thought a subterfuge. Pausing, at length, and 
 fixing his keen black eyes upon Mr. Allen, he 
 said, with a forced calmness, that was the more 
 impressive because forced 
 
 " I feel strongly in this matter, Mr. Allen, be 
 cause I have seen something of the distress your 
 neglect to pay over to Mrs. Wilding the amount 
 due her, has occasioned. No special business of 
 my own has led me thus far Ngrth. Indignation 
 at your conduct in the matter, and sympathy for 
 a helpless widow, have conspired to bring me 
 here. We Southern men have hot blood, and 
 when our feelings are once aroused, we go to the 
 end of our purposes with a directness that spurns 
 all obstacles. I know little of professional 
 quirks, and understand not the merit of your 
 legal delays. I only know that you have about
 
 264 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 six thousand dollars of Mrs. "Wilding's money in 
 your hands, which I am authorized to receive ; 
 and I warn you now, that if it is not paid over 
 within forty-eight hours from this time, I will 
 post you on the street-corners. As for con 
 sequences, I am not the man to estimate them. 
 So please to consider me in earnest. Day after 
 to-morrow, I will call upon you for a settlement. 
 In the mean time, if you desire another interview, 
 you will find me at Barnum's. So good day tc 
 you." 
 
 And, formally bowing, the Hotspur from the 
 South retired, leaving Mr. Allen in a state of 
 profound indignation.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 PROFOUND, however, as was the indignation of 
 Mr. Allen, another, and to him, less agreeable 
 sensation, soon pervaded his mind. The threat 
 of Mr. Thornhill he felt to be no idle bravado. 
 There was that about the man which showed 
 him to be in earnest. He would hardly have 
 made the journey from New Orleans to Baltimore 
 for the settlement of this especial business, if he 
 had not felt strongly on the subject. It was all 
 true, that Mr. Allen had treated Mrs. Wilding 
 most unjustly, retaining thousands of dollars in 
 his hands, and using the money for his own pur 
 poses, while she, in extreme destitution, in a far- 
 off city, vainly appealed to him for a settlement 
 of her husband's estate. As for his story about 
 12
 
 266 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 depreciated stocks, that was all a subterfuge 
 The money had been used for his own purposes 
 almost as soon as it came into his hands, as had 
 been thousands of dollars besides ; belonging to 
 other interests and estates, and which the mys 
 tified claimants sought fruitlessly to obtain. 
 
 Some hints to this effect having reached Mr. 
 Thornhill, he had determined upon the course 
 adopted with Mr. Allen as the one most likely to 
 bring him at once to terms. And he was not in 
 error. The lawyer's shrewdness and cunning 
 were for once at fault. He was not so certain of 
 being able to parry blows from such new and for 
 midable weapons, and had well-grounded fears, 
 that if he gave the Southerner battle, he would 
 most likely receive some cruel thrusts in vulner 
 able places. But how was his demand to be 
 met ? How was he to raise immediately the large 
 sum of six thousand dollars ? It was but too 
 true, that only a single acre of his prospectively 
 valuable property, away on the confines of the 
 city remained in his possession, and that would 
 scarcely sell for as many hundreds as he needed 
 thousands. He owned the house he lived in, but 
 it was already mortgaged for nearly all it was 
 worth. There were in his hands a few thousand
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 267 
 
 
 
 dollars of trust-money, but under certain res 
 trictions that made it unavailing for his own pur 
 poses. 
 
 "What then was to be done ? How was the 
 sum due the estate of Mrs. "Wilding to be raised ? 
 In this dilemma, Mr. Allen thought of his son- 
 in-law; and a gleam of light flashed through his 
 mind. Pinkerton & Lee were doing a heavy 
 and profitable business. Their credit was un 
 doubted. The lawyer mused for some time ; then 
 taking up his pen, he dashed off a note to Mr. 
 Thornhill, asking whether his own obligation, 
 payable in six months, and endorsed by Pinker- 
 ton & Lee, would be accepted for the amount 
 due Mrs. Wilding, adding something about the 
 "ruinous sacrifice" at which the stock would have 
 to be sold, if thrown into market now. A prompt 
 affirmative was returned. 
 
 A sigh escaped the lips of Mr. Allen as he 
 read Mr. Thornhill's answer. It would be rather 
 humiliating to his pride to ask of his son-in-law 
 this endorsement his son-in-law, whom he had 
 once treated with such smarting insolence; and 
 towards whom he had never acted with even, 
 common civility, until money gave him a position 
 that extorted respect. But he had virtually
 
 263 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 offered the endorsement, and there was no retreat 
 now. 
 
 " My Dear Mark" this was the tenor of a 
 note which found its way into the hands of Mr. 
 Pinkerton, while he yet mused, with no very 
 pleasant feelings, over the information he had re 
 ceived from the real-estate broker touching his 
 father-in-law's valuable piece of property "My 
 dear Mark, if you can call around at my office 
 within an hour, do so, if you please. I wish to 
 see you for something very particular." 
 
 Such a note from Mr. Allen, at any time pre 
 vious to this, would have been a pleasant incident 
 to Mr. Pinkerton. He would have felt it as a 
 kind of triumph over the pride and prejudice of 
 his father-in-law. But the effect produced was 
 altogether different now. The missive came with 
 a dim shadow of approaching trouble. 
 
 " I wonder what he wants so particular with 
 me, all at once." This was the spirit in which 
 the note was received. 
 
 "Ah, Mr. Pinkerton ! Glad to see you. Thank 
 you for responding to my request so promptly," 
 said Mr. Allen, as Mark entered his office. 
 
 Never before had the proud, aristocratic man 
 bent himself down to the husband of hie daugh-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 269 
 
 ter, after the peculiar fashion in which it was 
 now done. Never had he been so cordial in his 
 speech so familiar in his manner. 
 
 "Can I do anything for you?" was the smiling, 
 yet partially embarrassed response of the young 
 man, who, in the slight confusion of his thoughts, 
 used the very form of speech he would rather 
 have avoided. 
 
 " Well, I think you can, my boy," said Mr. 
 Allen, with increasing familiarity of tone and 
 manner. " I find myself very unexpectedly 
 called upon to pay over a balance of six thou 
 sand dollars due an estate in New Orleans. Un 
 fortunately the money was invested for the bene 
 fit of the estate, so soon as received, in certain 
 bank stocks that have suffered a temporary de 
 preciation. These cannot now be sold, except at 
 a serious loss, which the heirs of the estate re 
 fuse to allow. I cannot afford to meet the loss. 
 In a few months the stock will be up to par 
 again when it can be sold. Now, the credit of 
 your house is so good, that the agent of the heirs 
 is perfectly willing to take my notes at six 
 months, with the endorsement of Pinkerton and 
 Lee, and close the matter without the serious 
 loss which I shall otherwise be compelled to sus-
 
 270 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 tain. What say you ? Can such a thing be 
 done ?" 
 
 " I presume so," was the rather cold reply of 
 Mr. Pinkerton. 
 
 " Ah ! you relieve my mind very much," 
 quickly spoke out Mr. Allen. " I made the re 
 quest with great reluctance ; and shall not soon 
 forget your kind and prompt response." 
 
 " It will always give me pleasure to serve you 
 to any extent in my power," said Pinkerton, 
 forcing himself into the expression of a cheerful 
 ness and cordiality which he did not feel. 
 
 "When the two men separated, it was with 
 very different feelings. The one was elated by 
 the prospect of an easy exit from a very serious 
 difficulty: while the other saw a precipitous 
 mountain suddenly stretching across his path, to 
 attempt to scale which would be fraught with 
 imminent danger. 
 
 " How shall I act in the matter ?" This was 
 now the question most earnestly debated by Pin 
 kerton. The endorsement had been promised, 
 and must be given. But was it to be given with 
 or without the cognizance of Mr. Lee ? The les 
 son received by Pinkerton, when in co-partner 
 ship with Ackland, had never been forgotten.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 271 
 
 Most careful had he been, in no instance, to use 
 the name of the present firm for his own pur 
 poses. Now he was in a sudden and altogether 
 unexpected strait. Had any one but Mr. Al 
 len made the request, it would have been prompt 
 ly rejected. In this case the promise to endorse 
 paper to the amount of six thousand dollars had 
 been made as just said, and must be kept. 
 
 All through the day, Pinkerton pondered the 
 matter through half the night he lay awake, 
 vainly seeking to arrive at some conclusion in 
 which his mind could rest satisfied. The longer 
 he dwelt on the subject, the more reluctant 
 was he to ask of Mr. Lee the privilege of making 
 the endorsements. The posssibility of a refusal 
 on the part of Mr. Lqe which would place him 
 in a still worse dilemma, was the consideration 
 that at last enabled his mind to reach a decision. 
 He determined to make the endorsements without 
 referring the matter to his partner and he did 
 so. As he wrote the name of the firm on the 
 backs of three notes, each for the sum of two 
 thousand dollars, there was a shadow on his 
 feelings, and a gloomy foreboding of coming evil 
 in his mind. 
 
 And, in truth, Mark Pinkerton had committed
 
 272 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 another great mistake. The temptation was 
 strong but the error involved none the less 
 danger. 
 
 Mr. Thornhill gained his object ; and Mr. Al 
 len escaped an exposure which the indignant 
 Southerner would certainly have made. 
 
 From that time, new dangers beset the way of 
 Pinkerton, new toils were gathering for his un 
 wary feet. The shrewd, unscrupulous man who 
 had stooped to him, was not the one to have so 
 pliant an instrument within his grasp, and not 
 use it for his own purposes. He had struggled 
 hard with pride, ere gaining his own consent to 
 ask the first favor. That barrier broken down, 
 all further scruples were at an end.
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 IT was late on a pleasant afternoon in summer 
 time, a few months after the Loftonshad removed 
 to their new and better home. Lucy Arden had 
 called in to spend an hour or two, her frequent 
 custom. Her attachment to Mrs. Lofton daily 
 grew stronger. More and more, as the real cha 
 racter of the latter developed in her new position, 
 its purity, strength, sweetness, and native dignity 
 became apparent, and she was quietly gathering 
 around her an appreciating few from the best 
 social circles in the city ; and these were drawing 
 her forth as opportunities occurred, from her 
 happy seclusion, so that she might be seen and 
 known and justly valued.
 
 274 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 The sentiment felt for Mrs. Lofton by Lucy 
 Arden, was that of the purest affection ; a day 
 spent with her always shone brightest in the 
 calendar. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon as we have said, 
 and Mrs. Lofton and Miss Arden sat engaged in 
 such earnest conversation that the rapid flight 
 of time was unnoticed. 
 
 " Bless me !" suddenly exclaimed Lucy. " Who 
 is that?" 
 
 The rattle of a latch-key was heard in the door, 
 and a moment after the voices and footsteps of 
 Mr. Lofton and his partner were heard in the 
 passage. 
 
 " I never dreamed it was so late !" said Lucy, 
 a gentle flush giving a new beauty to her counte 
 nance. " I must be away in a twinkling. " 
 
 " No no," interrupted Mrs. Lofton, laying her 
 hand upon the arm of Lucy. " You can't go now. 
 Stay and take tea with us." 
 
 " 0, dear, no ! Not this evening. I must run 
 away home. Ma is wondering now what is keep 
 ing me so late." 
 
 Lucy was rising with these words on her lips, 
 when Mr. Lofton and Mr. Ackland entered the 
 sitting-room.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 275 
 
 " Miss Arden !" exclaimed the former, coming 
 forward quickly and grasping her hand. " This 
 is really an unexpected pleasure." 
 
 Mr. Ackland met the young lady with less 
 freedom of speech and manner, but evidently with 
 no less of real gratification. Lucy's face showed 
 a still warmer hue as she took his offered hand, 
 and her eyes fell softly to the floor beneath the 
 gaze he fixed upon her 
 
 " I was saying to Ellen only yesterday," re 
 marked Mr. Lofton, " that I was fearful you were 
 offended with me." 
 
 " Offended with you, Mr. Lofton ! How could 
 you think so ?" returned the young lady. 
 
 " Do you imagine that I have forgotten the 
 pleasant time we used to have around the tea 
 table ? No no, Miss Arden. There's something 
 the matter. But, are you not offended with me? 
 Come, tell me. An 'honest confession' you know 
 the rest."- 
 
 " Why, how strangely you talk, Mr. Lofton. 
 Offended with you ! What cause of offence have 
 you given?" 
 
 "Just what I would like to know," said Lofton 
 pleasantly. "But, come, be seated again."
 
 270 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 "Thank you; I was just going as you came 
 in." 
 
