?fi ''' :-.., tc . : I s t I '','- ' • ... , ..„ .. A _ S 1 c 2 1.'7 1:. 4 ..... ~. , ~.. ... t : ..._ . .. . _ . . ~. .... , .. , SATUEL WRIGHT, Editor and Proprietor. VOLUME XXVIII, NUMBER 36.] PUBLISDED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING. ^WA:cc-in Northern Central Railroad Com pany's Building, no•Uo-uest corner Front and Walnut streets. Terms of Subscription, e"-oe Copy per annum. if paid in advance, of not paid within three Miontfil from COMITICIICCMCIIi of the year, 200 4.43331.1t1E1 CI, , 1'.013 0, jr. No sul,eription received fit , a le.t, time than gix nnoittlir.; and ao piper will be di-continued until all ,trrearag,es are paid, unlet.s at the option of the putt . i.lier. Irr 11.1 o ey may be remitted by mail at the publish •er'lt rink. Rates of Advertising. 1 square [l3 line.] one week, three weeks, each =ul...equent insertion, IU I. " [l2:ines] one week, 511 41. three, week=, I 00 41 cacti subsequent insertion, 25 Larger adverticement. in proportion. A liberal discount will be made to quarterly, ha Ir yearly: or yearlyadvertisere,who are burietl)eourimul to their busine.to. Egftris. The Nest 31.1 Y. When oaken woods With buds are pink. And new-come birds each morning sing,— 'When fickle May, on Summer's brink Pauses, and knows not which to fling— Whether fresh bud , and bloom again. Or hear frost silvering bill and plain,— Then from the huneysuckle gray, The Oriole. with experienced quest, Twitches the fibrous bark away, The cordage of las hammock-nest,— Cheering his labor with a note Rich as the orange of hi. throat. high o'er the loud and du=ty road The soft gray cup in safety swingq, To brim ere August with iur load Of downy brea.ts and throbbing wing, O'er which the friendly elm-tree heave. An emerald roof with sculptured caves. Below the noisy world dregs by In the otil way. (oceanic it The bride with trouble in her eye. The mourner following hated duet Thy duty. winged flume of Spring, Is but to love, and fly, and sing. Oh. happy life, to soar and s,vay Above the life by mortals led, Singing the merry months away, Master, not slave of daily bread. And. when the A utimin conies. to flee lA'berever sunshine beckons thee: PALINODE.—DECC.III3r.R. Like some lone abbey now. the wood Stands roulle.s in the bitter air; In ruins on its floor is strewed The careen toliage quaint mid rare, And houteles , complain along The columned choir once thrilled with .ong And thou, dear nest. whence joy nod praise The thankful Oriole used to pont% „Ssvingst empty, while the north winds chase Their snowy swarms from Labrador But loyal to the happy past. love thee still for what thou WII.t. Alt, when the Summer graces flee From other nests more dear than thou, And, where June crowded once. I see Only bare trunk and disleaved hough. When springs of life that glentned and gushed Hun chilled, and slower, and are hushed, I'll think, that. like the birds of spring, Our good goes not ON ithout reintir, But roily flies to soar and sing For oil in some diviner air, Where we shall hod it in the matins tit that fair gurden'itentlt the puha.. [Atlantic Illontlity. EtEZtit(lls. The Blue Beetle. A WONDROUS TAU: or ALCIIEMI Day after day, and night after night did I brood over the discovery which I thought was about to be opened up to me. I had long bad a belief in the progressive devel opment of creation; I believed that it was still possible to find the speck—the germ from which I could raise up a perfectly or ganized living being. I felt a new and strange pleasure in believing that the mys tery of creation was now solved—that from the first inorganic atom which bad received the force of life all other created beings had slowly, gradually, regularly advanced, up to the period in which I had lived. The power of creation—the secret of life. was my goal. My belief was, that the force of life might be given to this inorganic atom. fy books were those of the alchemists.— With that wild delight I hailed the writings of Albertus Magnus, of Arnold de ViN neuve, Ileidenburg of Trithcim, Raymond Lulls, and Bernard of Treves. I believed in the alchemists. I struggled through the intricacies of their hidden language: their experiments in search of gold I passed over, sronderful as they were, and strangely as they opened my mind to the real truth. I repeated all their experiments on life force, and substantiated every fact I read. My faboratory was perfectly furnished; my days arere spent there, and often entire nights.