enough to
see ten thousand troubles, and have found out that the saying of the old
man is true. I have narrated but a small part of my business troubless
[sic] in this brief history. One of the most trying things to me now, is
to see how I am looked upon by the community since I lost my property. I
never was any better when I owned it than I am now, and never behaved
any better. But how different is the feeling towards you, when your
neighbors can make nothing more out of you, politically or pecuniarily.
It makes no difference what, or how much you have done for them
heretofore, you are passed by without notice now. It is all money and
business, business and money which make the man now-a-days; success is
every thing, and it makes very little difference how, or what means he
uses to obtain it. How many we see every day that have ten times as much
property as they will ever want, who will do any thing but steal to add
to their estate, for somebody to fight about when they are dead. I see
men every day sixty and seventy years old, building up and pulling down,
and preparing, as one might reasonably suppose, to live here forever.
Where will they be in a few years? I often think of this. My experience
has been great,--I have seen many a man go up and then go down, and many
persons who, but a few years ago, were surrounded with honors and
wealth, have passed away. The saying of the wise man is true--all is
"vanity of vanities" here below. It is now a time of great action in the
world but not much reflection.

An incident of my boy-hood has just come into my mind. When an
apprentice boy, I was at work with my "boss" on a house in Torringford,
very near the residence of Rev. Mr. Mills, the father of Samuel J. Mills
the missionary. This was in 1809, fifty-one years ago. This young man
was preparing to go out on his missionary voyage. How wickedly we are
taught when we are young! I thought he was a mean, lazy fellow. He was
riding out every day, as I now suppose, to add to his strength. An old
maid lived in the house where I did who perfectly hated him, calling him
a good-for-nothing fellow. I, of course, supposed that she knew all
about him and that it was so. I am a friend to the missionary cause and
have been so a great many years. How many times that wrong impression
which I got from that old maid has passed through my mind, and how sorry
I have always been for that prejudice. The father of Samuel J. Mills was
a very eccent