 " Indeed, and you are not going at all until 
 after tea." 
 
 " O, but I must go," returned Lucy quickly. 
 " They will expect me at home." 
 
 " They know where you are. 
 
 Yes " 
 
 " All right, then. They know you are in good 
 hands, and will not be in the least uneasy at your 
 absence. So you must stay. We or at least I 
 have been so long deprived of your good com 
 pany, that I must claim the pleasure of it for at 
 least one evening." 
 
 To this, Mrs. Lofton and Mr. Ackland added 
 their persuasions, and Lucy, unable to escape, 
 consented to remain. In her heart, she was more 
 pleased at being so detained, than she would have 
 been, if suffered to depart. 
 
 It was a little remarkable that neither Lucy 
 Arden nor Mr. Ackland were so much at their 
 ease as usual. Both seemed under slight re 
 straint ; and yet both, it was evident, were pleased 
 to be near each other. Oftener than he was, per 
 haps, himself aware, the eyes of Mr. Ackland 
 sought the maiden's lovely countenance ; and each
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 277 
 
 time they rested thereon, every lineament of 
 beauty seemed heightened. 
 
 For the first time, both Mr. and Mrs. Lofton 
 became aware of the state of feeling existing be 
 tween Lucy and Mr. Ackland ; and they now un 
 derstood many things which had before seemed 
 to them a little strange. How were they affected 
 by the discovery ? We answer, pleasantly. None 
 knew better than they the high moral character 
 of the one, or the loveliness, purity, and^womanly 
 virtue of the other. None knew so well how ad 
 mirably they were suited for a happy union. 
 Never, in the least particular, had Mr. or Mrs . 
 Lofton sought to turn the thoughts of one upon 
 the other. That was a responsibility they could 
 not venture to take. But now, that a mutual in 
 terest became all at once apparent to their eyes, 
 the feeling of pleasure it awakened was intense. 
 
 Ackland, whose thoughts had for months been 
 gradually going forth towards Lucy Arden, had 
 never, before this occasion, been able to see deep 
 enough into the young lady's heart to find even a 
 dim reflection of his own image. The discovery 
 now made, that it was really there, was as the 
 breaking upon his life of a new morning. From 
 that time he became a regular visitor at the house
 
 278 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 of Mr. Arden, and by no means an unwelcome 
 one to any. Mr. Arden, the moment he saw 
 that between the young man and his daughter 
 existed a mutal interest, called upon Mr. Lofton, 
 stated to him the fact, and asked, in strict con 
 fidence, his honest opinion of his partner's charac 
 ter, and his views of his fitness to make one like 
 Lucy a wise and good husband. The answer 
 was prompt, and all that he could desire. 
 
 In this case, at least, the poet to the contrary 
 notwithstanding, the current of " true love did 
 run smooth." There was not a ripple in its flow 
 that did not reflect the joyous sunlight nor a 
 widening of its surface beneath the shadow of 
 overhanging trees, where hearts might not re 
 pose and dream of a happy future. We will not 
 trace its peaceful current. Enough for the reader 
 that the good time came when heart leaped to 
 heart with a passionate thrill, as the soft hand of 
 the bride was laid in that of the bridegroom, and 
 the voice of the minister floated on the air above 
 the hushed assembly, in the impressive injunc 
 tion " What God hath joined together, let not 
 man put asunder."
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 PASS we now over a period of six years, with 
 but brief mention of intervening occurrences. The 
 reader will not be much surprised to hear that 
 on the maturity of the notes given to Mr. Thorn- 
 hill, the father-in-law of Pinkerton was unable 
 to lift them, and that, in order to save the credit 
 of the firm, and prevent the fact of his endorse 
 ment from becoming known to his partner, the 
 latter had to raise the means of payment. This 
 he did not find a very difficult matter, as he was 
 now Director in one new Bank, and in two 
 Savings Fund Associations, besides having an ac 
 quaintance with three or four shrewd money spe-
 
 280 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 culators, who were quietly involving him in their 
 toils, with a view to using him extensively in the 
 time to come. He had, therefore, only to take 
 Mr. Allen's notes for the sum needed, place 
 on them his own endorsement, and get a friend, 
 who would ask as much from him, to add his 
 name also, in order to procure all that was 
 needed. He had a " friend at court," in more 
 than one bank, or moneyed institution, who was 
 always ready to get through any papor that he 
 chose to offer, up to a certain amount ; a favor 
 that he was careful, when'Opportunity offered, to 
 reciprocate. 
 
 In these money speculations of his son-in-law, 
 Mr. Allen was quick to perceive the means of 
 serving, materially, his own ends. 
 
 The rage for banks and paper money had not 
 yet reached its height ; but a few, who saw how 
 readily this kind of machinery could be made to 
 serve individual interest, were securing as ex 
 tensive connexions as possible with organizations 
 based mainly upon credit and confidence. 
 Among those who early saw the advantages of 
 these connexions, was Mr. Allen ; and he did not 
 see it clearly until, from being unable to take 
 up his notes to Mr. Thornhill, he became aware
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 231 
 
 of some of the facilities for raising money out of 
 his business, possessed by his son-in-law. From 
 that moment, he did not rest until he procured, 
 through adroit management, his election to the 
 
 office of President of Savings Fund, an 
 
 institution professing to have in view only the 
 advantage of mechanics and working-men, yet in 
 the hands of a set of individuals who were 
 utterly unscrupulous as to the means they 
 employed to secure their own ends. 
 
 So much had Mr. Allen gained through Pink- 
 erton. But, from that time, he was to become the 
 leader and teacher.. He certainly had a more 
 suggestive and expansive mind than the latter 
 was bolder and less scrupulous understood 
 human nature better saw the modes by 
 which relations with moneyed men could be ex 
 tended, large facilities obtained, and immense 
 profits secured. Pinkerton was to become a tool 
 in his hands, and no very long time passed before 
 he was inextricably involved in transactions 
 mostly with stocks to a very large amount. 
 
 In the mean time, the house of Pinkerton & 
 Lee continued to do a large and increasing busi 
 ness, and to make heavy profits. The mental 
 activity of Pinkerton increased with the increas-
 
 282 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 ing demands upon his thought. His mind was 
 always on the alert, and quick in the dispatch of 
 everything that presented itself for consideration 
 Upon nearly all with whom he was brought into 
 . association, he made an impression favorable to 
 his business capacity ; and this not only because 
 he could talk shrewdly ~on business themes, but 
 because he was always confident, always san 
 guine, and business men, just at that time, had 
 faith in those who had faith in themselves. 
 
 It is in no way surprising, that the general 
 impression in regard to Pinkerton, should be 
 adopted by his partner, notwithstanding many 
 things in the business, and in the private move 
 ments and operations of the former, did not 
 accord with the unbiased views of Mr. Lee. 
 But, it was only necessary for him to question or 
 object, to be completely flooded with reasons in 
 favor of what Mr. Pinkerton was doing or wished 
 to do. And so he was carried along in the progres 
 sive movement, conscious most of the time that 
 he gave to it but a small impetus. 
 
 A year sufficed to make it clearly apparent, 
 both to Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton that their new 
 residence on Charles street was by no means to 
 be regarded as a model of imposing elegance.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 283 
 
 Daily it grew meaner in their eyes, until until Mrs. 
 Pinkerton almost blushed when certain of her 
 fashionable acquaintances called to see her. If 
 his ideas of a residence had not wonderfully ex 
 panded during this time, Pinkerton would now 
 have felt himself abundantly able to build. But 
 these ideas were very much enlarged. Five or 
 six thousand dollars, at the time of his removal 
 into Charles street, wouJd have built him a house 
 in every way equal to his desires ; but twice the 
 sum now would scarcely have proved sufficient. 
 So large an amount he could not command, and 
 so the building of a house had still to be de 
 ferred. Mrs. Pinkerton proposed another removal 
 but, to this her husband objected. The matter 
 was compromised by re-furnishing in a most 
 expensive manner. The cost of this, Mr. Pinker- 
 ton defrayed outside of the business, as he had 
 now various stock speculations on hand, and 
 was using his individual credit pretty freely, 
 and in rather a dangerous way. So far fortune 
 had been in his favor. His operations were 
 usually profitable a fact set down in his mind to 
 his own shrewdness ; and this made him bolder 
 and more confident. 
 
 And so things went on, expanding year after
 
 284 SPAKING TO SPEND. 
 
 year, the under-current of expense steadily in-, 
 creasing in velocity, until Mr. Pinkerton's ambi 
 tion, stimulated by that of his wife, would be 
 satisfied with nothing less than a residence of his 
 own. He was tired of living in houses paid for 
 by other people's money. Whatever was around 
 him, he wished to call his own. 
 
 During these five or six years of rapid progress, 
 quite a change in the fortunes of Mr. Allen had 
 occurred. That gentleman had discovered a 
 royal road to opulence, and he was moving along 
 with rapidly advancing feet. As the President of 
 the Savings' Fund, he had been brought in 
 to connexion with a class of men who found in him 
 the very qualities that could be used to mutual 
 advantage. The cue they gave him he was ready 
 to take. For a time he worked for them, and 
 served them primarily ; but they had dealt 
 cards to a skilful player, and one who would 
 never rest until he had the advantage in the 
 game. Primarily, in the end, he worked for 
 himself. The advantage once on his side, he 
 was careful to retain it afterwards. 
 
 The stock and money operations of Pinkerton, 
 outside of his business, and in connexion with
 
 SPARING TO SPEXD. 285 
 
 Mr. Allen, had increased to an enormous extent, 
 far beyond what Mr. Lee imagined, even remotely. 
 
 In these operations, the endorsement of the 
 firm was used freely and without the knowledge 
 or consent of Pinkerton's partner, who had not 
 the least suspicion of the extent to which he was 
 implicated. 
 
 Mr. Allen, as we have said, had discovered a 
 royal road to opulence. He was no longer depen 
 dent on professional fees, nor under the necessity 
 of appropriating the proceeds of estates that came 
 into his hands for his own private purposes. A 
 series of fortunate speculations had elevated him 
 far above this embarrassing position, and he 
 could now look the world in the face with as 
 confident an air as any. He did not hesitate to 
 call himself worth sixty or seventy thousand 
 dollars, nor to indulge the pleasing anticipation 
 of one day being the possessor of half a million 
 of money. This being the case, it was the most 
 natural thing in the world for Mr. Allen to get 
 the building fever from his son-in-law and 
 daughter. He must also have an elegant resi 
 dence of his own. The thought scarcely grew 
 active, before the purpose was confirmed. What 
 followed came naturally. Mr. Allen and his
 
 286 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 son-in-law would build side by side, in uniform 
 style, and at equal cost. Their houses were to 
 be somewhat imposing in appearance ostenta 
 tious pride demanded this. The outside estimate 
 of each was twenty thousand dollars this exclu 
 sive of the furnishing. In regard to the latter, the 
 ideas of both parties were yet vague ; but, in the 
 mind of Mrs. Pinkerton, certain fancies were in 
 play, that had a very decided French coloring.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI I . 
 
 LOTS were bought for the two dwellings, plans 
 and estimates obtained, and the work of erection 
 commenced. 
 
 Mr. Allen and Mr. Pinkerton were both pre 
 sent when the first stroke of the pickaxe was 
 made in the earth that was to give place for the 
 foundations of their elegant houses. Neither of 
 them, however, experienced the high degree of 
 satisfaction they had anticipated for, within a 
 week, certain cards they had played with a con 
 fidence made bold by repeated good fortune, 
 turned up unfavorably. Even small successes, 
 give to the mind a degree of confidence ; opposite 
 is the effect of reverses, however lightly they may 
 affect a man's prosperity. The losses sustained
 
 288 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 by Mr. Allen and his son-in-law were not of a 
 serious nature not sufficient in themselves to 
 damp the ardor of their building excitement. 
 But, they caused their minds to be infested with 
 doubts and questionings produced a sense of 
 insecurity a consciousness that the ground upon 
 which they had been standing with such an assu 
 rance of stability, was not so firm as they had 
 fondly imagined it to be. 
 
 Pinkerton had returned to his store, and was 
 absorbed in business, when a note came from Mr. 
 Allen, asking him to step round to his office im 
 mediately, as he had something of importance to 
 communicate. The request was at once obeyed. 
 
 " Bad news," said Mr. Allen, the moment his 
 son-in-law entered. 
 
 " What ?" eagerly enquired the young man. 
 
 " I have a letter from Mr. Eldridge." 
 
 " He has arrived out, then ?" 
 
