A NEW PLEASURE

New Zealand Tablet, 22 July 1909, Page 1127

A NEW PLEASURE

In the beginning of life, Mr. Bolton had possessed a few generous feelings, the remains of early and innocent states stored up in childhood. . His mother, a true woman, perceiving the strong "selfish and accumulative bent of his character, had sought in every possible way to implant :n his mind feelings of benevolence and regard for others. But so strong was the lad's hereditary love of self, that she ever found difficulty in indxicing him to sacrifice what he already considered his own, in the effort to procure blessings for others, no matter how greatly they stood in need. If urged to spend a sixpence of his own for such a purpose, he would generally reply: ' But you've got a great many more sixpences "than I have, mother; why don't you spend them?' To this, Mrs. Bolton would answer as appropriately .is possible; but she found but poor success in her efforts, which were never relaxed. As dollar after dollar was added to his store, his interest in the welfare of others grew less and less active: Early friendships were gradually forgotten, and the first natural desire to see early friends prosperous like himself, gradually died out. ' Every man for himself,' became the leading principle of his life; and he acted upon it on all occasions. At last he was sixty years old, and his wealth extended to many hundreds of thousands of dollars. But he was farther from being satisfied than ever, and less happy than at 'any former period in his life. It happened, about this time, that Mr. Bolton had occasion to go some twenty miles into the country. On returning home, and when within a few miles of the city, his carriage was overset, and he had the misfortune to fracture a limb. This occurred near a pleasant little farm-house that stood a few hundred yards from the road; the owner of which, seeing the accident, ran to the overturned carriage and assisted to extricate the injured man. Seeing how badly he was hurt, he had him removed to his house, and then, taking a horse, rode off two miles for a physician. In the meantime ,the driver of Mr. Bolton' s carriage was despatched to the city for some of his family and his own physician. The country doctor and the one from the city arrived about the same time. On making a careful examination as to the nature of Mr. Bolton's injuries, it was found that his right leg, above .the knees, was broken, and that one of his ankles wa3 dislocated. He was suffering great pain, and was much exhausted. As quickly as it could be done, the bone was set, and the dislocation reduced. By this time it was nightfall, and too late to think seriously of returning home before morning. The moment Mr. Gray, the farmer, saw the thought of the injured man and his friends directed towards the city, he promptly invited them to remain in his house all night, and as much longer as the nature of 'Mr. Bolton's injuries might require. This invitation was thankfully accepted. It was a whole month ere the old gentleman was in a condition to bear the journey to town ; and not once in the whole of that time had Mr. and Mrs. Gray seemed weary of his presence, nor once relaxed in their efforts to make him comfortable. As Mr. Bolton was about leaving, he tendered the farmer, with many expressions of gratitude for the kindness he had received, a hundred-dollar bill, as some small compensation for the trouble and expense he had occasioned him and his family. But Mr. Gray declined the offer, saying, as he did so.: ' I have only done what common humanity required, Mr. Bolton ; and were I to' receive money, all the pleasure I now experience would be gone.' Several months passed before Mr. Bolton was able go out, and then he resumed his old employment of looking after his rents, and seeking for new and safe investments that promised some better returns than he was yet receiving. One day, a broker, who was in the habit of doing business for Mr. Bolton, said to him: ' If you want to buy a small, well-cultivated farm, at about half what it is worth, I think I know where you can get one.' 'Do you?' ' Yes.~ Three years ago it was bought for three thousand dollars, and seven hundred paid down in cash. Only eight hundred dollars have since been paid on it; and as the time for which the mortgage was to remain has now expired, a foreclosure is about to take place. By a little management, I am satisfied that I can get you the farm for the balance due on the mortgage.' ' That is, for fifteen hundred dollars ? ' ' Yes.' 'Is the farm worth that ? Will it be a good investment?' It is in the highest state of cultivation. The owner has ■pent too much money upon it. This, with the loss of his

entire crop of wheat, rye, corn, oats, and hay last year, has crippled him and made it impossible' to pay off the mortgage.' ' How came he to meet with, this loss ? ' \ ■ — - ' His barn was struck by lightning.' That_x£as unfortunate. ' ' The farm will command, at the lowest, two hundred and fifty dollars' rent ; and by- forcing a sale just at this time, it can be had for fifteen hundred or two thousand dollars — half its real value.' ' It would be a good investment at that.' ' Capital. I would advise you to secure it.' ' That was a good speculation,' said the grey-headed when his agent informed him that the detl had been closed. ' First-rate,' replied the broker. ' The farm is worth every cent of three thousand dollars. Poor Gray ! I can't help feeling sorry for him. But it's his luck. He valued his farm at three thousand five hundred dollars. A week ago he counted himself worth two thousand dollars, clean. Now he isn't worth a copper. Fifteen hundred dollars and three or four years' labor thrown away into the bargain. But it's his luck ! So the world goes. He must try again. It will all go in his life-time.' ' Gray? Is that the man's name?' inquired Mr. Bolton His voice was changed. ' Yes. I thought I had mentioned his name.' ' I didn't remark it, if you did. It's the farm adjoining Harvey's, on the north?' ' Yes.' ' I have had it in my mind, all along, that it was the one on the south.' 'No.' 'When did you see Mr. Gray?' ' He was here about half an hour ago.' ' How does he feel about the matter ?' 'He takes it hard, of course. Any man would. But it's his luck, and he must submit. It's no use crying over disappointments and losses, in this world. Mr. Bolton mused for a long time. ' I'll see you again to-morrow,' he said, at length. ' Let; everything remain as it is until then.' Who the real purchaser of his farm was, Mr. Gray did not know, for the broker had bought in his own name So bewildered was the farmer by the suddenly-occurring disaster that, for several days subsequent to the sale, he remained almost totally paralysed in mind. No plans wen laid for the future, nor even those ordinary steps for the present taken, that common prudence would suggest; he wandered about the farm, or sat at home, dreamily musing upon what seemed the utter ruin of all his best hopes in life. While in this state, he was surprised by a visit from Mr. Bolton. The old gentleman, in taking him by the hand, said : f What's the matter, my friend ? You appear in trouble.' ' And I am in trouble,' was unhesitatingly answered. ' Not so deep but that you may get out of it again, I hope?' Mr. Gray shook his head in. a desponding way. '.What is the trouble?' Mr. Bolton inquired. ' I have lost my farm.' 'Oh, no!' * 'It is too true ; it has 3een sold for a mortgage of fifteen hundred dollars. Though I have already paid more than .that sum on account of the purchase, it only brought enough to pay the encumbrance, and I am ruined.' The farmer was deeply disturbed, and Mr. Bolton's feelings were much interested. ' Don't be so troubled, my good friend,' said the old gentleman. ' You rendered me a service in the time of need, and it is now in my power to return it. The farm is still yours. I hold the mortgage, and you need not fear ' another foreclosure.' As he rode back to the city, reflecting upon what he had done, and recalling the delight shown by Mr. Gray and his kind partner, who had attended him so carefully while he lay a sufferer beneath their roof, his heart swelled m his bosom with a new and happy emotion. Having once permitted himself to regard another with an unselfish interest,, that interest continued ; it seemed as if he could not do enough for the farmer in the way of aiding him to develop the resources of his little property. In this he did not merely stop at suggestions, but tenderel something more substantial and available. Nor did th 1 * feelings awakened in his jnind run all in this direction; occasions enough offered for him to be generous to others, and to refrain from oppression for the sake of gain. Many of these were embraced, and Mr. Bolton, in realising the fact that it is sometimes more blessed to give than to receive, found in the latter years of his life a new pleasure — the pleasure of benevolence.