After he had left the office, Mr. Merton could not drive away from his thoughts the remarks to which the poor man gave utterance, "I wish you had to earn your money as I do mine."
In the midst of a row of figures, "Put yourself in my place" intruded.
Once after it had crossed his mind he laid down his pen, saying, "Well, I think I should find it rather hard. I have a mind to drop in there this afternoon and see how it fares with his family; that man has aroused my curiosity."
About five o"clock he put on a gray wig and some old cast-off clothes, and walked to the door. Mrs. Bishop, a pale, weary-looking woman opened it. The poor old man requested permission to enter and rest a while, saying he was very tired with his long journey, for he had walked many miles that day.
Mrs. Bishop cordially invited him in, and gave him the best seat the room afforded; she then began to make preparations for tea.
The old gentleman watched her attentively. He saw there was no elasticity in her steps, no hope in her movements, and pity for her began to steal into his heart. When her husband entered, her features relaxed into a smile, and she forced a cheerfulness into her manner.
The traveler noted it all, and he was forced to admire this woman who could a.s.sume a cheerfulness she did not feel, for her husband"s sake.
After the table was prepared (there was nothing on it but bread and b.u.t.ter and tea), they invited the stranger to eat with them, saying, "We have not much to offer you, but a cup of tea will refresh you after your long journey."
He accepted their hospitality, and, as they discussed the frugal meal, led them without seeming to do so, to talk of their affairs.
"I bought this piece of land," said Mr. Bishop, "at a low price, and instead of waiting, as I ought to have done, until I saved the money to build, I thought I would borrow a few hundred dollars. The interest on the money would not be near so much as the rent I was paying, and I would save something by it. I did not think there would be any difficulty in paying back the money; but the first year my wife and one of the children were ill, and the expense left me without means to pay the debt. Mr. Merton agreed to wait another year if I would pay the interest, which I did. This year I was for seven months unable to work at my trade and earn anything, and, of course, when pay-day comes around--and that will be very soon--I shall be unable to meet the demand."
"But," said the stranger, "will not Mr. Merton wait another year, if you make all the circ.u.mstances known to him?"
"No, sir," replied Mr. Bishop; "I saw him this morning, and he said he must have the money and should be obliged to foreclose."
"He must be very hard-hearted," remarked the traveler.
"Not necessarily so," replied Mr. Bishop. "The fact is, these rich men know nothing of the struggles of the poor. They are men, just like the rest of mankind, and I am sure if they had but the faintest idea of what the poor have to pa.s.s through, their hearts and purses would open. You know it has pa.s.sed into a proverb, "When a poor man needs help he should apply to the poor." The reason is obvious. Only the poor know the curse of poverty. They know how heavily it falls, crushing the heart of man, and (to use my favorite expression) they can at once put themselves in the unfortunate one"s place and appreciate difficulties, and are therefore ready to render a.s.sistance as far as they are able. If Mr. Merton had the least idea what I and my family had to pa.s.s through, I think he would be willing to wait several years for his money rather than distress us."
With what emotion the stranger listened may be imagined. A new world was being opened to him. He was pa.s.sing through an experience that had never been his before. Shortly after the conclusion of the meal he arose to take his leave, thanking Mr. and Mrs. Bishop for their kind hospitality. They invited him to stay all night, telling him he was welcome to what they had.
He thanked them, and said, "I will trespa.s.s on your kindness no longer. I think I can reach the next village before dark, and be so much further on my journey."
Mr. Merton did not sleep much that night; he lay awake thinking. He had received a new revelation. The poor had always been a.s.sociated in his mind with stupidity and ignorance, and the first poor family he had visited he had found far in advance, in intelligent sympathy and real politeness, of the exquisite and fashionable b.u.t.terflies of the day.
The next day a boy called at the cottage, and left a package in a large blue envelope, addressed to Mr. Bishop.
Mrs. Bishop was very much alarmed when she took it, for large blue envelopes were a.s.sociated in her mind with law and lawyers, and she thought that it boded no good. She put it away until her husband came home from his work, when she handed it to him.
He opened it in silence, read its contents, and said, fervently, "Thank Heaven!"
"What is it, John?" inquired his anxious wife.
"Good news, wife," replied John; "such news as I never hoped for or even dreamed of."
"What is it? What is it? Tell me quickly! I want to hear, if it is anything good."
"Mr. Merton has canceled the mortgage; released me from the debt, both interest and princ.i.p.al; and says any time I need further a.s.sistance, if I will let him know, I shall have it."
"I am so glad! It puts new life into me," said the now happy wife.
"But what can have come over Mr. Merton?"
