The Argosy — page 256: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Five Thousand a Year. 237 Adam Grainger no doubt spoke as he thought: that if he had no- body but himself, he would be content with his salary. He was uncon- scious how thoroughly he was mistaken ; he was unconscious that the speculating mania had fastened upon him, and that the power urging him on was zo¢ the future interest of his family, but the fever of the disorder. There is no cure for it, none, until it has had its course. A pretty sharp cure generally comes then. IIf. Tue time went on to autumn; say, rather, to the beginning of winter. No particular change had yet taken place, save perhaps in the manner of Mr. Grainger: anxiety, disappointment, and hope deferred, were ren- dering his naturally sweet temper an irritable one. The Great Trebeddon Mines could not be said to have failed, and they could not be said to have prospered ; they were hovering between the two. One of the un- happy speculators who had purchased a right in them was in the habit of likening them to the horse-leech ; since they sucked in all the money that could be raised, and were continually asking for more. Give, give! give, give! it was their incessant cry: but they seemed determined to render nothing in return. Adam had been down to the mines. The first time he remained a fortnight, and had come .-up enraptured: the second time he remained three weeks, and had come up more enrap- tured still ; the third and last time, he had returned not quite so much so. Mr. and Mrs. Grainger were still in their house: not having yet re-., moved to a superior one. ‘“¢ Adam,” his wife said to him about this time, her face wearing a look of anxious uneasiness, “‘ I really must have some money to go on with. Do you know that the tradespeople are beginning to refuse further trust ?” “ Which of the tradespeople ? ” “None of them are so attentive as they formerly were ; so anxious to send for orders. But the butcher is growing troublesome.” ‘“‘An ungrateful dog!” exclaimed Mr. Grainger. “Seven years, and more, have we been good customers to him, and paid him weekly. What does the man mean ? ” | ‘““Adam, don’t be cross ; that will not mend matters: we must put ourselves in their places before we blame them. It is more than six months—eight nearly—since they have received any money, and they know you are no longer in the insurance-office. I wonder they have given us credit so long as this. I have been wishing—if you have no objection—to discharge two of the servants. We can do very well with the others.” | ‘‘ Margaret, you will drive me wild! What in the world is the good of taking a gloomy view of things? To talk in this way, is to dispirit ome for everything. It cannot be long, now, before we have returns; CoOnniclooolKks (©) im