— ..My mind was absorbed in the great truth I was bringing to light. The confined air of my laboratory at length affected my health; a change was absolutely necessary. I struggled against the idea of removing for some time and often left my little wife with tears standing in'her deep blue eyes, after she had unsuc cessfully implored me to leave London for a short while. Dear Annie: And yet I loved her! Heavens to think that I—. but I must proceed with my story as it occurred. We went to the north of Northumberland to stay with my old friend C—, who had frequently asked us to come on previous oc casions. We were received warmly; and, as it was winter time, we had plenty of oc cupation. A few brisk runs with the country rox bounds almost made inc forget my labora tory. The weather at length changed, first o severe frost with snow, and then to at complete thaw. The dismal north-east wind shrieked through the leafless trees, and drove torrents of sleet splashing against the old-fashioned windows. Tired of hoping and weary of grumbling, I was driven to take refuge in C—'s li brary. After a long search for something interesting, I came upon a little brown vol ume bound with two dingy metal clasps.— On opening, its dark and discolored pages, I found that it was written in French manu script. A hurried glance showed me that the work was on alchemy, a translation from ° the Arabic. All my former hopes returned in an instant. I pured over the pages of my newly obtained treasure till late on in the evening—heedless of the impatience of my friends, who, after several useless attempts to draw me away, at last left me to my book and self. The secret, then, was not mine; here, in this old neglected book, I had found a groundwork for my exertions. All the truths I had collected, all the experiments I had made bore me out. I saw what had prevented others, in ancient times, from car rying out their designs. They knew not the life-giving power: the wonders of elec tricity had not been discovered. Vaguuely hinted at and darkly guessed at in their works I saw them groping their way in mist and uncertainty: but I—l was surrounded by thelight of science. Wonderful, myste rious truths broke upon my mind. My whole method and plan of operations stood out clearly before me. A restless force urged me to continence my scheme instantly. I must leave fur London that very night. I found my wife and friends retiring to rest. I told them my intention of starting for town immediately. Remonstrance and entreaty were of no avail, and in less than an hour I had reached the train at the neighboring railway station, and was hast ening, through the stormy night towards London. The train seemed to drag slowly through the darkness, but about noon next day I arrived at my house. Without rest I commenced my operations; late at night I had nearly completed them, and worn out in body and mind I threw my self on the floor to sleep, lulled by the sub dued sound of my furnace, which moaned and muttered like an unhappy spirit. Early in the morning after a feverish sleep, 1 rose tired and unrefreshed, and be gan to complete the last portion of my ar rangements. This was to prepare the liquid fruits which the beings to whom I was to impart life were to spring. On account of the experiments made in my late studies I had all the ingredients ready in my labora tory. I poured the mixture then carefully into a large silver trough. The liquid was limpid and of a beautiful blue color, proba bly on account of a salt of copper entering largely into its composition. And now I prepared my batteries, and soon afterwards the electric agent was ap plied. To my astonishment no decomposi tion took place—the liquid remained clear and beautifully blue. Thus it remained for some hours. I hung over it in breathless expectation: the only change apparently being that the color seemed deeper and purer. Night came on, and the electric fluid still quietly streamed into the liquid. By acci dent, in adjusting one of the wires, I dashed a few drops from the trough on the floor.— There was a hissing, sound as they fell, and as they butcher] the ground they burst into flame. This I extinguished, and then ap plied myself to observing closely the con tents of the vessel, fur I knew that a great change had taken place in their constitution. I removed the light to a distance, fearing lest it should ignite the vapors which were now rising from the surface. On returning in the dark I found strange flashes of light circling in the interior of the fluid; these gradually became brighter till I was enabled to see every object in the room clearly by their radiance. MO Mil Subtle fumes also were arising from the surface. On inhaling these fumes at first I felt faint, but the sensation passed away.