 " Yes, and his report is discouraging enough." 
 
 " Are they not working the mine ?" 
 
 " No. The man we sent out to put up and 
 run the engine, went no further than Yera Cruz. 
 He had a good offer there, and broke his engage 
 ment with the company. After many delays the 
 engine was taken to the mines at an expense
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 289 
 
 j^ual to the original cost. The only machinist 
 who could be found willing to go there, was a 
 drunken fellow, who, after reaching the ground, 
 proved utterly incompetent for the work he 
 had engaged to do. He was over a month in 
 getting the engine in its place and in motion. 
 Then, to put the cap-sheaf to these drawbacks and 
 disasters, it was found that the pump would not 
 discharge per minute, over half the quantity of 
 water that was flowing into the mine from the 
 large vein which had so unfortunately been opened 
 by the miners in sinking a shaft." 
 
 " Most disastrous !" exclaimed Pinkerton. 
 
 u A result for which I was altogether unpre 
 pared," said Mr. Allen. " Just to think, that 
 one of the richest silver mines in Mexico should 
 be rendered useless by this failure. Not the least 
 doubt had I, that the miners were already among 
 the rich deposits, and that liberal shipments of 
 the precious ore were on their way to this country. 
 Yesterday I refused sixty dollars a share for two 
 hundred shares. When this intelligence is known, 
 they will not bring five dollars-." 
 
 ' ( Has Eldridge written to any one else ?" en 
 quired Pinkerton, with a meaning hi his tones 
 
 that was well understood, 
 13
 
 i90 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Of that I am in ignorance. As the secretary 
 of the company, all official correspondence comes 
 through me, but he has several friends here in 
 terested in the stock, and without doubt has 
 promptly communicated with them." 
 
 While he was yet speaking, a gentleman came 
 in somewhat hurriedly. Mr. Allen knew him to 
 be one of the individuals to whom he had just 
 made reference. 
 
 " Have you anything from the agent of the 
 Ixcotel mines ?" he enquired, affecting a careless 
 ness of tone which did not deceive his auditors. 
 
 "Nothing," was the cool reply of Mr. Allen. 
 
 " How is the stock selling now ?" 
 
 " I hold mine at sixty-one," said Mr. Allen. 
 
 " Will you buy at sixty ?" 
 
 ' Yes. How many shares have you ?" 
 
 " Forty." 
 
 " Very well ; I'll take them. Have the transfer 
 made in the course of the day. To-morrow I will 
 hand you a check for the amount." 
 
 " Would it not be convenient to-day ?" asked 
 the man. " I have some large payments to make." 
 
 " Not exactly convenient," replied Mr. Allen. 
 ' I have already checked out my balance. But
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 291 
 
 several notes will be paid in to my credit during 
 the day." 
 
 A memorandum of the transaction was made, 
 and the man departed. 
 
 'I don't understand that," said Piukerton, 
 looking at his father-in-law with a troubled as 
 pect. 
 
 " It is clear that he has received news from 
 Eldridge." 
 
 ." No doubt of it in the world," replied Pinker- 
 ton. 
 
 " It is also now clear that until to-morrow he 
 will keep his own secret." 
 
 " I see I see. We are safe until then, so far 
 as he is concerned." Pinkerton spoke with ani 
 mation. 
 
 " We must not be the owners of a share of the 
 stock at the going down of the sun to-day," said 
 Mr. Allen, resolutely. 
 
 " Not a share !" responded the young man. 
 
 " Whatever is done, Mark, must be done quick 
 ly. Not a moment is to be lost. And yet, the 
 utmost circumspection must be used. I had better 
 manage the whole business; for I am cooler than 
 you. Here, execute this power of attorney, au 
 thorizing me to sell your ' Ixcotel Silver Mine
 
 292 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 Stock :' and then go back to your store. "We must 
 not be seen together again to-day, or we may be 
 charged with collusion in the matter. "When the 
 truth is known, there will be a buzzing in the 
 hive ; but we must be secure from the stings. As 
 for our friend who has just left us, we can afford 
 to pay for his stock in the morning if we sell our 
 four hundred shares to-day. And then, the fact 
 that I bought on that date, will be a good offset 
 to the fact of selling on this, and will be regarded 
 as conclusive evidence that I was not in posses 
 sion of any disastrous intelligence." 
 
 "I see you can teach me in these matters," 
 said Pinkerton. " So I will leave all in your 
 hands." 
 
 The two men now parted. At five o'clock they 
 met again. 
 
 " What news ?" asked Pinkerton, earnestly. 
 
 " All right," was the cheerful response. " Every 
 share sold." 
 
 " Good !" Pinkerton clapped his hand to 
 gether joyfully. 
 
 " And what is better," added Mr. Allen, " I 
 have also sold the forty shares which I am to pay 
 for to-morrow, and have the note therefor in my 
 pocket."
 
 SPARING TO SPKNlJ. 293 
 
 " All safe ! How rny mind is relieved ! But 
 the danger was most imminent. These transac 
 tions are attended with fearful risks sometimes." 
 
 " So they are, Mark, and also with liberal gains. 
 Just look at the advantage in the present case. 
 We bought^t twenty dollars a share, and have 
 sold at sixij? a clear gain of sixteen thousand 
 dollars. I should like to see one of your mercan 
 tile operations pay like that." 
 
 Pinkerton shrugged his shoulders and looked 
 well-pleased at the " exhibit" of his father-in law. 
 
 On the next morning one of the papers con 
 tained this paragraph : 
 
 " We learn, from reliable authority, that the 
 steam-pump sent out to the silver-mine in Mexico 
 by the Ixcotel company has failed to answer the 
 proposed end." 
 
 Down went the stock from sixty to ten dollars 
 a share, the depression ruining two or three indi 
 viduals who had i-isked all they were worth in 
 the stock. Of the shares sold by Mr. Allen, one 
 hundred were purchased by a gentleman as an 
 investment for a widow under the assurance 
 that it would pay at least ten per cent, and in all 
 probability, twenty. It was her all ! 
 
 To screen himself from suspicion Mr. Allen
 
 294 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 pretended still to be the holder of a large number 
 of shares, and of course one of the losers. And 
 he did not escape entirely free of loss. One of the 
 purchasers of the very stock he threw into market, 
 who was ruined by the transaction, owed him 
 five thousand dollars, of which he never received 
 a copper. The final result, therefor^ was not so 
 pleasant as he had anticipated. 
 
 As for the Ixcotel mine, it has remained flooded 
 until this day ; and will probably so remain for 
 as long a time to come.
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE incident of the Ixcotel Mining Company 
 will give the reader some idea as to the kind of 
 operations in which Mr. Allen was engaged ; and 
 how he was a party in transactions that truly 
 honest men would not hesitate to stigmatize as 
 swindling. It will also be seen that both he and 
 his son-in-law, with all their unscrupulous shrewd 
 ness with all their reputation for wealth and 
 stability were treading on very dangerous 
 ground. In their own minds they had greatly 
 over-estimated their real wealth ; and in determin 
 ing to erect for themselves costly dwellings, had 
 committed a serious error. 
 
 Pinkerton, however, felt very safe in the mat 
 ter. So fortunate had been his stock and other
 
 290 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 speculations carried on in connexion with Mr. 
 Allen, that he felt himself perfectly able to spend 
 twenty thousand dollars on his house, and not 
 draw anything from bis business. And yet, his 
 purchase of ground was made on time; and his 
 first instalment to the builder, who was under 
 contract for the erection of his new house, was a 
 note at four months for two thousand dollars. 
 Money could be used to too great advantage in 
 stock speculations to be paid away for work or 
 building materials, when notes of hand could be 
 made to answer just as well. 
 
 Mr. Allen proceeded on the same plan ; and to 
 enable the builder to get his notes discounted 
 readily, he procured Mr. Pinkerton's endorse 
 ment; and in return, endorsed Mr. Pinkerton's 
 notes for a like purpose. In fact, their affairs were 
 BO involved, one within the other, that at times 
 they seemed to have but a common interest. 
 
 This giving of notes for material and workman 
 ship answered very well for a time. But, as the 
 buildings progressed rapidly, by the end of six 
 months our two gentlemen found the sums ne 
 cessary to be withdrawn from their somewhat 
 involved money operations, and laid down irre 
 coverably in bricks and mortar, rather inconve-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 297 
 
 nient to raise; and it almost invariably happened 
 that to procure these sums they were obliged to 
 sell off shares of stock in a depressed state of 
 the market. 
 
 Fancy stocks were then quite as plenty as now ; 
 and galvanized banks, situate in places remote 
 from the great money vortices, as favorite means 
 of swindling the public. Then, as now, gambling 
 transactions in this class of stocks, and with these 
 dead-and-alive banks, was a precarious business, 
 and the shrewdest and most far seeing were often 
 thrown suddenly to the wall. In the very midst 
 of their building operations, and at a time when 
 both Mr. Allen and Mr. Pinkerton began to feel 
 the drain in this direction to be a most exhausting 
 one, a certain bank, in the stock of which they 
 had each ten thousand dollars invested, and on 
 which the advance had been steady for some 
 weeks, suddenly closed its doors. Perfectly aware 
 had they been of the entire unsoundness of this 
 bank, and of the necessity of its early failure. 
 But they, with a few others, had put in circula 
 tion, false but specious reports touching its re 
 sources, in order to advance the stock. The 
 maximum rate to which they aimed to bring this 
 stock was nearly reached, and they were about
 
 298 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 selling at a handsome profit, when the inevitable 
 disaster came. It was only meet that they should 
 be joint sufferers with those they had been such 
 active agents in wronging. 
 
 It so happened, that in the case of both Mr. 
 Allen and Mr. Pinkerton, the stock was under 
 hypothecation for considerable loans, which were 
 about becoming due, and which the sale of the 
 stock was to liquidate. The immediate produc 
 tion of a large sum of money was, therefore, 
 rendered necessary. It would not do to show the 
 smallest degree of hesitation, or to seem in any 
 way embarrassed by the failure of the bank. 
 This would only weaken their credit, and render 
 their condition the more precarious. But to 
 maintain a good position to let all seem entirely 
 fair to the public sacrifices of a most serious 
 character had to be made. 
 
 Had the question of building now been an open 
 one, the decision would have been instant, and 
 in the negative. But, every thing was in ac 
 tive progress, and must be carried through. To 
 suspend operations would be to create suspicion 
 that all might not be as well with them as the 
 public had imagined. More paper had, there 
 fore, to be created, and new schemes of raising
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 299 
 
 money devised In order to meet a suddenly oc 
 curring exigency, Pinkerton was drawn aside in 
 to the error which led to a dissolution of his 
 first co-partnership. In this case, however, he 
 exercised a shrewder forethought. Instead of is 
 suing the notes of Pinkerton & Lee for discount, 
 and so losing control of them, ha obtained, for 
 half per cent, a month, the post notes of a cer 
 tain institution, the credit of which was good, 
 and deposited firm notes as collateral security for 
 his individual paper. If his own notes were 
 paid at maturity, the existence of the collateral 
 would not, of course, become known to his part 
 ner. It would come back into his possession and 
 be destroyed. 
 
 The first transaction covered the sum of five 
 thousand dollars and it was made with such 
 ease, and apparent safety, that it only served as a 
 temptation to take further steps on the dangerous 
 road. The cost of these transactions was, how 
 ever, rather a heavy item. To obtain the post 
 notes of the Maryland Insurance Company, six 
 per cent, per annum had to be paid ; and from 
 six to twelve per cent, more was abstracted from 
 the post notes before they were turned into cash 
 
 At such sacrifices was money now obtained to
 
 300 Sr-AUI.XG TO SPLND. 
 
 carry ou the building operations of both Mr. 
 Pinkerton and his father-in-law. But, the erec 
 tion of their elegant edifices, now more than two- 
 thirds completed, must go on, even though the en 
 vied owners thereof had lost all pleasure therein. 
 The longer this drain upon their resources con 
 tinued, the more did they become oppressed with 
 an exhausting sense of inability ; and the more 
 earnest we might say, desperate became their 
 struggles to sustain themselves. How little did 
 the public imagine, as they admired the two man 
 sions, that grew up in beautiful order and har 
 mony of proportion, under the hands of a skil 
 ful architect, and more than half envied the 
 wealthy owners thereof, that,- when the last 
 stroke of the painter's brush had been given, and 
 all was ready for the upholsterer and the cabinet 
 maker, each was burdened with a heavy mort 
 gage. Without this, the building must have 
 
 been suspended. 
 
