_me_,
Up--up where life is all divine!

RISING IN THE WORLD.

BY P. E. F., AUTHOR OF "AARON'S ROD," "TELLING SECRETS," ETC.

"This is the house that Jack built."

Whether it was cotton or tallow that laid the foundations of Mr.
Fairchild's fortunes we forget--for people have no right now-a-days to
such accurate memories--but it was long ago, when Mrs. Fairchild was
contented and humble, and Mr. Fairchild happy in the full stretch of
his abilities to make the two ends meet--days which had long passed
away. A sudden turn of fortune's wheel had placed them on new ground.
Mr. Fairchild toiled, and strained, and struggled to follow up
fortune's favors, and was successful. The springs of life had
well-nigh been consumed in the eager and exhausting contest; and now,
breathless and worn, he paused to be happy. One half of life he had
thus devoted to the one object, meaning when that object was obtained
to enjoy the other half, supposing that happiness, like every thing
else, was to be bought.

Mrs. Fairchild's ideas had jumped with her husband's fortunes. Once
she only wanted additional pantries and a new carpet for her front
parlor, to be perfectly happy. Now, a grand house in a grand avenue
was indispensable. Once, she only wished to be a little finer than
Mrs. Simpkins; now, she ardently desired to forget she ever knew Mrs.
Simpkins; and what was harder, to make Mrs. Simpkins forget she had
ever known _her_. In short, Mrs. Fairchild had grown _fine_, and meant
to be fashionable. And why not? Her house was as big as any body's.
Her husband gave her _carte blanche_ for furniture, and the mirrors,
and gilding, and candelabras, were enough to put your eyes out.

She was very busy, and talked very grand to the shopmen, who were very
obsequious, and altogether was very happy.

"I don't know what to do with this room, or how to furnish it," she
said to her husband one day, as they were going through the house.
There are the two drawing-rooms, and the dining-room--but this fourth
room seems of no use--I would make a _keeping_-room of it, but that it
has only that one large window that looks back--and I like a cheerful
look-out where I sit--why did you build it so?"

"I don't know," he replied, "it's just like Ashfield's house next
door, and so I supposed it must be right, and I told the workmen to
follow the same plan as his."

"Ashfield's!" said Mrs. Fairchild, looking up with a new idea, "I
wonder wh