— The perfume now was delicious—it was heavenly; I drank it in like nectar. I gazed upon the corruscating surface, and a deli cious ecstacv seemed to pervade my whole being; delicious streams of music fell softly on my ears, and shadowy forms of ineffable beauty floated in the air around me. Sud denly an insane desire took possession of me: I longed to seize the silver vessel and quaff the deep blue poison. I stretched out my hands with a cry of joy—and then * I recovered at last from a fever which kept me insensible for a week. It was some days before I could get any explanation of how I came to be in my own bed-room, with my little wife attending to my every want, her little hands ever busy, and her eyes beaming with love and tenderness. Gradually the details of my late occupa tion dawned upon my memory. I imagined I perceived the subtle odor diffusing itself through the chamber, and shuddered as I lay back on my pillow- A feeling of re morse came over me when I thought of my design. I felt as if I had intruded where mau should fear to tread, and I felt gratifi cation in thinking that my designs had been frustrated. One morning, when the physician said that I was able to bear the news, I was told that one of the domestics hearing a scream on that fearful night. had forced open the door of the laboratory. A -strange over. powering perfume, lie said, at first drove "NO ENTERTAINMENT IS SO CHEAP AS READING, NOR ANY PLEASURE SO LASTING." COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 13, 1858. him hack,but rushing in a second time, he found me lying insensible on the floor. With breathless eagerness I asked if any of the apparatus in the room had been touched? No, nothing had been touched; the windows had been opened to allow the poisonous vapors to escape, the doors had then been locked and had never been opened since. A weight seemed removed from my mind—l would instantly go down and de stroy all that remained of my strange ex periment. I was still too weak: three or four days passed over, and then I was able to go down stairs. With trembling hands and beating heart (why I could not tell) I turned the key and entered the laboratory alone.— Everything remained as I had left it a fort night before. There stood the ponderous batteries, long since worked out; there loosely hung the copper connecting wires covered with green rust. The silver trough was tarnished and dim, but everything stood as I had left it.' The interior of the trough was coated with metallic copper, while the solution had almost entirely evaporated; there was still a small quantity of liquid at the bottom, covered with thick, opal-tinted mould. On looking closely at this mould-covered residue, I noticed a peculiar irregularity in its surface. There were five little heaps or hillocks in :'regular arrangement—one at each angle of a square, and one in the cen tre—exactly like The fire-side a gaming die. These heaps were of such equal size and uniform shape, that I could not attrib ute their presence to chance. I supposed that electricity had so acted upon the parti cles of the solution as to make them take up their present position. I examined the mould under the micro scope, and found tt to be a fungus of a pe culiar kind, but in removing sonic more of the mould with a glass rod, I happened to touch one of the little heaps, and found un der it a small blue crystal of cubic form, and under each of the other three angular hillocks I found a similar crystal. On re moving the mould from the centre hillock I found what, at first, I thought was a circu lar mass of the same crystaline substance; but imagine my surprise and horror when I saw the mass begin to struggle among the liquid, and, clearing away the silky needles of thelmould, disclose to my view a large searabams of perfect shape and of a deep blue transparent color. A feeling of terror filled my mind.— Whence bad come this strange creature? Whence Caine the powers with which he stretched out his antenna:, drew the blue case-covers from his back, and cleared the mould from his filmy wings? Could this be the result of my researches—my days of toil, my nights of unrest? A beetle! I strove to laugh, but the attempt failed. and my heart sank within nie with estrange foreboding. At this moment, from the in terior of the trough arose a peculiar sound —like the rapid ticking of a clock, although louder, and with a metallic tinkle in it—it was the same sound as that produced by the "death-tick" beetle. As soon as the sound died away I looked once more at the creature; he was half out of the