 / 
 Yes, all was completed at the last ; and at a 
 
 cost, in each case, of five thousand dollars beyond 
 the original estimate. Fifty thousand dollars had 
 been absorbed in the two buildings. Months be 
 fore their completion, the subject of furniture 
 came up for earnest discussion between Mr. and
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 301 
 
 Mrs. Pinkerton. The ideas of the former were far 
 from being as liberal as in the beginning, and very 
 far from Corresponding with those of his wife. She 
 had set her heart upon ordering their parlor fur 
 niture from Paris and, as she had talked very 
 freely on the subject to all her fashionable ac 
 quaintances, and given out that they would cer 
 tainly have French furniture, she urged the mat 
 ter with a degree of fervor that quite troubled 
 her husband, who had begun to inspect, some 
 what curiously, the furniture already in posses 
 sion, to see how far it would answer for the new 
 dwelling. 
 
 In spite of the remonstrances, tears and per 
 suasions of his wife, Pinkerton refused to give an 
 order for Paris furniture. A most unhappy time 
 he had of it for weeks afterwards. Poor Mrs. 
 Pinkerton was almost heart-broken. The bitter 
 ness of her disappointment passed away at last, 
 though she remained very sober. When suffi 
 ciently recovered from her affliction, she yielded 
 to her husband's repeated solicitations, and 
 finally consented to accompany him to New 
 York, where a most liberal order was given to a 
 fashionable cabinet-maker. Bather serious did 
 Mark Pinkerton feel, as on his way back to Bal-
 
 302 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 timore, he mentally summed up the prices of the 
 various articles ordered, and brooded in silence 
 over the heavy aggregate. The mother of Mrs. 
 Pinkerton, who had lived longer, and seen more 
 of the ups and downs of life, did not approve 
 the unbecoming extravagance of her daughter, 
 and offered some slight opposition to her will. 
 But, this was entirely disregarded. The pride 
 and ambition of Mrs. Pinkerton had grown into 
 inordinate strength, and there was little hope of 
 their ever being fully satisfied. 
 
 It did not escape the observation of Mr. Lee, 
 that his partner's mind was becoming more and 
 more abstracted from his business ; nor did he fail 
 to note, that his periods of absence from the store 
 were getting longer and more frequent. He was 
 also aware that Mr. Pinkerton's drafts of money 
 were getting to be heavy beyond any precedent. 
 The fact of his building a thing that Mr. Lee 
 opposed in the beginning readily accounted for 
 this. Occasionally a whisper would reach his 
 ears, awakening the suspicion that everything 
 might not be right with his partner. On all this 
 he pondered deeply. 
 
 " No business," he would say to himself, " will 
 bear the exhausting drain to which a man like
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 303 
 
 Pinkerton must subject it. His ideas are ever in 
 advance of him. To think of building at a cost of 
 twenty-five or thirty thousand dollars, at this 
 point of business success, is utter folly. He 
 talks of having made large sums outside of trade. 
 "Well, perhaps this is so perhaps it is not. In 
 gambling, every one must have his run of ill-luck 
 sooner or later and I regard his stock and other 
 speculations as nothing more nor less than gam 
 bling." 
 
 And so Mr. Lee thought and reasoned. Nor 
 fruitless were his thoughts. Though not a man 
 of very large views ? or comprehensive grasp of 
 thought, he had more prudence than his partner, 
 and possessed a degree of shrewd forecast that 
 was now exercised to very good purpose. It was 
 impossible, under the circumstances, for Pinker- 
 ton to give that attention to the details and pro 
 gress of business, that was absolutely required 
 for its successful prosecution. He had too many 
 ends to serve outside of the store and counting- 
 room, to leave opportunity for this. And when 
 Mr. Lee proposed to advance the salary of their 
 head clerk, a thorough business man, and give 
 him certain discretionary and more general 
 powers, Piukerton was ready to acquiesce.
 
 304 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 From that moment Mr. Lee's interest in his 
 partner subsided. He no longer leaned upon him 
 no longer consulted him no longer felt that the 
 successful prosecution of their business was de 
 pendent upon his intelligence. In their princi 
 pal clerk, he found a man on whose judgment he 
 could rely with even more confidence than he 
 had ever been able to rely on that of Mr. Pinker- 
 ton ; and one who possessed none of the doubtful 
 qualities that were so prominent in the other. 
 Gradually, from this time, he gathered the reins 
 into his own hands, and acted with more inde 
 pendence, and a clearer intelligence. 
 
 It was impossible for this state of mind and 
 action tt> exist on the part of Mr. Lee, without 
 his sooner or later coming into unpleasant 
 collision with Pinkerton. The latter had been 
 so long accustomed to have his views regarded as 
 law in the business, that to find them treated as 
 of little importance was a thing not only to sur 
 prise, but to chafe him. 
 
 One day a few rather sharp words had passed 
 between the two men, growing out of this inde 
 pendent action on the part of Mr. Lee. Some 
 thing, during the excitement, dropped from the 
 latter, which lingered in the mind of Pinkerton,
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 305 
 
 and annoyed him more and more, the longer hi.< 
 thoughts dwelt upon it. On his way home, on 
 leaving the store, he called, as was his custom, at 
 the office of Mr. Allen r in order to have some 
 conference with him in regard to business. The 
 result of this conference was by no means satis 
 factory. Twenty-four thousand dollars must be 
 raised by them oh the next day, or hopeless ruin 
 would be the result. But how were they to 
 raise it ? All, and more than all they were really 
 worth, had been locked up in two handsome 
 houses ; beyond this proprety, there was little to 
 show as a basis for the extraordinary line of ac 
 commodation paper that was in market, bearing 
 their signatures and endorsement. Wh y all this 
 had been created, Pinkerton hardly knew. The 
 whole range of operations with his father-in-law 
 had become so intervolved, that the clue was 
 completely lost. 
 
 An hour of earnest scheming on the part of the 
 two men did not give them much light, and they 
 separated in no very enviable frame of mind ; Mr. 
 Allen remaining in his office, and Mr. Pinkerton 
 returning to his home, in a state of gloomy de 
 pression. Never before had so dark a cloud 
 spread itself over his mind never before had so
 
 30;> SPARING TO SPEND 
 
 heavy a weight rested on his feelings. A moun 
 tain seemed to be suddenly thrown across his 
 path a thick veil drawn before his future. It 
 \vas in vain that his wife sought to interest him. 
 She had been busy all day in making costly pur 
 chases for the adornment of their new home, and 
 she was eloquent in her descriptions of the va 
 rious beautiful articles which she had selected. 
 But, her words instead of exciting pleasant 
 images, only served to make deeper the depres 
 sion from which he was suffering. 
 
 Thus it was, when, early in the evening, a 
 message came that Mr. Allen had been taken 
 suddenly ill, and desired the immediate attend 
 ance of Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton. The summons 
 was hurriedly obeyed. On reaching the house of 
 Mr. Allen, they found the family in alarm and 
 consternation. One glance sufficed for Pinker- 
 ton, as he entered the chamber of his father-in- 
 law. There was no mistaking the sign stamped 
 on that pallid brow. The finger of death had 
 made the impression. As he advanced to the 
 bed, the dying man stretched forward his hands, 
 and grasped him eagerly. But, all in vain he 
 essayed intelligent speech, even while struggling
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 307 
 
 for a last utterance, the death-rattle sounded in 
 his throat, and he sunk back lifeless upon the 
 pillow from which he had attempted to raise him 
 self.
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 NOT like a strong oak did Mark Pinkerton 
 battle with the tempest which now began to 
 sweep over him ; but, like the weak bullrush, he 
 yielded at once, bending low and powerless to the 
 very earth. He knew that to struggle with the 
 tornado would be hopeless ; and he scarcely 
 made a show of resistance. 
 
 "Well was his grief-stricken wife assured that 
 something more than sorrow for the death of her 
 father caused him to walk the floor of their cham 
 ber from midnight until the dawn of day ; and if 
 vaguely terrifying fears haunted her sleepless 
 hours, they were too sadly confirmed by the hag 
 gard countenance which the cold light of morn 
 ing revealed. To the many earnest entreaties 
 addressed to him, he had maintained a rigid si 
 lence, or answered them with vagueness and im 
 patience.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 309 
 
 " Oh, Mark ! What ails you ? Why are you 
 in such distress?" urged Mrs. Pinkerton, all 
 her fears and anxieties aroused anew as she saw. 
 by the searching daylight, the change which had 
 been brought upon his face. " Do speak to me, 
 husband ! Your looks frighten me terribly I What 
 is the matter ?" 
 
 " Is not the sudden death of your father cause 
 enough for affliction ?" was replied evasively. 
 
 A gush of tears and sobs was the wife's re 
 sponse. But, could such an answer satisfy her? 
 No no. The personal attachment between her 
 husband and father was not strong enough for 
 this. His words were but a cloak to hide from 
 her a more terrible calamity that now impended, 
 or had actually fallen upon them. Of this she 
 'felt assured ; and the impression so filled her mind 
 with anxious fears, that for a time the death of 
 her father seemed but a light affliction. But 
 neither by tears nor entreaties could she break 
 the stern reserve of her husband. 
 
 Early in the day Mr. Pinkerton sent for a car 
 riage, and was driven to the house of mourning, 
 accompanied by his wife. After a brief interview 
 with the family touching the last sad rites that 
 must soon follow, and a preliminary conference 
 with the undertaker, he returned alone to his
 
 310 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 dwelling, where he shut himself up, and with as 
 much courage and calmness as was possible under 
 the circumstances, endeavored to look the ap 
 proaching calamity in the face. In the absence 
 of memorandum and account books, memory sup 
 plied sufficient data to show that his obligations, 
 in connexion with those of his deceased father-in- 
 law, were so far beyond his available resources, 
 that to attempt their liquidation was utterly hope 
 less. The death of Mr. Allen cut off the very 
 means of raising money which had been so long 
 and so liberally used. The two men could no 
 longer play into each other's hands and the less 
 skilful player felt himself to be wholly at the 
 mercy of his opponents. 
 
 Ah ! Those long hours of self-communion, how 
 full of bitterness they were to Mark Pinker- 
 ton ! A little while before, though on a pinnacle, 
 he had stood firm, and imagined his footing se 
 cure. Now, alas ! the downward plunge was in 
 evitable, and he could see nothing below but a 
 dark and fearful abyss. No wonder that he shrunk 
 back and trembled. 
 
 Many times through the day had the sound of 
 the ringing door-bell met his ears, and each time 
 he waited and listened for the servant's approach, 
 to announce sjome visitor who wished an inter-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 311 
 
 view. Ah, those coining interviews ! How the 
 bare thought of them made him sick at heart ; 
 Not, however, until late in the afternoon came 
 the expected tap at his door. 
 
 " A gentleman Mr. Lee is in the parlor," 
 said the waiter. 
 
 All day Mr. Pinkerton had been in hourly ex 
 pectation of a visit from his partner ; yet now, as 
 his name was announced, he started. 
 
 " Tell him that I will be down in a moment," 
 he replied to the waiter. 
 
 The man withdrew. For several minutes 
 Pinkerton walked the floor, striving to think clear 
 ly. The fact that his partner came at this par 
 ticular hour, clearly indicated his errand. A large 
 amount of the paper which in consequence of the 
 death of Mr. Allen, had to come under protest, 
 bore the endorsement of Pinkerton & Lee. The 
 notary had, of course, called at the store of the en 
 dorsers, thus exposing to his partner the dishonor 
 able transactions in which he had been engaged ; 
 transactions which he feared were likely to involve 
 their house in the ruin that must inevitably 
 fall upon him. At last, feeling that longer delay 
 was useless, Pinkerton descended to the parlor. 
 The compressed lips and knit brow of his partner 
 showed that he had rightly guessed .the purport
 
 312 SPARING TO SPEND, 
 
 of his visit. The two men bowed distantly. 
 Without making allusion to the death of Mr. 
 Allen, Lee said 
 
 " Are you aware that certain notes to a large 
 amount, and bearing your name, either as drawer 
 or endorser, have laid over to day?" 
 
 " I have presumed as much," was the subdued 
 yet somewhat firm answer of Pinkerton. 
 
 " I am not very greatly suprised at this result," 
 said Mr. Lee, coldly, " but there is one thing at 
 which I am surprised." And he looked fixedly 
 at his partner. No reply being made, he con 
 tinued 
 
 " Over five thousand dollars of this paper bears 
 the endorsement of Pinkerton & Lee. Will you 
 explain the meaning of this ?" 
 
 " It need no explanation," said Pinkerton, dog 
 gedly. 
 
