visit than one who had a living to get, I returned to my native place, and presented myself to the kind draper alluded to, who cheerfully took me into his service. He instructed me in the art of measuring cloth, taught me how to ascertain the quality of goods, and made me acquainted with other needful things pertaining to my new calling. I was to enter private homes, exhibit samples of my goods, make it clear that those whose custom I sought would do well to deal with me, and above all to effect sales on the ready-money principle. Now, bad I been the most courageous of men, and gifted with the greatest volubility, uccess would have been impossible, owing to this ready-money law; but when this barrier was placed in the way of one so shy and unfluent as I was, I might as well or better have stayed at home. However, I set off. Stayed out two days and one night (which I spent near a pit-top at Maryport, as I did not wish to spend money in lodgings which I could not earn), and then turned my face once more homeward. The two or three visits I made were most discouraging to me, so the others were made in imagination only, I mentally asking and answering the questions, and always framing the answers to my disadvantage. Throwing up my situation, much to the grief of my kind employer and his wife, I was once more adrift, and once again turned my face towards Liverpool. Having this time left nothing behind to fall back upon, I made a better push for a situation, but, for a whole fortnight without the least success. Thirty years ago the practice of putting a large number of extra men on to assist in getting a paper out, although it had gained a footing, had not grown to its present dimensions; therefore not a tithe of casually-employed men hung about the town. Nor were there any daily papers at that time; hence the chances for strangers were very slight. I could not mix with the little groups of men who made their regular calls at the various offices, not from any dislike to them, but simply because of my lack of courage. My faculty of distinguishing them at a great distance became astonishing even to myself; and so great became my fear of encountering them that I have stood at a distance, when I have seen them about to enter an office, and secretly watched their return. If two or three out of half-a-dozen came back, I used to credit myself with the belief that, as known men had been refused, I should certainly have shared the like fate, so that I persuaded myself that I had lost nothing by non-application. Some who knew me and my miserable habit blamed me much, and now and then scolded me to my face; but it was of no avail: I could pine but I could not shoulder the cross. One Monday afternoon in July, on returning from a saunter on George's Pier Head, I went into the Floating Mariners' Church, and heard a sermon by the present Dean of Ripon, Dr. M'Neil; and on strolling down Castle-street an idea came into my mind that I would call at the Albion office and have a little talk with a late fellow-workman, who had got the situation of shop-keeper, or receiver of orders in that establishment. This was the end of my perplexities for the present, as the sequel proved; and thus it appeared that that God who had made me timid, pitying my sorrows, waited to be gracious to me. My friend really pitied me, and knowing well my failings, he told me he would do for me what I could not do for myself-he would ask the overseer to engage me. I went to my lodgings in a state bordering on frenzy; and th- was turned into gratitude and praise to God when, in less than an hour, a messenger came to my lodgings with the intelligence that I was to be at work at eight o'clock next morning. That hour found me once more at work for my living. I liked my place much. Wages were good, and the hours were more regular than I had been used to; and for every hour I wrought beyond the stipulated ones I had pay. There was, however, a serious drawback to my happiness in this place. I had to work a few hours every Sunday. I do not intend here to go into the question of Sunday labour; I only wish to observe that my piety, feeble at best of times, began sensibly to droop and decay. "Evil communications corrupt good manners." My associates in the printing-office cared not for God's ways; I had not courage to meet their ribaldry with becoming boldness; and the loss of grace attendant upon my loss of Sabbath-days' worship, all made sad havoc with my godliness. One day a small event.occurred which a bolder nature than mine would have braved, but which sorely tried me. I will relate it. When at home I wore a white cravat on Sabbath days. This habit I continued in Liverpool. One Sabbath afternoon, on leaving my class-meeting, I went home to change my neck covering, previous to going to work; but it happened that day that my hostess was not in; hence I was compelled to appear at my case in my clerical attire. You should have seen the looks and the smiles with which the lit red-faced country-looking youth was greeted. I could have melted had been possible. Honestly, I cared less for myself than I did for the cause I represented; I felt that my being there, with the badge of godliness on, was out of place; my inconsistency took from me my little strength, and I felt that I deserved the banters of my fellow-workmen. Though I never appeared again in the same fashion, yet I felt that I began to care less for my Saviour, and ere long I dabbled in wrong-doing. In a month or two a wandering fit came over me. I was unsettled because I was unhappy; so, without saying a word to any one, I set off for Manchester -the silliest act of my life. Here, at the house of call for printers, I had the wickedness to break my temperance-pledge—an act which was not only wrong in itself, but which exposed me to temptation and danger in the future. But I was short of courage; besides, I was short of grace; hence I was more ready to grieve my conscience and my God than to deny a fellow-workman the glass of ale he desired. Having left Liverpool without a proper travelling card, I returned and got my old place in the Albion office; but I could not settle; my mind was not easy; so in company with an experienced tramp I once more took to the road, aiming this time for the Metropolis. I look back upon those days with grief and vexation; at the same time with unfeigned gratitude to God for preserving me from temptations, a yielding to which would have ruined me for life. For I verily believe I had not at that time courage to resist any persuasions which might have been used upon me. The first night we reached St. Helen's. My companion was an unprincipled tramp, and up to a variety of schemes and tricks. Here, being short of funds, he personated a tailor, and, as such, obtained relief. Selecting as our place of abode a house frequented by moulders, we were soon in noisy company, and on retiring to rest, we had two of that fraternity as lodgers in the same room. Next morning we set off for Wigan; but we had not gone more than three miles before I came to a stand-still, for placing my hand involuntarily on my coat-tail, I missed the pocket-book which I had had in my pocket there, containing my travelling-card and a small sum of money. There was nothing for it but to return, while my companion walked on to Wigan. I ran nearly all the way back, accomplishing my three miles in less than thirty minutes; and soon was in the lobby of the public-house at which I had slept. I was certain one of the men who had stayed in the same room had pilfered my book; the first man I saw was the one I suspected; so, without waiting a moment to reflect on the folly of my conduct, I seized him by the coat-collar and exclaimed, as well as my want of breath would permit "Give up that pocket-book!" The suddenness of the movement evidently paralyzed him, else the giant whom I thus unceremoniously charged with felony and seized in my gripe, would, I think, have laid the little man low. However I came better off. But I had to relinquish my hold before he would condescend to speak. While the parley was going on the landlady appeared on the scene. Soon she was made acquainted with the cause of the squabble, and equally soon she ended both it and my trouble by producing my lost property. She had found it on the mat at the foot of the stairs! Now were the tables turned upon me, and rightly so. I was filled with compunction. I called for half-a-gallon of ale, which I gave to the insulted man and his companion. This atoned in a moment for my sin; for my hand was grasped in the most friendly manner whilst he tendered me a piece of wholesome advice. I was now on my way back to Wigan; and after many ups and downs, which it would not interest you to relate, I arrived in the great city of London. Macclesfield. A PASSING THOUGHT. SOURCE of wisdom, Eternal power, Whose eyes survey those worlds unknown; How then dare creatures of an hour Approach the precincts of Thy Throne. Though angels veil that glorious light Give wings! Oh! Mighty Saviour Thou, To live, abide alone with God. THE WANDErer. |