liquid, and evidently as yet unable to fly. The prominent desire in my mind was to destroy the insect for his unearthly sounds and the strange flashing of his bead like eyes made me tremble with a vague terror. However, I overcame the feeling, and determined to let him live fur a few days. Early the next morning I visited the lab ratory, but on looking into the silver vessel, I was unable to detect the scarahous. Puz zled and annoyed, I began to inspect the room, when I suddenly heard the ominous "death-tick," and after a few preliminary flights round the room, the beetle alighted upon the rim of the trough. A ray of sun light glancing in fell upon him, his color was exquisite—arich deep cerulamn blue, he seemed a living sapphire, and would have been beautiful but for his loathsome form. I had brought a piece of sugar with me. which I thought might please the taste of my new favorite. I placed it on the bench near—he flew directly towards it and settled upon it: but, as if dissatisfied, a moment afterwards he flew back to the rim of the trough. I heard a low whine at my feet, and looking down, saw my wife's little dog, "Lalctte." I threw the rejected sugar to wards her, and soon heard her crunching it up in her little jaws. Shortly afterwards I left the room, and as I closed the door. louder than ever I heard the sound of the "death-tick." I was engaged out of doors during the day, and in the evening my wife's first question was, whether I bad seen "Lalette" that day? I then remembered that she bad been in the laboratory with me in the morn ing, and fancying that she must be locked in, I went to the door, and on opening it called her by name. There was no move ment or response; but ns I called again, .omething whirred past me in the air and dashed out into the hall. I felt certain that my beetle had escaped. Shutting the door hastily, I rushed back for a light. On re entering the laboratory I could neither see nor hear anything of the beetle; but in the middle of the floor, exactly where I had left her in the morning, poor "Laletto" was lying dead. Some portions of the sugar were still lying beside her—she had been poisoned. Once more before leaving I sought diligently for the beetle, but no trace was to be found; "Lalette" was a great favorite, and my poor wife was inconsolable. I told her the dog must have picked up sonic poison in my room; and with promises of a new canine favorite soon her grief calmed down. All that night an indefinable horror took possession of me. When I thought of that living sapphire being at large in the house, a firm belief possessed Inc that "Lalette" had been killed by that poisonous insect.— All that night he haunted Illy dreams; sev eral times 1 started from ~lumber, thinking I heard that unearthly death-tick. I deter mined in my feverish; sleeplessness to search every nook and corner of the house on the morrow. I felt at times that my existence, my destiny, was bound up in the life of this hideous insect. Reproaches seemed spoken to me, in one dream of that long night, that I had created a living poison, and sent it out into the world. I shuddered and awoke. The words seemed burnt upon my brain. Could I ever forget them? Listen! Next morning I heard that one of the do mestics, a young and pretty girl of nineteen years, was ill. Three days afterwards she The doctors said it was heart disease. One of them, a sententious old empiric, said the only peculiarity of the case was a strange mark upon the girl's breast. A pang shot through my whole frame. A mark! - What mark? What was it like? By a mysterious perception I knew that this mark concerned me. But how? I soon knew. On the cold white breast of the corpse were fire blue spots, arranged like the spots on the . fire side of a die. Controlling my emotions as best I could, I locked myself in my own room, and, burying my face in my hands, cried, in ag ony—" Accursed beast! this is thy work; the blood of an innocent being is on my hands!" My brain seemed whirling around, and every attempt to collect my thoughts was in vain. The infernal creature—my creature?