 " I beg your pardon," returned the other, quick 
 ly. "It does need explanation. By what au 
 thority did you use the name of the firm out of 
 our regular business ?" 
 
 " I am in no state of mind to discuss this mat 
 ter with you, Mr. Lee," said Pinkerton " in no 
 mood to answer sharp interrogatories. You have 
 the fact before you, and that admits of no con- 
 troversv."
 
 SPARING TO SPKND. 313 
 
 " But I want explanations, Mr. Pinkerton. 
 There is too much involved too much at stake. 
 1 am not to be put off in this way." 
 
 " What do you want to know ?" said Pinkerton, 
 rousing up, and assuming something like a defiant 
 air. 
 
 " In the first place, I wish to know," said Lee, 
 '' by what authority you used the name of the 
 firm outside of our legitimate operations ? and in 
 the second place, I wish to be informed as to the 
 extent to which it has been carried ?" 
 
 " As to your first question," replied Pinkerton. 
 " it requires no answer ; and as to the second, I 
 am not at present under circumstances to speak 
 advisedly. All my affairs are inextricably involved 
 with those of Mr. Allen, whose sudden death has 
 produced the present unfortunate state of things. 
 I cannot get immediate access to his books and 
 papers ; nor do I know the value of his estate, 
 after his obligations are met." 
 
 " You at least know," said Mr. Lee to this, 
 " whether there is any more paper out bearing the 
 endorsement of the firm. This is a matter in 
 which I am vitally interested, and I, at least, have 
 a right to expect from you all the information now 
 in your power to give. If the amount is hope 
 lessly large, I wish to know it at once so that 
 14
 
 314 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 my course of action may be promptly determined. 
 The five thousand dollars presented to day lies 
 under protest ; but if .the amount of the same kind 
 of paper yet to come due does not reach beyond U 
 certain sum, I will take from the hands of the 
 notary that now in his possession before 'bank 
 opens in the morning. Is there as much more_of 
 this paper in the market ?" 
 
 " Yes five times as much more," replied Pin- 
 kerton. 
 
 " Unhappy man !" exclaimed Mr. Lee, starting 
 to his feet, and moving hurriedly about the room. 
 " Into what a desperate strait has your miserable 
 folly driven you, and all who are so unfortunate 
 as to have any connexion with you whatever." 
 
 Both of the men were now silent for a long 
 time ; but the thoughts of each were busy. At 
 length Mr. Lee said, 
 
 " Do you think that forty thousand dollars 
 will cover the whole amount of this paper ?" 
 
 " It ought to do so," replied Pinkerton. 
 
 " But will it ?" was the quick interrogation. 
 u Will it? that is the great question now." 
 
 " Fifty thousan4 will, I know, more than cover 
 everything/' said Pinkerton. 
 
 " Fifty thousand dollars !" ejaculated his part-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 315 
 
 ner. " Fifty thousand ! And what property 
 have you to set off against this ?" 
 
 " Enough, I trust, to liquidate the whole, pro 
 vided hurried sales, involving ruinous sacrifices, 
 are not made." 
 
 " Pinkerton," said Mr. Lee, somewhat sternly, 
 " don't mislead me in this matter. I shall suffer 
 wrong enough, at best. What is this 'property of 
 which you speak ?" 
 
 " There is my house, which cost over thirty 
 thousand dollars, to begin with." 
 
 " But I am told that it is heavily mortgaged." 
 
 " Only for some fifteen or sixteen thousand dol 
 lars." 
 
 " Very well what next ?" 
 
 " I have many hundred shares of good stocks." 
 
 " Not under hypothecation for loans, or as se 
 curity for endorsements ?" 
 
 Pinkerton hesitated to answer. A deep sigh 
 passed the lips of his partner, who said 
 
 " I see how it is. Mortgages and securities 
 will render valueless a great proportion of what 
 you call property. And, doubtless, it will be so 
 with the estate of Mr. Allen. Let me ask an 
 other question. For how much paper are you
 
 316 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 responsible, either as drawer or endorser, beyond 
 the fifty thousand dollars just alluded to ?" 
 
 " It is impossible now to tell. My bill book is 
 in Mr. Allen's office," replied Pinkerton. 
 
 " Will the sum fall short of fifty thousand dol 
 lars more ?" 
 
 " Perhaps not, including endorsements. But 
 then, Mr. Allen's estate will be responsible for. 
 his obligations, though they do bear my endorse 
 ment." 
 
 " Some light, at least," said Mr. Lee, abstract 
 edly, as he paced the floor. " But what a condi 
 tion of things it reveals !" Then, after a pause, 
 he asked 
 
 " When is the funeral to take place ?" 
 
 " On the day after to-morrow," was replied. 
 
 " Very well until that is over, little can be 
 determined upon. Will you be at the store in the 
 morning ?" 
 
 " I presume not." 
 
 " Can I see you here at ten o'clock ?" 
 
 Yes." 
 
 " Can you not, in the mean time, draw up a 
 statement of your affairs so accurate, that the 
 true position in which you stand may be fully de 
 termined ?"
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 317 
 
 " I think so." 
 
 " Will you do it ?" 
 
 " I will." 
 
 " But have you the correct data ? Have 
 you, in this intervolved business of note-giving 
 and note-endorsing, which it appears you and 
 Mr. Allen have carried on to an enormous extent, 
 been careful to keep reliable memoranda?" 
 
 " As soon as I get my books from Mr. Allen's 
 office, which I will do to-day, I can make up a 
 statement very nearly approximating the truth." 
 
 " And this you engage to do at once ?" said 
 Mr. Lee. 
 
 u It shall be ready by ten o'clock to-morrow 
 morning, if it requires the whole night for its 
 preparation," answered Pinkerton. 
 
 " Very well. I will lift the five thousand dol 
 lars at a venture thus saving the credit of the 
 housej and personal exposure to yourself. To 
 morrow will determine my future action." 
 
 Without further remark, the two men sepa 
 rated.
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 WHEN Mr. Lee called on the next morning he 
 found his partner in a most gloomy and distress 
 ed state of mind. Accurately, as it was possible 
 under the circumstances, he had made up his ac 
 count and figures, which " do not lie," con 
 firmed all his worst fears. In possession of the 
 Maryland Insurance Company, and in the hands 
 of individual capitalists, were notes, ^bearing the 
 signature of the firm, amounting, in all, to over 
 thirty thousand dollars, which had been placed 
 there as collateral security, and which, failing to 
 be reclaimed by himself, would come into bank 
 for collection at maturity. Besides these, as 
 near as he . could ascertain, notes for at least 
 thirty thousand dollars more were in existence,
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 319 
 
 on which he had placed the endorsement of the 
 house. Beyond this, we need not particularize ; 
 as it is of no great use to estimate with accuracy 
 the extent of pressure which exceeds that neces 
 sary to crush to atoms the object unfortunately 
 lying beneath. 
 
 After a long and careful examination of the 
 figures placed before him by his unhappy partner 
 Mr. Lee said 
 
 " My first proposition you no doubt anticipate 
 it comes in course, and as a matter of necessi 
 ty. Our partnership must be dissolved." 
 
 Pinkerton slightly inclined his head, but made 
 no answer. 
 
 " As carefully, as was possible under the cir 
 cumstances, I have examined into the state of 
 our business. It is sound, and has made liberal 
 profits. But it cannot bear the sudden abstrac 
 tion of fifty or sixty thousand dollars. It would 
 crumble like a wall of sand. Now, what I pro- 
 pose is this. An immediate dissolution, under 
 an obligation, on my part, to lift all the paper 
 you have created or endorsed by virtue of the 
 signature of Pinkerton & Lee, to the amount of 
 sixty thousand dollars. This payment, on your 
 account, to be considered a full equivalent for all
 
 320 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 interest in the business whatever. Should the sura 
 to be paid not reach sixty thousand dollars, the 
 difference will be so much to your credit." 
 
 " Have you not just remarked," said Pinkerton, 
 " that the business will not bear so large an ab 
 straction of capital ?' ' 
 
 " Nor will it. Not for a month could I stand 
 alone." 
 
 " You expect, then, to fill my place ?" 
 
 " All is hopeless without a partner. And he 
 must have ample means," said Mr. Lee. 
 
 " Can you find such a one ?" 
 
 " If not, the case is desperate." 
 
 " It is very questionable," said Pinkerton, 
 " whether the firm is responsible for any of this 
 paper. Of one thing I am certain it might be 
 bought in at a large discount. Most of the 
 holders would be glad to realize fifty cents in the 
 dollar rather than encounter the delays and un 
 certainties of legal proceedings." 
 
 Mr. Lee shook his head gravely. "It won't 
 do, Mr. Pinkerton," he said. " The moment the 
 house resists the payment of notes to so large an 
 amount, and on the plea that they were created 
 by one of the firm, outside of the regular busi 
 ness, that moment its credit receives a shock
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 321 
 
 which must ultimately prove its destruction- 
 -No no. There is but one safe course open, and 
 I will walk in none other. As for prolonging out 
 present relations, that is impossible. I would 
 choose, rather, an immediate closing up of the 
 business. As for yourself, your only hope lies 
 in the arrangement proposed. It will at once 
 relieve you from heavy personal responsibilities, 
 and place it in your power to render available to 
 the fullest extent the property you have accumu 
 lated in stock and other speculations. If I take 
 care of fifty or sixty thousand dollars for you, 
 surely you can manage safely every thing beyond, 
 and come out with a surplus." 
 
 Eagerly caught Pinkerton at this view of the 
 case. Light and hope broke in suddenly upon 
 his mind. If his partner would lift so large a 
 sum of the obligations he had created, enough 
 would remain, he believed, to enable him, with 
 the knowledge possessed of money transactions, 
 in sotne measure, to recover himself. He must 
 step down from his social position many degrees 
 lower, that was plain. But he need not descend 
 so low as at first seemed inevitable. 
 
 " I do not ;isk your :nstant assent to this ar 
 rangement," said Mr. Lee. " It is due to your-
 
 322 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 self, first, to look at a statement of our affairs, 
 and determine whether the notes proposed to be 
 lifted are equal in amount to your interest in the 
 house. I can only say that, taking into consid 
 eration the large sums you have drawn out for 
 your own purposes, in excess of my personal ac 
 count, sixty thousand dollars is something be 
 yond your share of the business. This, however, 
 you can readily determine for yourself." 
 
 And, when the question came up for final deci 
 sion, Mr. Pinkerton was at no loss what course 
 to pursue. On the one side, was the broadest 
 exposure of his dishonorable course, in using the 
 firm signature, involving law-suits and humiliating 
 exhibitions of private transactions, with almost 
 certain ruin as the final consequences while, on 
 the other, was the hope of extrication from the 
 worst of his present embarrassments. A memo 
 randum, as the basis of a dissolution of the firm 
 of Pinkerton & Lee, being drawn up, was signed 
 by both parties and Mr. Pinkerton went out, in 
 reality, a poor man, from a mercantile establish 
 ment in which his interest, had he not madly de 
 stroyed it, could scarcely have been purchased for 
 & hundred thousand dollars !
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 THE marriage of Mr. Ackland with Lucy 
 Arden, whose father was a merchant of great 
 wealth, rapidly advanced the interests of the 
 young house of which Lofton was a member. 
 Larger capital was placed at their disposal, and 
 extended facilities came as a legitimate conse 
 quence. Few business establishments in the 
 city were more broadly based, or more firmly 
 built up. 
 
 During the period of six years, briefly referred 
 to- in preceding chapters, though the house of 
 Ackland and Lofton had been steadily, but 
 safely, extending its operations, and though the 
 sums of profits passed to the credit of each part 
 ner, year after year, was beginning to count, not
 
 3.24 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 by thousands, but by tens of thousands, still the 
 Loftons remained in the comfortable dwelling 
 where we last saw them, and were not in the 
 least troubled with ambitious thotfghts. Entirely 
 above the weakness of social rivalry, their minds 
 were never fretted by contrasts between their 
 own household style and arrangements and those 
 of their neighbors and acquaintances. With them, 
 whatever of happiness they enjoyed, flowed from 
 within outward. 
 
 Since Lucy Arden's marriage with Mr. Ack- 
 land, a gradual change had taken place in her 
 feelings towards Mrs. Lofton. From regarding 
 her as a true-hearted friend, in whose welfare 
 she took a lively interest, she now began to feel 
 towards her the earnest love of a sister. Their 
 earlier intercourse was more or less marked by a 
 consciousness, on both, sides, of existing social 
 disparities ; but, with the marriage of Lucy, this 
 barrier was removed for, as the wife of Mr. 
 Ackland, her position was on the same plane 
 with that of Mrs. Lofton. From that time a new 
 bond united them. 
 
