y the
idea that it was respectable to do so, and gave a man a standing in
society, that reacted favourably upon his worldly interests. In putting
his name to a subscription paper, a thing not always to be avoided,
even by him, a business view of the matter was invariably taken, and
the satisfaction of mind experienced on the occasion arose from the
reflection that the act would benefit him in the long run. As to the
minor charities, in the doing of which the left hand has no
acquaintance with the deeds of the right hand, Mr. Bolton never
indulged in them. If his left hand had known the doings of his right
hand in matters of this kind, said hand would not have been much wiser
for the knowledge.

Thus life went on; and Mr. Bolton was ever busy in gathering in his
golden harvest; so busy, that he had no time for any thing else, not
even to enjoy what he possessed. At last, he was sixty years old, and
his wealth extended to many hundreds of thousands of dollars. But he
was farther from being satisfied than ever, and less happy than at any
former period in his life.

One cause of unhappiness arose from the fact that, as a rich man, he
was constantly annoyed with applications to do a rich man's part in the
charities of the day. And to these applications it was impossible
always to turn a deaf ear. Give he must sometimes, and giving always
left a pain behind, because the gift came not from a spirit of
benevolence. There were other and various causes of unhappiness, all of
which combining, made Mr. Bolton, as old age came stealing upon him,
about as miserable as a man could well be. Money, in his eyes the
greatest good, had not brought the peace of mind to which he had looked
forward, and the days came and went without a smile. His children had
grown up and passed into the world, and were, as he had been at their
ages, so all-absorbed by the love of gain, as to have little love to
spare for any thing else.

About this time, Mr. Bolton, having made one or two losing operations,
determined to retire from business, invest all his money in real estate
and other securities, and let the management of these investments
constitute his future employment. In this new occupation he found so
little to do in comparison with his former busy life, that the change
proved adverse, so far as his repose of mind was concerned.

It happened, about this time, that Mr. Bolton had occasion to go some
twenty miles into the country. On returning ho