Friends and Neighbors Part 9

Time pa.s.sed on, and the session day of the council came round--a day to which Smith had looked forward with no ordinary feelings of interest, that were touched at times by the coldness of doubt, and the agitation of uncertainty. Several times he had more than half repented of his refusal to accept the liberal offer of five thousand dollars, and of having fixed so positively upon six thousand as the "lowest figure."

The morning of the day pa.s.sed, and Smith began to grow uneasy. He did not venture to seek for information as to the doings of the council, for that would be to expose the anxiety he felt in the result of their deliberations. Slowly the afternoon wore away, and it so happened that Smith did not meet any one of the councilmen; nor did he even know whether the council was still in session or not. As to making allusion to the subject of his anxious interest to any one, that was carefully avoided; for he knew that his exorbitant demand was the town talk--and he wished to affect the most perfect indifference on the subject.

The day closed, and not a whisper about the town lot had come to the ears of Mr. Smith. What could it mean? Had his offer to sell at six thousand been rejected? The very thought caused his heart to grow heavy in his bosom. Six, seven, eight o'clock came, and still it was all dark with Mr. Smith. He could bear the suspense no longer, and so determined to call upon his neighbour Wilson, who was a member of the council, and learn from him what had been done.

So he called on Mr. Wilson.

"Ah, friend Smith," said the latter; "how are you this evening?"

"Well, I thank you," returned Smith, feeling a certain oppression of the chest. "How are you?"

"Oh, very well."

Here there was a pause. After which Smith said, "About that ground of mine. What did you do?"

"Nothing," replied Wilson, coldly.

"Nothing, did you say?" Smith's voice was a little husky.

"No. You declined our offer; or, rather, the high price fixed by yourself upon the land."

"You refused to buy it at five thousand, when it was offered," said Smith.

"I know we did, because your demand was exorbitant."

"Oh, no, not at all," returned Smith quickly.

"In that we only differ," said Wilson. "However, the council has decided not to pay you the price you ask."

"Unanimously?"

"There was not a dissenting voice."

Smith began to feel more and more uncomfortable.

"I might take something less," he ventured to say, in a low, hesitating voice.

"It is too late now," was Mr. Wilson's prompt reply.

"Too late! How so?"

"We have procured a lot."

"Mr. Wilson!" Poor Smith started to his feet in chagrin and astonishment.

"Yes; we have taken one of Jones's lots on the west side of the city. A beautiful ten acre lot."

"You have!" Smith was actually pale.

"We have; and the t.i.tle deeds are now being made out."

It was some time before Smith had sufficiently recovered from the stunning effect of this unlooked-for intelligence, to make the inquiry,

"And pray how much did Jones ask for his ten acre lot."

"He presented it to the city as a gift," replied the councilman.

"A gift! What folly!"

"No, not folly--but true worldly wisdom; though I believe Jones did not think of advantage to himself when he generously made the offer. He is worth twenty thousand dollars more to-day than he was yesterday, in the simple advanced value of his land for building lots. And I know of no man in this town whose good fortune affects me with more pleasure."

Smith stole back to his home with a mountain of disappointment on his heart. In his cupidity he had entirely overreached himself, and he saw that the consequences were to react upon all his future prosperity. The public square at the west end of the town would draw improvements in that direction, all the while increasing the wealth of Mr. Jones, while lots at the north end would remain at present prices, or, it might be, take a downward range.

And so it proved. In ten years, Jones was the richest man in the town, while half of Smith's property had been sold for taxes. The five acre lot pa.s.sed from his hands, under the hammer, in the foreclosure of a mortgage, for one thousand dollars!

Thus it is that inordinate selfishness and cupidity overreach themselves; while the liberal man deviseth liberal things, and is sustained thereby.

THE SUNBEAM AND THE RAINDROP.

A SUNBEAM and a raindrop met together in the sky One afternoon in sunny June, when earth was parched and dry; Each quarrelled for the precedence ('twas so the story ran), And the golden sunbeam, warmly, the quarrel thus began:--

"What were the earth without me? I come with beauty bright, She smiles to hail my presence, and rejoices in my light; I deck the hill and valley with many a lovely hue, I give the rose its blushes, and the violet its blue.

"I steal within the window, and through the cottage door, And my presence like a blessing gilds with smiles the broad earth o'er; The brooks and streams flow dancing and sparkling in my ray, And the merry, happy children in the golden suns.h.i.+ne play."

Then the tearful raindrop answered--"Give praise where praise is due, The earth indeed were lonely without a smile from you; But without my visits, also, its beauty would decay, The flowers droop and wither, and the streamlets dry away.

"I give the flowers their freshness, and you their colours gay, My jewels would not sparkle, without your sunny ray.

Since each upon the other so closely must depend, Let us seek the earth together, and our common blessings blend."

The raindrops, and the sunbeams, came laughing down to earth, And it woke once more to beauty, and to myriad tones of mirth; The river and the streamlet went dancing on their way, And the raindrops brightly sparkled in the sunbeam's golden ray.

The drooping flowers looked brighter, there was fragrance in the air, The earth seemed new created, there was gladness everywhere; And above the dark clouds, gleaming on the clear blue arch of Heaven, The Rainbow, in its beauty, like a smile of love was given.

'Twas a sweet and simple lesson, which the story told, I thought, Not alone and single-handed our kindliest deeds are wrought; Like the sunbeam and the raindrop, work together, while we may, And the bow of Heaven's own promise shall smile upon our way.

A PLEA FOR SOFT WORDS.