 There is little in the peaceful flow of a sun- 
 bright rivulet, as it winds its way among green 
 fields and through quiet valleys, to win the atten-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 325 
 
 tion or strongly impress the imagination. The 
 picture is a sweet one to look upon, and the 
 heart treasures it. But, to the sketcher, it affords 
 no theme for an imposing display of art. So we 
 find it in the quiet home-life of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Lofton. Its gentle current lapsed pleasantly 
 along, as the years progressed, darkened by no 
 clouds, and whitened into foam-wreaths by no 
 down-rushing tempest. We will not linger, 
 therefore, to show you the many beautiful pic 
 tures that were mirrored upon its surface during 
 the seasons that passed since you last saw them. 
 But another and note-worthy event is now about 
 to occur, and we pause to make the record. 
 
 It was about two months after the death of Mr. 
 Allen. Somewhat later than usual, Mr. Lofton 
 returned home from his store, one evening, and, 
 the moment he entered, Mrs. Lofton saw that his 
 countenance had a thoughtful air beyond its 
 wont. During the tea hour, he seemed ab 
 stracted, and said but little. Mrs. Lofton began 
 to feel a shadow of concern hovering about her 
 heart. 
 
 " Does anything trouble you, Archie ?" said 
 Mrs. Lofton, with a look of tender concern, as 
 soon as she was alone with her husband.
 
 326 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Do I really look troubled ?" enquired the 
 young man, as a smile half forced and half na 
 tural brightened his face. 
 
 " Troubled may be too strong a word. But 
 you have been very silent, and all to appearance, 
 very thoughtful since you returned home this 
 evening." 
 
 " And I am thoughtful, dear very thoughtful, 
 and with good cause," said Lofton. 
 
 " Nothing wrong, I hope, in your business ?" 
 
 " 0, no no," was the quick answer. " Every 
 thing is right there. All a hundred-fold better 
 than I ever expected. But let me tell you a 
 little piece of news. You know the two elegant 
 houses built by poor Pinkerton and his father-in- 
 law ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " They were just completed as you remember, 
 and the two families were preparing to occupy 
 them, when the death of Mr. Allen took place. 
 I need not speak of the disaster that followed. 
 Both of these houses were heavily mortgaged, 
 and are to be sold to-morrow, at public sale, for 
 the satisfaction of parties holding the mort 
 gages. 
 
 " But is not Mr. Pinkerton able to retain the
 
 SPARING TO SPENP. 327 
 
 one he built ? I thought, under the arrangement 
 which you told me his partner had made with 
 him at the time of their separation, that he 
 would have a handsome property left." 
 
 " So it was said. But Mr. Allen's estate was 
 utterly insolvent, and Mr. Pinkerton's affairs 
 were so mixed up with his, that, after a brief 
 struggle to save himself, he was crushed down 
 and overwhelmed in the general ruin." 
 
 " How sad ! How very sad ! "Where is he at 
 present, and what is he doing ?" 
 
 " I have not seen him for a month. I believe 
 he is not at present, engaged in any business." 
 
 " Where are his family ?" 
 
 Mr. Lofton shook his head. 
 
 " Ah ! what mistakes both he and his wife com 
 mitted !" said Mrs. Lofton. 
 
 " His whole life has been a series of mistakes," 
 replied her husband. " And the only wonder 
 with me is, that he progressed so far without 
 breaking down. Ultimate ruin was inevitable. 
 All prudent, far seeing men anticipated the 
 inevitable result. Poor fellow !" 
 
 There was a silence of some moments, and then 
 Lofton said 
 
 " But, to go back to the houses which are to bo
 
 328 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 sold to-morrow. Mr. Arden was in to see us to 
 day, and says he is going to buy one of them for 
 Lucy." 
 
 " Indeed ! How pleased I am to hear you say 
 so !" exclaimed Mrs. Lofton, a light breaking 
 over her countenance. " Dear Lucy ! She deserves 
 it all. And what a kind, good father she has ! I 
 shall take as much pleasure in seeing her the 
 mistress of one of these elegant mansions, as if 
 the position were my own." 
 
 " It is proposed that you shall be the mistress 
 of the other," said Lofton. He tried to speak in a 
 perfectly even tone ; but a slight unsteadiness 
 betrayed his feelings. 
 
 " Why Archie !" exclaimed the startled wife, her 
 countenance slightly flushing, and then becoming 
 very pale. 
 
 " It is even so, dear," ^said Lofton gravely. 
 " Both Mr. Arden and Mr. Ackland insist that I 
 shall purchase the other house." 
 ^ To live in ?" 
 
 " Certainly. That is the end proposed Ack 
 land and his family to live in one, and we in the 
 other." 
 
 " If," said Mrs. Lofton, forcing a smile, " you 
 had, like Mr. Ackland, a rich father-in-law to
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 329 
 
 buy the house for you, then we might have no 
 thing to object. But, to do so now, would be a 
 piece of ostentatious extravagance that nothing 
 could justify." 
 
 " So 1 urged. But neither Mr. Arden nor Mr. 
 Ackland will hear any objection. The purchase 
 of one of the houses for Lucy is a thing determin 
 ed upon. Mr. Arden is prepared to overbid all 
 competitors, for he has taken a fancy to the house. 
 But it is not probable either of them will bring 
 over twenty thousand, though they cost every 
 dollar of thirty thousand." 
 
 " Twenty thousand dollars ! Do you not think 
 it would be wrong for you to draw that large sum 
 from the business ?" 
 
 " So I said. But no objection would be admit 
 ted or rather, every objection was at once an 
 swered and with a conclusiveness that left me 
 little to say." 
 
 " But how was that answered ?" said Mrs 
 Lofton. 
 
 " Readily enough. Mr. Arden said that he 
 would make arrangements for all the funds that 
 were needed above ten thousand dollars, while 
 Mr. Ackland asserted that I could draw out of my 
 profits in the business, ten or fifteen thousand
 
 330 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 dollars, without the least inconvenience being 
 suffered. The fact is, Ellen, it is a settled point 
 in the minds of these two gentlemen, that we are 
 to occupy one of these elegant houses, and Mr. 
 Acklaud and Lucy the other. Opposition on our 
 part will only provoke increased importunity on 
 theirs." 
 
 " But see, Archie," said Mrs. Lofton, "what an 
 expense beyond the purchase it will involve. New 
 parlor furniture, at least, will have to be bought, 
 and that of a costly kind, to be in keeping with 
 the style of the house. The expense of living, too, 
 will be largely increased. Can we afford all this?" 
 
 "I believe we can," said Lofton. "The an 
 nual profit on our business is large so large, 
 that many men would deem it amply sufficient 
 to warrant a much larger cost of living than we 
 shall have to meet should we remove into one of 
 these houses." 
 
 " Dear Archie !" said Mrs. Lofton, the tears 
 springing to her eyes, " when I heard that Lucy 
 was to be the mistress of one of these elegant 
 homes, my heart gave a -bound of pleasure ; but, 
 it sinks and trembles at the thought of a like 
 elevation for myself. We have been very happy 
 here, Archie very happy" she added, with a
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 331 
 
 gush of tender emotions. " Shall we be as happy 
 there, if the change is made ? I fear not, dear 
 husband." 
 
 " Keep the same loving heart the same unsel 
 fish regard for the good of others, dear wife," re 
 plied Lofton, with feeling, "and you will not 
 only be as happy there as you have been here 
 but retain equal power to minister to the happi 
 ness of others. Have we been less happy here, 
 than in the humble abode which we first called by 
 the blessed name of home ?" 
 
 " Oh no oh no," was answered. 
 
 " Why then need this change, if we are fully 
 able to make it, rob us of a single home delight ? 
 It will enlarge your social sphere, as a natural 
 consequence bringing you into contact with 
 many who have not cared to associate with us, or 
 who, because we have kept ourselves obscure, 
 have had no opportunity to know you as one 
 with a congenial spirit ; yet, if the love of the 
 world be not permitted to enter our hearts, Ellen, 
 we have nothing to fear. We jnay go up to a 
 higher position may accept these added tempo 
 ral blessings, and still retain that sweet tranquil- 
 ity of mind which is worth more than all this 
 world has to offer. Tt is the contented mind
 
 332 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 that finds delight in what it possesses that truly 
 enjoys life. The unhappy are they who are ever 
 looking intently into the future for blessings 
 which may never come, while they neglect the 
 good that is given for their enjoyment in the pre 
 sent. This fatal error we have, thus far, avoid 
 ed. Let us continue to do so, and we have no 
 thing to fear." 
 
 While they yet talked about this important 
 change, Mr. and Mrs. Ackland came in. Lucy 
 had known nothing of what was proposed until 
 her husband returned from business on that even 
 ing. Of course, she had no scruples about going 
 into the elegant house her father intended buying 
 for her. To be the mistress of such an establish 
 ment, just suited her fancy. When she learned 
 still further, the wishes of both her husband and 
 father in regard to Mr. and Mrs. Lofton, and also 
 the objection urged by the former when the sub 
 ject was mentioned to him, she declared, in her 
 off-hand, emphatic way, that they should have the 
 other house. 
 
 " Come," said she to her husband, as soon 
 as tea was over, " I shall not rest one moment 
 until I see Ellen and then I don't mean to let 
 her rest until she comes over to our side about
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 333 
 
 the house. Oh, won't it be delightful ! "What a 
 sensation we shall make ! But don't I know a 
 lady or two who will be ready to bite their finger 
 ends off when they see Mrs. Lofton step up in her 
 quiet, lady-like way, and take a place far above 
 them." 
 
 " But it won't do to approach Mrs. Lofton, on 
 the subject, in this spirit, Lycy," said her hus 
 band, smiling. " You cannot move her by influ 
 ences so potent in the case of most ladies of our 
 acquaintance. There is a large share of unbend 
 ing principle in her composition gentle, unob 
 trusive, and apparently yielding as she is." 
 
 " No one knows her better than I do. So don't 
 fear but I shall approach her with all due 
 caution ; yet, I hope, with consummate tact. I 
 think I understand pretty well her vulnerable 
 points." 
 
 In this spirit Mrs. Ackland called, with her 
 husband, on the Loftons. Of all that passed be 
 tween these deeply-attached friends, it is need 
 less to speak in detail. Enough, that, when the 
 two houses were sold on the next day, one was 
 purchased by Mr. Arden, and the other by Mr. 
 Lofton each for the sum of nineteen thousand, 
 six hundred dollars.
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 THE new hope that sprung up in the heart of 
 Mr. Pinkerton, on reviewing the proposition of 
 his partner to lift some sixty thousand dollars of 
 the obligations he had created, was soon darken 
 ed. He had little dreamed of the true state of 
 Mr. Allen's affairs, nor was he fully aware of the 
 extent to which he was involved therein. A few 
 months sufficed to make all clear to show him 
 that he was utterly and irretrievably ruined. 
 Gradually, but surely, the circle of his operations 
 narrowed ; and, with each contraction, it became 
 too sadly apparent, that to struggle with his fate, 
 only drew tighter the cords that were binding 
 him hand and foot. 
 
 Some months had passed since the death of
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 335 
 
 Mr. Allen. Already the two families had united 
 into one, for economical as well as other reasons. 
 But, even this failed to accord with their decreas 
 ing means ; and they had removed from the hand 
 some house in Charles street to one farther -from 
 the centre of the city, which they procured at 
 the greatly reduced rent of two hundred dollars. 
 How quickly did the crowd of fashionable 
 friends, for whose eyes their costly furniture had 
 been purchased, and their elegant mansion built, 
 recede from them in the time of adversity ! 
 They sunk beneath the waves, and the ripple 
 caused by the disaster soon gave place to a calm 
 and sunny surface, leaving no sign of their de 
 parture. In the cord by which they were united 
 to the worldly-minded and self-seeking, were no 
 heart-fibres ; and it broke without causing a pang. 
 Not a few, who had been most intimate with Mr. 
 and Mrs. Pinkerton who had partaken of their 
 generous hospitalities, and basked in the brighter 
 sunshine of their prosperity rejoiced in heart 
 over their fall ; and now could see nothing worthy 
 of remark in their recent elevation, but weak so 
 cial ambition, upstart pride, and disgusting vul 
 garity.
 
 336 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " They carried their heads a world too high," 
 said one. 
 
 ' I always thought of the fnble of the ox and 
 frog," said another ; " and now only wonder that 
 the catastrophe was so long delayed." 
 
