Barriers Burned Away

corn, he believed, for a golden harvest. This large sum was expected to provide for him till he should find a situation and receive th

ll proportions, suggested a modest bill. With a highly important man-of-the-world manner he scrawled his name in an illegible, student-like hand

immered a kettle of hot water for the concoction of punches, apparently more in demand at that hotel than beds. Becoming disgusted with the profanity and obscenity downstairs, h

eep. The scenes of the past blended confusedly with visions of the fu

lotched and broken wall above him. A few minutes sufficed for his toilet, and yet, with his black cur

nt to support his mother and sisters and himself. Thence he could look around till he found the calling that promised most. Having left col

st face, and a letter from his minister, saying that he was a member of the church in Bankville, "in good and regular standing," and, "as far as he knew, a most

ervation, and perhaps he would be able to slip home oftener. So he stopped and asked the man in the ticket-

exist between this man and the public. He acted as if the world in general, instead of any one in particular, had greatly wronged him. It might be a meek woman with a baby, or a bold, red-faced drover, a delicately-gloved or horny hand that reached him the change, but it was all the same. He knitted his brows, pursed u

old water, which he minded but little, and went on his

large dry-good store, he was told that they wanted a cash bo

other three-fourths and pay accord

se. It was midwinter; trade was dull; and with clerks idling ab

nis's heart leaped within him, but sank again as he remembered how litt

letter, and then said, in a business-like t

r, he was excited, and could not do himself justice. Even from his sanguine heart hope ebbed away; but he took the pen and scratched a line or

assed the volume to hi

as from copper-plate,

must write like that, a

g. Good-mor

en convicted of stealing, but the noon-day sun was shining in th

che before long," he said

e entered a retai

young man there, but

ld appear well behind the counter, and make a taking sal

erstand the

soon learn, for I

d, but experience. Ours is not

nnis, rather shortly

tone, and continued: "You spoke as if main strength was

, s

arp bargain, he said, "Why, then, you would have to begin at tho v

t I would do

of experience. I expect, under the circumstances, you

h could

hat would not have su

ot be worth more than that, he was so situat

ignorance to the market," said

fter demolishing a huge plate of such viands as could be had at little cost, he sat brooding over a cup of coffee for an hour or more

ck to his hotel and find a more quiet and comfortable place in which to lodge until something permanent offered. He made what he c

disgust, after walking two or three miles, that he had gone away from his destination instead of toward it. Angry with himself, out of humor with all the world, he began to gi

. It was fine business, just when he needed his wits so sorely, to commence blundering in this style. No wonder he had f

that it will be found a safe general rule, that the nobler the nature, the less worthy of blame, the greater the tendency to blame self rat

and have no definite knowledge of book-keeping! "What have I learned, I'd like to know?" he mut

n and invitingly by, but he

ting fiend seemed to have got into the gin and whiskey bottles behind the red-nosed bartender. To his morbid fancy and eyes, half-blinded with wind and cold, they

tation to drink for the sake of the effects. When was a

a man entered. As Dennis looked at his blotched, sodden face, trembling hand, shuffling gait, and general air of wr

he had ever entertained such a temptation,

ne else, renders true prayer impossible. But he went through the form, and then wrapped himself up as before