—had murdered this young girl, and how knew I where he would stop? One thing was plain; my wife and the whole household must he removed immediatel2,.. , Seizing a pen, I hurriedly wrote to C—, and explaining, as best I could, the unex pected visit of my wife, I went up to the station and saw her start by the first train to the North. The corpse of the young girl was removed by her friendsin the afternoon, and the other servants were despatched to their respectke homes. I was left alone in the house all that long, lonely night. I waited in each room listen ing for that fearful "death-tick. Never lov er waited more anxiously the a loving whis per from loved lips than I for that hideous sound. But, save the hushed murmur of the mighty city, and the clang of the slow hours as they missed, and the beating of my Own heart, all was silence. I searched all that night. and the next, but no vestige of the loathsome creature mild I find. On the fourth day came a letter from my wife. My friend C-- was ill; he was sinking fast, and wished to see me. Locking, up my house—not without some dread—l journeyed northward to house. As I drove up the long avenue in the afternoon, I thought the old mansion had a mournful gloom brooding over it.— My heart way depressed—a presentiment of CN i I long about me. I could not east it off. The tearful face of the ,Tvant who admitted me added to my mournful forebodings. I found C— in bed, dying. 1)::ing! The first glance showed me that his days were numbered. A sickly smile of welcome played over Ida feature.; as I approached din but it almost instantly changed for a look of intense suffering. I asked what the par t:cal:lr symptoms of Ids illness were. The medical man in attendance tried to explain the malady, but left me painfully impressed with the idea that he was entirely ignorant of the disease. I had turned to speak to some of the family who were in the room, when I was startled by a piercing cry of agony from the bed. C— was sitting up hi lied, his wan face was distorted with pain; he was grasping his neck with his white nervous hands.— "My throat is on fire!" he shrieked.—"lt burns, it burns! Water! for the love of heaven! a drop of water!" Trembilinc,, , . held a tumbler of water to his lips; he had scarcely tasted it when lie dashed the glass from my bands to the floor, exclaiming. "Devil! I did not ask for vitriol—give me water—water!" As he said this he tore open the neck of his dressing-gown.— Merciful heavens! cou:d I bclive my eye sight? There was the fatal mark. There —even among the purple distended veins which interlaced like strong cords around his neck—l could see it. Fire blue spots ar ranged lil.•e the /Ice-side of a dic: The room swam before my eyes, and the word "Mur derer!', seemed ringing in my cars. * *F * * When I recovered, C— was dead. My agitation had been attributed to grief at my friend's death; no one had noticed the cursed mark but myself. The members of the family were absorbed in grief; my wife strove to soothe and solace them: but such work was not for me. I gave myself up to my own frightful re flections. The creature bad then found his way to this remote place; how, I knew not, nor did I ever know. It wa- enough for me to know that he was there. My olde.t, truest friend was dead, and a happy home had been rendered wretched, and through me— Through this cursed creature of mine.— Why had I not obeyed the first impulse, and killed him as he lay in the mould in the sil ver trough. I wandered out into the night; my mind was all in desolate confusion. It was a lovely night—the sky glimmered with stars, and the full moon ruse as I walked. with un even steps through the trees. I threw my self on the wet grass and wept like a child. Soon the soft shimmer of the moonlight broke out into full radiance. and bathed the whole country in a flood of beautiful light. The gentleness of the scene after a time im pressed me. I became calmer and reflected on my position. "If the creature is here, he must be hunted down," I dare not tell the household; there was guilt and. blood on my conscience. They would deem me mad, I thought. Then, again, I thought the ex citement of the last few days, together with my late illness, might have produced the effect of an optical illusion—that there was no mark. This conviction strengthened, I turned again to the house. The servant who opened the door started when he saw my altered appearance, mat ted hair, and wet disorderly dress. But I asked calmly to be shown to the room where the body of C— was lying. I went in alone. Need I tell the result?—tbe fearful mark was there, and stood out brightly against the cold white skin. Every corner of the room I searched, but no trace of the fiendish beat was there.