In October, the Whitney place, which had been leased for several years, was advertised to be sold at public sale. The owner had gone to the city and become a successful merchant, had outlived his local attachments, and now took advantage of a rise in real estate to disburden himself of a property which he could not profitably control. Everybody from far and wide attended the sale, and, when Jacob Flint and his father arrived, everybody said to the former: “Of course you've come to buy, Jacob.” But each man laughed at his own smartness, and considered the remark original with himself. Jacob was no longer annoyed. He laughed, too, and answered: “I'm afraid I can't do that; but I've kept half my word, which is more than most men do.” “Jake's no fool, after all,” was whispered behind him. The bidding commenced, at first very spirited, and then gradually slacking off, as the price mounted above the means of the neighboring farmers. The chief aspirant was a stranger, a well-dressed man with a lawyer's air, whom nobody knew. After the usual long pauses and passionate exhortations, the hammer fell, and the auctioneer, turning to the stranger, asked, “What name?” “Jacob Flint!” There was a general cry of surprise. All looked at Jacob, whose eyes and mouth showed that he was as dumbfoundered as the rest. The stranger walked coolly through the midst of the crowd to Samuel Flint, and said, “When shall I have the papers drawn up?” “As soon as you can,” the old man replied; then seizing Jacob by the arm, with the words, “Let's go home now!” he hurried him on. The explanation soon leaked out. Samuel Flint had not thrown away his wealth, but had put it out of his own hands. It was given privately to trustees, to be held for his son, and returned when the latter should have married with his father's consent. There was more than enough to buy the Whitney place. Jacob and Susan are happy in their stately home, and good as they are happy. If any person in the neighborhood ever makes use of the phrase “Jacob Flint's Journey,” he intends thereby to symbolize the good fortune which sometimes follows honesty, reticence, and shrewdness. CAN A LIFE HIDE ITSELF?