Try Again; Or, the Trials and Triumphs of Harry West. A Story for Young FolksOptic, Oliver
General
Try Again; Or, the Trials and Triumphs of Harry West. A Story for Young Folks
Optic, Oliver
Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Orphans -- Juvenile fiction
"So does everybody."
"A miser wouldn't do what you did for us, Harry," added Mrs. Flint.
"We ought to be careful and saving."
"I have been thinking too much of money. After all, perhaps it was
just as well that I lost that money."
"I am sorry you lost it; for I don't think there is any danger of your
becoming a miser," said Katy.
"Perhaps not; at any rate, it has set me to thinking."
Harry finished the book; and it was, fortunately, just such a work as
he required to give him right and proper views in regard to the value
of wealth. His dream of being a rich man was essentially modified by
these views; and he renewedly resolved that it was better to be a good
man than a rich man, if he could not be both. It seemed to him a
little remarkable that the minister should preach upon this very topic
on the following Sunday, taking for his text the words, "Seek ye first
the kingdom of heaven and all these things shall be added unto you."
He was deeply impressed by the sermon, probably because it was on a
subject to which he had given some attention.
A few days after his return from Rockville, Harry received a very
cheerful letter from Mr. Bryant, to which Julia had added a few lines
in a postscript. The little angel was rapidly recovering, and our hero
was rejoiced beyond expression. The favorable termination of her
illness was a joy which far outbalanced the loss of his money, and he
was as cheerful and contented as ever. As he expressed it, in rather
homely terms, he had got "the streak of fat and the streak of lean."
Julia was alive; was to smile upon him again; was still to inspire him
with that love of goodness which had given her such an influence over
him.
Week after week passed by, and Harry heard nothing of his lost
treasure; but Julia had fully recovered, and for the treasure lost an
incomparably greater treasure had been gained. Edward and himself
continued to occupy the same room, though ever since the loss of the
money box Harry's chum had treated him coldly. There had never been
much sympathy between them; for while Edward was at the theatre, or
perhaps at worse places, Harry was at home, reading some good book,
writing a letter to Rockville, or employed in some other worthy
occupation. While Harry was at church or at the Sunday school, Edward,
in company with some dissolute companion, was riding about the
adjacent country.
Mrs. Flint often remonstrated with her son upon the life he led, and
the dissipated habits he was contracting; and several times Harry
ventured to introduce the subject. Edward, however, would not hear a
word from either. It is true that we either grow better or worse, as
we advance in life; and Edward Flint's path was down a headlong steep.
His mother wept and begged him to be a better boy. He only laughed at
her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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