— After sonic time spent in this vain search 1 left the room, and gained my wife and her friends below. They were shocked at my strange appearance. I sat apart, moody and silent. A heavy suffocating cloud of presentiment overpowered me—l felt that my cup was not yet tilled, I should have to drink it to its bitter—bitter dregs. We separated to retire to rest; but though few of us expected to sleep, no sooner had I laid my head on the pillow than I fell asleep— as dreamless and almost as breathless as that of the corpse in the next chambar. I do not know how long I had slept, when I awoke suddenly with an unaccountable feel ing of terror. How dark the room is getting—put your ear closer to my mouth—l feel faint with speaking loud—but I must tell you all. I awoke, and, seemingly, close by my ear —loud and distinct—l heard the death tick! .3ly hands clenched till the nails penetrated the flesh when I knew lie was within my reach—close by my earl Heaven help me if I do not crush the creature now. The moonbeams poured in through the windows and filled the room with a mysteri ous light. The rays struck across the pil lows of the bed and fell softly on the up turned face of my little wife. She slu Inhered peacefully; but on her snowy brow, glitter ing as blue as heaven itself, was the loath some beetle. With one blow I struck him from her face, and then le•tped from the bed. I saw his glittering jewel-like form upon the ground—l seized it and crushed it in my hands—a fierce pain shot up toy arm —my blood seemed changed to molten lead. The agony was excruciating. I dropped the N ilc abortion; he flew front me, and dashing through the glass of the wiudo w, disappeared in the moonlight night. My story is well nigh toll. You know— you know how my wife sickened and—died. But listen! you did not see the blue mark upon her white brow. flow dark the mon is.--and how slowly my heart is beating-. Look at this arm— here!—above the elbow, there is the death brand—Fire. blue arranged like the &pots on a die. I have lint an hour to live. You know my secret. ''' Let me rest. The Viigginzes Joel Wiggins is a "merchant." You will sec his sign at No.— Second street. It is a small tin sign, with red letters on a white ground. if I mistake not, the word "No tions" is just under the name. "What is your busband'sbusiness?" asked a prying inquisitive of Mrs. Wiggins, at Newport, last summer. "Ile is a Philadelphia merchant," an swered the lady, with dignity. That of course settled the matter. If a woman doesn't know how to designate her husband, in the name of wonder who should know? lea, Mr. Wiggins is a merchant. "And occupies that handsome store with the brown stone front?" No, not exactly. If you look a little closer, yon will see that Dick & 'Dickson importers, are the occupants of that elegant establishment. You must ascend to the second floor to find our "Notion" merchant. Bustling, active, self-important Joel Wig gins; there he is, in his curiosity shop, sur rounded by things grotesque and arabesque, symmetrical and deformed, useful and orna mental, gathered originally from all parts of the earth. Fire crackers, crying babies, red and white tape, fans, marbles, toys, f4nmes masks, puzzles, hobby horses, porce lain, bisque and Parian figures, motto cups and motto wafers, but—the inventory is hope]es•! If your curiosity is excited on the subject, reader, call at \o.—and satisfy yourself. Wiggins' store is a perfect mu- ES= Times were prosperous, and the credit of Wiggins was good for anything lie wished to purchase. So he bought freely in New York and Boston, as well as from importers in Philadelphia. Ire sold as freely, on the principle, we suppose, or "come easy, go easy." Ire had but to select goods, to any amount, and they were promptly delivered, 81,50 PER. YEAR IN ADVANCE; 82,00 IF NOT IN ADVANCE the invoice rendered, and a note at four or six months .taken in payment. And as he was treated, so he treated his customers. and they found their way to his "Notion" room from all parts of the country far and QM What a splendid business he was doing! Sales mounted upward at the rate of seventy, eighty, and one hundred thousand dollars a year, and his profits ranged from ten to forty per cent. Wiggins was getting rich so fast that his bead swam as lie looked from the sudden height he had obtained. Twen ty-five per cent. clear profit annually! that was the flattering unction which he laid to his soul, and not very fir in the golden dis tance he saw himself a merchant prince. Buying on time and selling on time are all very well, if the selling time is shorter than the buying. The reverse is generally the case. It was so with Joel Wiggins.