 " Water is sure to find its true level," remark 
 ed a third. 
 
 " I never could tolerate them," said a fourth, 
 who had been one of Mrs. Pinkerton's " dearest 
 friends." 
 
 And so the changes were rung. In the mean 
 time, the unhappy objects of these ungenerous 
 comments were suffering a degree of mental an 
 guish, even a faint picture of which would make 
 the reader's heart ache. But, we are in no way 
 inclined to draw the veil, and exhibit to curious 
 .eyes their impotent anguish. It was too great 
 not to be accompanied by deforming exhibitions 
 of pain. Crushed pride and disappointed ambi- 
 .tion could not but cry out at the loss of all in 
 life that seemed worth living for ; could not b'ut 
 exhibit, in corresponding externals, the bitterness 
 of those inward pangs which seemed as if they 
 would palsy the very heart. 
 
 No no ; we will not lift the veil. While the
 
 SPARING TO bl'JEAD. 337 
 
 seething fermentation goes on, let their anguish 
 of spirit be a sacred thing. When the wine of 
 life, chastened by its wild, internal conflict, is 
 clearer, aad receives the pure light into its bo 
 som, we may bring the reader briefly, into their 
 presence again. A little incident, however, we 
 must not pass over. 
 
 One morning it was when the mind of Pin- 
 kerton was almost paralyzed by a crushing sense 
 of coming poverty he went to the post-office, as 
 was his daily custom, and received therefrom two 
 letters. He did not notice the post-mark on 
 either until he arrived at the office where hg had, 
 for some months, transacted the small mattera of 
 business that required his attention. Then, as he 
 threw them on a table, he saw the well-known 
 name of his native village, clearly written out 
 on one of them. A sigh escaped his lips, as he 
 took this letter in his hand, and broke the seal. 
 He had a foreshadowing of something unpleas 
 ant ; and his anticipations were by no means at 
 fault. 
 
 The letter read : 
 15
 
 338 
 
 " SIR : 
 
 " I don't know that I shall get any 
 thanks for my pains; but, I suppose I must do 
 my duty for all that. In a word, then, your 
 aunt Mary Jones, who has lost, by some hocus- 
 sing of the lawyers, all her little property, and 
 who has been bed-ridden all winter at the house 
 of a poor neighbor, with the rheumatiz, was yes 
 terday sent to the poor-house, as there was no 
 one here that was willing, who felt able, to take 
 the burden of her support. Poor old lady ! it is 
 a hard case ; and I thought it would break her 
 heart. Howsomever she's a Christian woman, and 
 
 0* 
 
 if man forsakes her, I suppose God will comfort 
 her in her old age and helplessness. But, it is a 
 hard trial, Mr. Pinkerton, for one like her to be 
 made a pauper of. I thought all night about it 
 last night it kept me awake till day-dawn. 
 So, this morning, I said to myself, Mr. Pinker- 
 ton, her nevy in Baltimore, they tell us is as rich 
 as a Jew. I'll just write to him all about it. 
 So, now, sir, you know that your aunt Mary 
 Jones, your mother's only sister, and the one 
 who was so long a tender mother to your sick, 
 and now dead sister Lucy, is in the poor-house.
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 339 
 
 If you leave her there why, ignorance of the 
 fact, at least, will be no excuse. 
 " Obediently yours, 
 
 " JOHN CASTOR." 
 
 There was scarcely the sign of an emotion 
 visible as Pinkerton read this letter. At its con 
 clusion, he laid it quietly aside, pressed both 
 hands over his face, and bent forward until his 
 forehead touched the table. It was full ten min 
 utes before he aroused from the painful abstrac 
 tion of mind which the epistle had occasioned. 
 As he lifted his pale face, his eyes rested on the 
 other letter, which had been forgotten ; and now, 
 for the first time, he saw that it bore the same 
 post-mark as this, though addressed in a differ 
 ent hand. The seal was broken, and the letter 
 read in turn. It was as follows : 
 
 " MR. MARK PINKERTON, Enclosed is a bill of 
 twenty-five dollars, my charge for placing tomb 
 stones over the grave of your sister Lucy. You 
 may say that you never ordered them, and if you 
 do, I suppose that must settle the matter. But, 
 I thought, may be, you wouldn't just like to have 
 the grave-stones of an only sister remain unpaid 
 for; and so concluded just to write you on the
 
 340 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 subject. It is more than two years since Mrs. 
 Jones, your auut, came to me and said, ' I want 
 you, Mr. Carver, to put up a marble headstone 
 and footstone to dear Lucy's grave. I thought 
 her brother Mark would have done it long ago ; 
 but, I suppose he has forgotten all about it. He 
 never was very apt to remember promises. ] 
 can't bear to see the weeds and briars all st 
 choked and tangled over the ground ; nor to se< 
 the grave of one so good and so loved, all neg 
 lected, while other graves are cared for properly. 
 And so she chose the kind of stones she wanted 
 and I put them up. Well, it wasn't long before 
 poor Mrs. Jones got into more trouble with her 
 little place. A shark of a lawyer here found out 
 that her title wasn't just all right and the up 
 shot is, that she's lost everything. All winter 
 she lay sick and helpless, and yesterday, I regret 
 to say, was taken to the county alms-house. I 
 never asked her about my bill while all this law 
 yer-work was going on, for I knew she hadn't 
 the money, and I didn't want to increase her 
 trouble. Of course, there's no chance^for me 
 now. But, it has seemed to me, that you 
 wouldn't like the bill for your sister's grave-
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 341 
 
 etones to remain unsettled, and so I send it to 
 you. I shall be glad if you will pay it, as I am 
 a poor man, and can't afford to lose so much 
 money. 
 
 " Respectfully, 
 
 " HENRY CARVER." 
 
 The first impulsive act of Pinkerton was to 
 write a hurried answer to this letter, to the effect 
 that he enclosed the amount of Mr. Carver's bill, 
 and was sorry he had not been advised of its 
 existence before. Then, taking out his pocket 
 book, he unfolded a small roll of bills. Their 
 whole sum, on counting them over, did not ex 
 ceed twelve dollars. With a sigh, the money 
 and pocket-book were replaced. A long time 
 the unhappy man sat musing. How painfully 
 and constrictingly did a sense of destitution 
 press upon his mind ! He had no income what 
 ever, and was in no business that gave promise 
 of an income. The little he had been able to re 
 tain from the wreck of his fortunes was nearly 
 all expended, and his heart had already begun to 
 feel oppressed with fears of absolute want. 
 Rising, at length, he took the sheet of paper on
 
 342 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 which he had written, and deliberately tore it in 
 to shreds. Then placing in his desk the two let 
 ters received on that morning, he went from his 
 office, not because he had business that required 
 his attention, but in the vain effort to get rid of 
 thoughts whose pressure on his brain were al 
 most maddening.
 
 CHAPTER XXXT II. 
 
 MORE than a year has passed since Mrs. 
 Lofton, with a degree of reluctance and mis 
 giving of heart that few can appreciate, left her 
 comfortable and rather modest home in Court- 
 land street, and became mistress of the elegant 
 mansion built for Mr. Pinkerton. New cares, 
 new responsibilities and new associations, came 
 as the consequence ; but entering into all of these 
 with an earnest, self-negating spirit, Mrs. Lofton 
 experienced none of those drawbacks she had 
 feared. Intensely thankful for the good things 
 of life that now surrounded her in liberal pro 
 fusion, she was in no danger of losing the present 
 enjoyment thereof, through envy of others, or a 
 weak desire for things more costly and elegant.
 
 344 SPARING TO 8PEM). 
 
 In a very short time, she ceased to reflect on the 
 new relation of things into which she had been 
 brought her mind being wholly occupied in the 
 discharge of her domestic and social obligations. 
 She was the true %ife and mother, the faithful 
 friend, the self-denying Christian loved and es 
 teemed by all with whom she was in any way 
 brought into contact. 
 
 One day, as she sat reading to her children, in 
 the nursery, the door opened, and a middle-aged 
 woman came in. It was the reader's old ac 
 quaintance, Bridget. Though we have appeared 
 to lose sight of her for a number of years, such 
 was not the case with Mr. Lofton. She has oc 
 cupied, ever since his marriage, the same rela 
 tion to his family that she occupied to him pre 
 vious to that event. 
 
 " Good morning, Bridget," said Mrs. Lofton, 
 in her kind way. 
 
 " Good mornin', mem," returned the Irish wo 
 man, respectfully. 
 
 " You've come for the clothes ?" 
 
 "Yes, mem. And they're all ready forme. 
 But, with yer leave, mem, I'd just like to speak 
 a word or two, that I think, may be, I ought to 
 say, if it's only for humanity's sake."
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 345 
 
 " Sit down, Bridget," said Mrs. Lofton, show 
 hi!!, an immediate interest in the proposed com 
 munication. " And now," she added, as the 
 woman took a chair, " speak out freely anything 
 you have to say." 
 
 " It is wonderful, though, how things do come 
 about in this world 1" remarked Bridget, with a 
 slight air of mystery, and then her eyes tooK a 
 deliberate survey of the. room. " But I knew it 
 couldn't always last. Dear dear dear !" And 
 she sighed heavily. 
 
 Mrs. Lofton waited patiently the passing away 
 of this mood of mind in Bridget, who soon came 
 to the point touching the matter she desired to 
 communicate. 
 
 " It's about Mrs. Pinkerton that I wished to 
 speak with ye, mem," said she. 
 
 " Of Mrs. Pinkerton ! What of her ?" Mrs. 
 Lofton was now all interest. 
 
 " Ah, mem, it isn't well with her at all, I can 
 assure ye." 
 
 " But where is she, Bridget ? I've lost sight 
 of her for some time. After her mother died, I 
 was told that she had gone to the south with her 
 husband." 
 
 " She's never been out of the city, mem."
 
 346 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 " Indeed ! And where is she now, Bridget ?" 
 
 " Ye know the little house, out Lexington 
 street, where good Mrs. Wilson used to live, 
 a long time ago ?" 
 
 " I have cause to remember that house, 
 Bridget, as you very well know. I should fear 
 that I was changing for the worse, if I had for 
 gotten that humble dwelling. Some of the 
 sweetest hours of my life were spent there. But 
 what of it, now, Bridget?" 
 
 " Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton are living there." 
 
 "Why, Bridget!" 
 
 " It's true as gospel, mem. And that isn't all 
 they're in actual suffering. I found 'em out a 
 few weeks ago, by accident like, and, since then, 
 I've been there a good many times. Mr. Pinker- 
 ton is sick, and poor Mrs. Pinkerton looks like a 
 shadow. She's got every thing to do. They 
 don't keep a girl for I suppose the expense is 
 mor'n they can afford." 
 
 " Oh, dreadful !" exclaimed Mrs. Lofton, in 
 real distress at the picture the humane washer 
 woman had drawn. 
 
 " It is dreadful, indeed, mem, when we think 
 of how it was with 'em once on a time," said 
 Bridget. " Oh, but pride had an awful fall in
 
 
 SPARING TO SPEND 347 
 
 their case ! I wonder it hadn't a killed Mrs. 
 Piukerton outright. And I'm thinking she would 
 about as lief have died. But she isn't the* 
 woman she was, I can tell you, Mrs. Lofton. 
 Oh, no no ; not in any sense. D'ye know, she 
 said to me, only yesterday, ' Bridget,' says she 
 ' Bridget' and she spoke in such humble kind o' 
 way beseechin' like ' couldn't you get me some 
 work from the clothing stores ? I think I might 
 earn a little, sewing, on evenings and odd times, 
 if it was only enough to keep the children, poor 
 things, in shoes.' I felt choked right up, Mrs. 
 Lofton, at that. It did seern so hard. Poor, 
 dear lady ! She wasn't brought up to do the 
 likes o' that." 
 
 And the kind-hearted Irish woman wiped her 
 eyes with her coarse check apron. As for Mrs. 
 Lofton, she did not attempt to restrain the tears 
 that gushed instantly over her cheeks. 
 
 " Before trying to get her the work," continued 
 Bridget, after a pause, " I thought I'd just c.ome 
 and tell you all about it, as the best thing to be 
 done. I knew your heart was good, and your 
 hand liberal and that if for nothing else, for old 
 remembrance sake, you and Mr. Lofton God
 
 348 bl.AlUNG TO SPEND. 
 
 bless him for his many kind acts ! would do 
 something for the family." 
 
