Part 9 (1/2)

When aed to do as Roo to cities where ht before, point out the defects of rival publications, give an unabridged dictionary to each official, offer a ten per cent co pin,” take the board in a hack to their headquarters, secure a reconsideration, telegraph for ons and helpers, put our readers into every school in the town

This was sharp practice, prices were cut, until finally, we gave new books in even exchange for old ones, trusting to future sales to reimburse us, but when they needed another supply, they would swap even with another publisher, so that our bread cast upon the waters never returned

We often secured ”louder calls” for influential teachers and clergy they had to sell at their own prices untilthe little ones, and then ca, afterloneso there who had a summer residence in R----, and concluded to renew hter hom I had enjoyed many rides and sails, and to whom I had quoted many romantic poe, for I was always a bashful youth, I rang the door bell, and was ushered into the parlor where I caught raceful younger sister to wholance, I kneasour souls in one? Had we lived and loved on some fairer shore? Who can tell? Had our spirits been wandering through the universerest until we els know

All we knew and all we seemed to care to knoas that at last each had found the ”alter ego” for which it pined There were no others on earth--father, mother, sister, brothers, cae as it , we told each other the old, old story, first told in Eden, reiterated by millions since, and will continue to be rehearsed until Gabriel through his tru to the world

With favoring winds, o'er sunlit seas, We sailed for the Hesperides, The land where golden apples grow; But that, ah that was long ago

How far, since then, the ocean streams Have swept us from that land of dreams, That land of fiction and of truth, The lost Atlantis of our youth

Ultima Thule, utmost isle, Here in thy harbors for a while, We lower our sails; awhile we rest Fro time I had divided homes and a divided heart, one at the old home with the old folks, the other in the city by the sea

In our new-born and first-born enthusiasm, we applied to Mary's parents for an early union of hands as well as hearts; but they wisely insisted upon a year's interi that, if at the end of this trial time our ardor had not cooled, they and the minister would ”bless you my children,” and our hearts should beat as one forevermore

The course of true love never did run s day arrived, Mary's mother told irl had a prior claihter was invisible, I left the house in a rage

A week, which sees in which I strove to drownbowl” of hard work, and foolish declarations that ”I didn't care”; then ca for his wife'sthe me to call at my earliest convenience

The very next train took -place, once ed dove of peace brooded over the B--mansion, and we all, especially the parents, fully realized that in order to appreciate heaven we must have at least seven days of hell

Shortly after, at the home of the bride's parents, ere made one in the presence of numerous friends and presents; the old shoes and rice were duly showered, and ere off for athis wedding tour, at the request of enerously paying all our expenses, and continuingtheir varied attractions; but the business part of our journey, which was collecting large suhtful, as the banks had all suspended specie payreen back craze,”

and I was often obliged to resort to legal measures and attachments of property, to secure fro overdue

At one hotel we h proved serious

I akened at night by the flash from a bull's eye lantern, a sense of suffocation and a screa to my face a handkerchief saturated with chlorofore sum of money which I had collected the day before

”No noise,” said he, ”your ht,” said I quietly, ”I'll get it for you” He stepped back a pace, I quickly pulled fro revolver, and fired in rapid succession

His pistol exploded at nearly the saht vanished, and for a time all was darkness and suspense I expected another bullet anyto fire at myself, feared to jump from the bed lest I be seized by invisible hands of the desperate villain Then cahbors aroused by the uproar Encouraged by the reinforceh the openon to a piazza roof, thence by a pillar to the ground

Then ere besieged by excited inquirers, and the rosy-fingered Aurora, daughter of the dawn, appeared before the calm which succeeded the storreat light went out on earth to shi+ne in heaven My wife's father suddenly left the body,--he did not die, for

There is no death, what seems so is transition, This life of mortal breath Is but a suburb of the life Elysian, Whose portal we call death