— He bought at four, six, and eight months, and sold at six, eight, nine, and twelve months. Of course, when his own notes be came due he had to meet them by discounts. The two banks in which he kept his ac counts—checking from one and depositing in the other a great many times in a day, to indicate active business, just as a doctor with limited practice rides hurriedly about the streets to indicate the existence of nu merous pressing calls--the two banks gave him a certain ''line" of discount, about ten cents on the dollar of his wants. The nine ty per cent. was raised "on the street," that is, through bill brokers who represents] private money lenders and unscrupulous bank officers. On this ninety per cent. Wiggins paid at the rate of from one to two and-a half per cent. a month, according to the estimated value of paper or collateral which he bad to offer. So affairs went on swimmingly with Mr. Joel Wiggins. He was getting rich fast— "hand over fist." as he sometimes elegantly expressed it. His bills receivable and stock of goods showed always a large sqrplusage over bills payable. With the comfortable feeling consequent upon the fact that money was being so rap idly accumulated, Mr. Wiggins, and Mrs. Wiggins, and Araminta Jane Wiggins, the wife and oldest daughter, naturally enough concluded that it was time to live in a style better agreeing with their position. So the modest, comfortable house in Buttonwood street, at three hundred and fifty dollars year, was given up, and a stylish affair be yond Broad street rented at eight hundred per annum. Now, the mere increase of rent from three hundred and fifty to eight hundred a year would not have been so very serious a mat ter, if the affair could have stopped at the simple removal from Buttonwood street to the West End. But that was out of the question. The single item of new furniture was twenty-five hundred dollars, and the annual increase of expenditure, exclusive of of rent, one thousand. Mrs. Wiggins and Araminta Jane, moreover, attempted the fashionable, and this cost something—not a dime le,s than another thousand dollars; for Shawls. Sill, lace, and jewelry bills mount up wonderfully fast! No. a thousand dol lars is below the mark. It costs a trifle to be fashionable: Next, a carriage, and nest a country house. They came naturally. A cottage an garden, overlooking the Delaware.— That was the climax! Everything went on charmingly. Mrs. Wiggins and Araminta .Jane were at New port last summer, bent on making a sensa tion, and Mr. Wiggins was in Philadelphia. taking care of his payments, which were heavy. Money all at once grew a little tight: banks were unaccommodating, and Mr. Wiggins found himself obliged to sub mit to sundry terrible hard shaves in order to "raise the wind." One day his bill broker could get nothing on the paper he had to offer. So he was forced into Third street. where, on "undoubted" collateral he raised two thousand dollars for two days, at one per cent. a day! On the next day money was a little tighter. Ire had five thousand to pay. He got through, but only at a "terrible sacrifice." On the day following he raised three thou sand more to lift maturing notes, but not enough to meet the two thousand covered by collateral", on which he was paying one per cent. a day. TIM arrangement was continue I for two days longer, Mr. Wiggins began to feel a little uneasy. Plump on to one of his desponding after three o'clock hours, came a letter front Mrs. Wiggins asking for five hundred dollars.— Mr. Wiggins crushed the letter passionately, muttering. "Five hundred devils!" It was unamiable and unconjugal; but he was in trouble, and excited. On the following day Mr. Wiggins sent his wife one hundred and fifty dollars, with directions to pay off her bills and return with Araminta Jane immediately. Both she and Araminta Jane demurred, and scolded hint soundly for his niggardly re sponse to their demand for money. They did not mean to leave until the close of the season. But Mr. Wiggins was in earnest, and ho made them comprehend it in another letter, That brought them off by the neat , boat for New York. Joel Wiggins was getting frightened. The banks threw him out altogether, and he was at the mercy of the shavers. But few country merchants had been in, and few of them brought money. Sales were light against an unusually large stock of good", [WHOLE NUMBER, 1,441. which could not be forced on the market and sold at even half their value. His country house cost him ten thousand dollars. He mortgaged it for five. Tried a second mortgage for three thousand more, but no one bid. It must be sold, then—matters were pressing. Mr. Wiggins announced the fact at home, like one who expected a strife. It came. Mrs. Wiggins and Ara minta Jane were astounded and indignant. "Never!" said Mrs. Wiggins. "Never!" cried Araminta Jane. ,'What will people say at this coming down?" queried Mrs Wiggins. "It