 " We certainly will, Bridget," was the quick 
 reply of Mrs. Lofton. " I am only -sorry that 
 you did not tell me about them sooner. It was 
 only a day or two ago that I asked Mr. Lofton if 
 he knew anything of Mr. Pinkerton or his 
 family, and he said that, for some months, he 
 had lost sight of them altogether, and was under 
 the impression that they had left the city. This 
 confirmed what I had previously heard remarked 
 about their going south some short time after 
 the death of Mrs. Allen." 
 
 " It's jest as I tell ye mem," said Bridget 
 " And I hope you will see them right soon, for 
 I am afraid they are in great need." 
 
 " I will go there this very day, Bridget." 
 
 " Bless your kind soul ! I knew it would be 
 jest so !" said the Irish woman, with the warmth 
 of speech peculiar to her people. 
 
 In less than half an hour from the time Bridget 
 made her communication to Mrs. Lofton, that 
 lady's hand was on the gate opening into the 
 little yard in front of the house occupied by the 
 Pinkertons. How happy had she been with her 
 husband in that humble abode; how wretched
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 349 
 
 were they, hiding themselves there from observa 
 tion, in want and misery ! Her tap at the door 
 was answered by a pale, sad-faced woman in a 
 plain morning wrapper. 
 
 " Is Mrs. Pinkerton at home?" The question 
 had passed the lips of Mrs. Lofton ere she re 
 cognized the changed woman before her as the 
 one she sought. 
 
 " Mrs. Lofton !" was the low, sad response of 
 Mrs. Pinkerton. 
 
 " Excuse my calling upon you," said Mrs. 
 Lofton, as she grasped, with a heartiness that 
 could not be mistaken for anything but the sign 
 of genuine good-will, the hand of Mrs. Pinker- 
 ton " Until to-day, I was under the impression 
 that you had gone South with your husband. 
 But having learnt that you were in the city, 
 that your husband was sick, and that " Mrs. 
 Lofton slightly paused, when Mrs. Pinkerton 
 said, with scarcely a sign of wounded pride in 
 her countenance or tone of voice 
 
 " We were in greatly straitened circum 
 stances " 
 
 " That, Mrs. Pinkerton, I was exceedingly 
 pained to hear," continued Mrs. Lofton. " And 
 BO I have come,, without delay or ceremony, tc
 
 350 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 tender such good offices as you may be willing to 
 accept at my hands." 
 
 AYith a half-wondering yet grateful look, Mrs 
 Pinkerton gazed for some moments into the face 
 of her visiter. All seemed to her for a time, 
 like a dream ; and she did not reply until Mrs. 
 Lofton said 
 
 " How is your husband ? I hope he is not very 
 sick." 
 
 " I hardly know whether he is suffering most 
 'from sickness of the body or sickness of the 
 mind," replied Mrs. Pinkerton. " In their union, 
 however, he is completely prostrated." 
 
 " Is he in any business ?" 
 
 Mrs. Pinkerton merely shook her head. This 
 reference to Mr. Pinkerton, and the rather un 
 satisfactory response, caused a slight embarrass 
 ment on both sides. It was quickly removed by 
 Mrs. Lofton, whose enquiries were made in 
 another direction. Some time, however, elapsed 
 before she was able entirely to break through 
 the shrinking reserve of Mrs. Pinkerton who 
 could not but have her thoughts turned back 
 upon the past; who could not but remember 
 the time when they had met in this very room 
 and oh ! under what a different relation to each
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 351 
 
 other ! But, all this soon passed away. She felt 
 that Mrs. Lofton had come to her as a real friend, 
 and she was in too great need of a friend to hesi 
 tate about meeting the proffered kindness. Ere 
 they separated, she had opened her whole heart 
 to Mrs. Lofton had related the touching particu 
 lars of her sad history, since that unhappy day 
 when a desolating tempest broke suddenly upon 
 her, while yet not even a murmuring prelude of 
 its approach had reached her ears. Scarcely two 
 years had passed since the death of her father, 
 yet in that time they had been reduced to a con 
 dition of utter destitution. After a fruitless strug 
 gle with fortune, her husband, when he found that 
 every attempt to regain a firm resting place for 
 his feet was but a vain effort and that as misfor 
 tune closed darker around him, former friends 
 turned coldly away, while those who had him in 
 their power scrupled not to take from his pocket 
 the last dollar it contained lost all spirit and all ac 
 tivity ; folded his hands, in fact, and sat down 
 for a time, idle, gloomy and utterly despondent. 
 Then he aroused himself, and made a feeble ef 
 fort to procure employment. But, unsuccessful, 
 he shrunk back again into his hiding-place. Now
 
 SPACING TO SPEND. 
 
 he was seriously ill. So much in regard to him 
 Mrs. Lofton was able to gather from his wife. 
 
 A delicate regard for the feelings of Mrs. Pin- 
 kerton prevented the offer of money or direct re 
 lief of any kind. That would have seemed too 
 much like charity. But Mrs. Lofton spoke to her 
 encouragingly, and in a way to inspire the most 
 lively hopes. 
 
 " My husband," said she, " has not the most 
 distant idea of Mr. Pinkerton's real situation. 
 The moment he hears of it he will call to see him ; 
 
 and as he has it in his power, so will it be in his 
 
 _ 
 mind to aid him. Take heart then, my dear 
 
 madam. The darkest hour, you know, is just 
 before the break of day. You have reached the 
 lowest point in the descending circle, and now 
 the movement must be upward again." 
 
 Mrs. Pinkerton shook her head "It will never 
 be upward with us, I fear. We abused our posi 
 tion and our privileges I say it in sorrow and 
 humility and we may never hope to see them 
 return." 
 
 " You may never rise so high again," replied 
 Mrs. Lofton. :< But your happiness needs not de 
 pend on that. It is born of no external condition. 
 Believe me, Mrs. Pinkerton, I was as truly happy
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 353 
 
 in this room as I have ever been in my life. And 
 so may you be. With food and raiment, we should 
 all learn, to be content. This is true Christian 
 philosophy. Live no longer for yourself think 
 
 & 
 
 no longer of yourself but let your best wishes 
 and your best efforts be for your husband and 
 children. You will find in this a rich reward. 
 Paint not murmur not. There is sunshine on 
 the path of every one ; even though at times the 
 rays be few and feeble." 
 
 If Mrs. Pinkerton had not been able to see the 
 rays of sunshine on her path before the visit of 
 Mrs. Lofton, she saw them plainly enough now. 
 They were falling here and there around her ; for 
 a broad rift was in the cloud which had so long 
 enveloped her sky. 
 
 Pained as well as surprised, was Mr. Lofton at 
 the intelligence his wife had to communicate on 
 his return from business. He lost not a moment 
 in visiting Pinkerton, whom he found so utterly 
 prostrate in body and mind as to be almost be 
 yond the inspiration of hope. But the unhappy 
 man soon perceived the real interest felt for him 
 by an early friend, and that friend one possessing 
 full power to give the aid of which he stood so 
 much in need. This quickened a new life within
 
 OUt SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 him, and did more to check the bodily disease 
 from which he was suffering, than all the physi 
 cian's skill. 
 
 " Are you in any business ?" enquired Mr. Lof 
 ton, as soon as the mind of Pinkerton had been 
 awakened into some kind of activity. This was 
 on the occasion of his first visit. 
 
 " None," was gloomily answered. 
 
 " Would you be willing to accept a clerkship 
 at a moderate salary ?" 
 
 " Willing, Mr. Lofton ! Not only willing but 
 truly thankful for such an opportunity to get 
 bread for rny family," was the earnest reply. 
 
 " Very well. I will see to-morrow what can 
 be done for you. A secretary is to be appointed 
 next week in one of our Insurance Companies, 
 and as I am a Director, and possess considerable 
 influence in the Board, there will be little dif 
 ficulty in getting you the appointment. The 
 salary is a thousand dollars." 
 
 " My earliest and now latest friend !" said 
 Pinkerton, with visible emotion, as he grasped 
 the hand of Lofton "How shall I express my 
 thankfulness and gratitude? To-day all hope 
 had died out of my heart ! Sick, broken-spirited, 
 destitute, I felt that I was forsaken of God as well
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 355 
 
 as man. But your good wife came in as an angel 
 of mercy, throwing a few gleams of light across 
 the frowning sky; and now you are here filling the 
 whole air with sunshine. God bless you, my 
 kind friend ! God bless you !" 
 
 He was silent for a few moments, and then re 
 sumed " I have been a very foolish, reckless 
 man, Mr. Lofton, as you know but too well. 
 How often have I thought of your steady, safe, 
 upward movement slow, cautious, but sure. I 
 used to call it dull plodding, and I deemed you 
 lacking in enterprise and true business capacity. 
 Ah ! if I had but taken a few lessons from your 
 example, how different would all have been with 
 me now. What a desperate game I played ! 1 
 only wonder that fortune favored me so long. 
 But I have suffered a terrible penalty. I have 
 drained the cup of consequences, even to the 
 dregs. For myself, I might not have cared so 
 much, had the power remained with rne to re 
 move that bitter cup from the lips of those I 
 loved." 
 
 " The bitterness, I trust, is past now," said 
 Mr. Lofton, encouragingly. " And had I known 
 how it was with you had you come to rne ere 
 overtaken by so sad an extremity much that
 
 350 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 you and yours have suffered might have been pre 
 vented." 
 
 " But do you think, Mr. Lofton," said the other, 
 with some little anxiety in the tones of his voice, 
 " that I stand anything like a fair chance for the 
 situation you have mentioned? There will be other 
 applicants who may have strong friends in the 
 Board." 
 
 " Give yourself no uneasiness about that," re 
 plied Mr. Lofton. " If I do not succeed there, I 
 will in some other quarter. You have good capa 
 city and knowledge of business, and these are al 
 ways in demand. Let your heart be entirely at 
 rest. In the mean time, the wants of your 
 family must be supplied. There " and he placed 
 a small package of bills in the hand of Mr. Pin- 
 kerton " are a hundred dollars. Use the money 
 as you have need. Consider it a loan for twelve 
 months ; or longer, if need be. As for Mrs. Pin- 
 kerton, I hope she will regard my wife as a real 
 friend who desires to serve her." 
 
 Pinkerton had no words to express his grati 
 tude. In the weakness of mind and body, he 
 gave way to a rush of feeling, and wept like a 
 child. While he was yet vainly struggling with 
 this overpowering emotion, Lofton arose, and
 
 _ 
 
 SPARING TO SPEND. 357* 
 
 after whispering, as he bent to his ear, a fow 
 words of encouragement, retired from the house 
 and took his way homeward. 
 
 In two weeks from that day, Mr. Pinkerton en 
 tered upon his duties as Secretary of the In 
 surance Company. How changed he was to the 
 eyes of every one ! It seemed almost impossible 
 for two years to have so marred the countenance 
 and worn down the vigorous frame. Some scarcely 
 recognized the subdued, low spoken, humbled 
 man, as he quietly discharged the duties of his 
 office. One act, following right early upon this 
 change of fortune, marked a new and better state 
 of mind. Aunt Mary Jones was removed from 
 the alrns-house, whither she had been sent in 
 her sickness and poverty, and tafren into his own 
 home, where she quickly won to herself the love 
 of all. Sorrow and suffering had given to Mrs. 
 Pinkerton a purified vision, and she early saw the 
 almost angel-qualities of good Aunt Mary, and 
 found in her a faithful counsellor a wise and 
 loving friend. How soon she began to lean or 
 and to confide in her. To perceive in her pure 
 principles a consistent faith in God, a power to 
 sustain the heart amid all trials. The wish to be 
 like her was, to Mrs. Pinkerton, the beginning of
 
 3o8 SPARING TO SPEND. 
 
 a new state. A germ from heaven was implanted 
 in her mind. In due time, it swelled with in 
 fluent life, and soon the tender green leaves ex 
 panded to the dews and sunshine, giving prom 
 ise of a goodly plant. A trial it was to Mrs. 
 Pinkerton when Aunt Mary, a stranger of whom 
 she had scarcely heard, was brought into her 
 house as a permanent inmate. As cordially as 
 it was in her power, under the circumstances, did 
 she welcome her when she came. But how little 
 dreamed she at the time, of entertaining an angel 
 unawares. 
 
 Ten more years have glided away. As to the 
 Loftons, no change, worthy of record here, has 
 transpired. The Pinkertons have, during the time, 
 been slowly on the upward movement. Mark Pin 
 kerton is a man possessing large experience and 
 no ordinary business capacity These have 
 enabled him again to form an advantageous con 
 nexion. But he is in no danger, we believe, of 
 receding into former errors. The lessons of the 
 past are graven too deeply on his memory.

 
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