that Thomas's occupation was the loom. It was so;
but, be it known, that he was not a mere journeyman weaver--one who is
obliged to toil for the subsistence of the day that is passing over him,
and whose sole dependence is on the labour of his hands. By no means.
Thomas had been all his days a careful, thrifty man, and had made his
hay while the sun shone;--when wages were good, he had saved money--as
much as could keep him in a small way, independent of labour, should
sickness, or any other casualty, render it necessary for him to fall
back on his secret resources. Being, at the time we speak of, however,
suffering under no bodily affliction of any kind, but, on the contrary,
being hale and hearty, and not much past the meridian of life, he
continued at his loom, although, perhaps, not altogether with the
perseverance and assiduity which had distinguished the earlier part of
his brilliant career. The consciousness of independence, and, probably,
some slight preliminary touches from approaching eild, had rather abated
the energy of his exertions; yet Thomas still made a fair week's wage of
it, as matters went. Now, with a portion of the honest wealth which he
had acquired, Mr. Callender had built himself a good substantial
tenement--the first floor of which was occupied by looms, which were let
on hire; the second was his own place of residence; and the third was
divided into small domiciles, and let to various tenants. To the house
was attached a small garden, a kail-yard, in which he was wont,
occasionally, to recreate himself with certain botanical and
horticultural pursuits, the latter being specially directed to the
cultivation of greens, cabbages, leeks, and other savoury and useful pot
herbs. Of his house and garden altogether, Mr. Callender was, and
reasonably enough, not a little proud; for it was, certainly, a snug
little property; and, moreover, it was entirely the creation of his own
industry.

But Thomas's mansion stood not alone in its glory. A rival stood near.
This was the dwelling of Mr. John Anderson, in almost every respect the
perfect counterpart of that of Mr. Thomas Callender--a similarity which
is in part accounted for by the facts, that John was also a weaver, that
he too had made a little money by a life of industry and economy, and
that the house was built by himself. By what we have just said, then, we
have shown, we presume, that Thomas and John were near neighbours; and,
having done so, it