will kill mc!" sobbed Araminta Jane, who had caught a beautiful beau at New port, and was expecting an offer of marriage by every mail. "They'll say that Joe Wiggins has been living too fast," was answered, bluntly, "and they'll say the truth; I'd no business with a country house yet awhile." "You'll put down the carriage next, I suppose:" said Araminta Janc, indignantly, not really meaning to be understood as in dread of that extreme measure, but rather intending her words as a cutting rebuke. "Just so," replied Mr. Wiggins, who, now that the ice was broken at the edge of the stream, felt his courage rise into a desperate resolution to go through. "Just so, my dear; the carriage will have to be rut down, and Mrs. Wiggins and Araminta Jane must walk, or take sixpenny rides in the omnibus. Necessity knows 11,) law. We will not describe the scene that fol lowed. Mrs. Wiggins was at first indignant; but after awhile she calmed down, and hearkened a little to reason. Araminta Jane indulged in a fit of hysterics, from which she did not recover for some hours. But Mr. Joel Wiggins was inexorable. On the nest day the country house was advertised for sale. On the nest came the startling announcement of the failure of the Ohio Life and Trust Company. And then —but the disastrous events that followed are of too recent occurrence to require a word of detail. Joel Wiggins was borne down in the general crash, a fact that will in no way surprise the reader. Mrs. Wiggins was inconsolable fur a time; Araminta Jane in de , pair. Oh, the disgrace of coming downl It seemed as if it would kill them. The carriage went, of course, and with it the caped and banded coachman. The folly had gone that far. The broken "Notion" merchant, who had kept his carriage, and boasted a country house, called together his creditors, and made an exhibit of his affairs. Alas! the column of assets did not foot up as large as the column of liabilities by many thonsands of dollars. The discount and interest ac count showed a fearful balance on the wrong side. Thirty thousand dollars bad been paid for the use of money in less than four scars! Mr. Wiggins owed eighty-three thousand dollars, and his nominal assets were sixty-four! So much for the rich mer chant, who had set up his carriage, and sent his wife and daughter to see high life and spend money at Saratoga and Newport! ne represents a class, and is rather a favorable specimen; fur Mr. Wiggins really meant to be honest, but the inflation of the times led Lim into error. The creditors of Mr. Wiggins were not hard on him. They agreed to accept forty cents on the dollar, taking his own notes at six, twelve, eighteen and twenty-four months in settlement. A few wanted to shut him up. They were outraged at the country house and carriage part of the business; but the majority pitied poor Wiggins, who was deeply humiliated, and almost ready to shoot himself in despair. "We must give up this house!" said Mr. Wiggins, on returning home from the meet ing of his creditors. die spoke like a man in earnest. Mrs. Wiggins started and flushed, Araminta Jane turned pale. "Your creditors have not been so exact- ing: so cruel:" "Are you nothing but selfish fools!" ex claimed Mr. 'Wiggins. his wrath leaping over all barriers. "Hard! cruel! They have been kinder than I had dared to hope for." "Oh, then we will not be forced to move from here:" sobbed Araminta Jane. '•lt would kill me. I could never survive the humiliation! You must not think of it, Pa." "It is thought of and decided," said the resolute Mr. Wiggins. "The bubble has burst., and lam now a bankrupt. We went up like a rocket, and now we are coming down like the stick." "But we will economize," said Mrs. Wig- MI "I know you will, for necessity knows no law," was the answer. "We'll send away the waiter and let the chamber maid attend the door and table." "The cook can attend to the door, and we'll wait on ourselves at table. It won't be the first time in our lives! I, for one. feel relieved. It always annoys me to have a waiter gaping at me while I eat." Poor Araminta Jane was in despair. t "We can't get all our furniture into a smaller house," said Mrs. Wiggins. "Very true," replied Mr. Wiggins. "I've I thought of that. We'll have a sale, and get 1 rid of the costly lumber that surrounds us. Plainer furniture will suit better our reduced style of living, and—my honorable purposes." "A sale! Oh, disgrace. disgrace! Would you kill me, sirr And Araminta Jane coa -1 fronted her resolute papa with the counte nance and attitude of a tragedienne.
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