"I do not know. It seems strange after the way he talked to me yesterday morning. I will go right over to Mr. Merton"s, and tell him how happy he has made us."
He found Mr. Merton in, and expressed his grat.i.tude in glowing terms.
"What could have induced you," he asked, "to show us so much kindness?"
"I followed your suggestion," replied Mr. Merton, "and put myself in your place. I expect that it will surprise you very much to learn that the strange traveler to whom you showed so much kindness yesterday was I."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Mr. Bishop, "can that be true? How did you disguise yourself so well?"
"I was not so much disguised, after all; but you could not very readily a.s.sociate Mr. Merton, the lawyer, with a poor wayfaring man."
"Well, it is a good joke," said Mr. Bishop; "good in more senses than one. It has terminated very pleasantly for me."
"I was surprised," said Mr. Merton, "at the broad and liberal views you expressed of men and their actions generally. I supposed I had greatly the advantage over you in means and education; yet how cramped and narrow-minded have been my views beside yours! That wife of yours is an estimable woman, and that boy of yours will be an honor to any man. I tell you, Bishop," said the lawyer, becoming animated, "you are rich--rich beyond what money could make; you have treasures that gold will not buy. I tell you, you owe me no thanks. Somehow I seem to have lived years since yesterday morning. What I have learned at your house is worth more than you owe me, and I am your debtor yet. Hereafter I shall take as my motto, "Put yourself in his place," and try to regulate my actions by it."
We cannot measure the need Of even the tiniest flower, Nor check the flow of the golden sands That run through a single hour.
But the morning dews must fall, And the sun and summer rain Must do their part and perform it all, Over and over again.
The path that has once been trod Is never so rough to the feet; And the lesson we once have learned Is never so hard to repeat.
Though sorrowful tears may fall, And the heart to its depths be driven With storm and tempest; we need them all To render us meet for heaven.
FORGIVE AND FORGET.
Forgive and forget, it is better To fling all ill feeling aside Than allow the deep, cankering fetter Of revenge in your breast to abide; For your step o"er life"s path will be lighter, When the load from your bosom is cast, And the glorious sky will seem brighter, When the cloud of displeasure has pa.s.sed.
Though your spirit swell high with emotion To give back injustice again, Sink the thought in oblivion"s ocean, For remembrance increases the pain.
O, why should we linger in sorrow, When its shadow is pa.s.sing away,-- Or seek to encounter to-morrow, The blast that o"erswept us to-day?
Our life"s stream is a varying river, And though it may placidly glide When the sunbeams of joy o"er it quiver, It must foam when the storm meets its tide.
Then stir not its current to madness, For its wrath thou wilt ever regret; Though the morning beams break on thy sadness, Ere the sunset, forgive and forget.
--_Robert Gray._
THE INFIDEL CAPTAIN
The ship _St. Thomas_, Captain, Robert Williams, was bound from New York to Liverpool, in the month of June. Favored by a fresh westerly wind, she soon cleared the land, and on the first Sunday out was going along finely with all drawing sail set. The chief mate, Mr. Wm.
Briggs, after the crew had breakfasted, and the watch had been set, asked the captain if he had any objections to calling the men aft to prayers.
"No objection whatever, Mr. Briggs, provided you do the preaching and praying yourself; for you know well enough that I have but little faith in such exercises."
Captain Williams was between forty and fifty years of age, a plain, blunt seaman, who was more ambitious of being considered an enterprising shipmaster than a Christian. His mate was not quite thirty, and was indebted to him for his promotion from before the mast to second mate, and then to that of chief mate; they had sailed together many years, and each had boundless confidence in the other.
Appreciating the motives of his mate, he always permitted him to have prayers on board when the state of the weather was favorable, although he took no interest in religious matters himself.
Mr. Briggs ordered the watch to arrange some seats on the quarter-deck, while he went forward himself and invited the watch below to come aft, and listen to the reading of the Scriptures, and such other religious exercises as the occasion might suggest, remarking at the same time, that it was not his desire to force any man against his will. Without a murmur the watch below, as well as that on deck, repaired to the quarter-deck, and were soon seated around the capstan. The captain took charge of the deck himself, that is, looked out for the proper steerage of the ship, and relieved the second mate, whose watch it was, to join the men at prayers. These arrangements completed, the chief mate placed a Bible on the capstan, read a chapter from the New Testament, made some remarks upon it, and then prayed; after which he read a sermon, and closed with prayer. The whole exercise occupied about an hour, and seemed to produce a good effect upon the men, who, during the rest of the day in their intercourse with one another, talked about religion.