dress is as well made and proper as that of any other young lady in the
rooms； and as for the handkerchiefS； I could see envy in fifty eyes；
when their owners heard the price。〃
〃That is all； dearthey DID envy you； and no wonder they stared
nothing makes people stare like envy。 I thought this handkerchief would
make a commotion。 Oh！ I used to stare myself when envious。〃
〃Still it was odd that Morgan Morely did not ask me to dancehe
knows how fond I am of dancing； and for the credit of so beautiful a
handkerchief； he ought to have been more than usually attentive to…
night。〃
Mrs。 Halfacre gaped； and declared that she was both tired and sleepy；
which put an end to conversation until the carriage reached her own
door。
Both Mrs。 Halfacre and Eudosia were surprised to find the husband and
father still up。 He was pacing the drawing…room； by the light of a single
tallow candle； obviously in great mental distress。
〃Bless me！〃 exclaimed the wife〃YOU up at this hour？what CAN
have happened？ what HAS come to our door？〃
〃Nothing but beggary；〃 answered the man； smiling with a bitterness
which showed he felt an inhuman joy； at that fierce moment； in making
others as miserable as himself。 〃Yes； Mrs。 Henry Halfacreyes； Miss
Eudosia Halfacre； you are both beggarsI hope that； at least； will
satisfy you。〃
〃You mean； Henry； that you have failed？〃 For that was a word too
familiar in New York not to be understood even by the ladies。 〃Tell me
the worst at onceis it true； HAVE you failed？〃
〃It IS trueI HAVE failed。 My notes have been this day protested for
ninety…five thousand dollars； and I have not ninety…five dollars in bank。
To…morrow； twenty…three thousand more will fall due； and this month
will bring round quite a hundred and thirty thousand more。 That
accursed removal of the deposits； and that tiger； Jackson； have done it
all。〃
To own the truth； both the ladies were a little confounded。 They wept；
and for some few minutes there was a dead silence； but curiosity soon
caused them both to ask questions。
〃This is very dreadful； and with our large family！〃 commenced the
mother〃and so the general has it all to answer forwhy did you let
him give so many notes for you？〃
〃Nonoit is not thatI gave the notes myself； but he removed the
deposits； I tell you。〃
〃It's just like him； the old wretch！ To think of his removing your
deposits； just as you wanted them so much yourself！ But why did the
clerks at the bank let him have themthey ought to have known that
you had all this money to pay； and people cannot well pay debts
without money。〃
〃You are telling that； my dear； to one who knows it by experience。 That
is the very reason why I have failed。 I have a great many debts； and I
have no money。〃
〃But you have hundreds of lotsgive them lots； Henry； and that will
settle all your difficulties。 You must remember how all our friends have
envied us our lots。〃
〃Ay； no fear； but they'll get the lots； my dearunless； indeed；〃 added
the speculator； 〃I take good care to prevent it。 Thank God！ I'm not a
DECLARED bankrupt。 I can yet make my own assignee。〃
〃Well； then； I wouldn't say a word about itdeclare nothing； and let 'em
find out that you have failed； in the best manner they can。 Why tell
people your distresses； so that they may pity you。 I hate pity； above all
thingsand especially the pity of my own friends。〃
〃Oh； that will be dreadful！〃 put in Eudosia。 〃For Heaven's sake； Pa；
don't let any body pity us。〃
〃Very little fear of that； I fancy；〃 muttered the father； 〃people who shoot
up like rockets； in two or three years； seldom lay the foundations of
much pity in readiness for their fall。〃
〃Well； I declare； Dosie； this is TOO bad in the old general； after all。 I'm
sure it MUST be unconstitutional for a president to remove your father's
deposits。 If I were in your place； Mr。 Halfacre； I wouldn't fail just to
spite them。 You know you always said that a man of energy can do any
thing in this country； and I have heard Mr。 Munny say that he didn't
know a man of greater energy than yourself。〃
The grin with which the ruined speculator turned on his wife was nearly
sardonic。
〃Your men of energy are the very fellows TO fail；〃 he said； 〃however；
they shall find if I have had extraordinary energy in running into debt；
that I have extraordinary energy； too； in getting out of it。 Mrs。 Halfacre；
we must quit this house this very week； and all this fine furniture must be
brought to the hammer。 I mean to preserve my character； at least。〃
This was said loftily； and with the most approved accents。
〃Surely it isn't necessary to move to do that； my dear！ Other people fail；
and keep their houses； and furniture； and carriages； and such other
things。 Let us not make ourselves the subjects of unpleasant remarks。〃
〃I intend that as little as you do yourself。 We must quit this house and
bring the furniture under the hammer； or part with all those lots you so
much esteem and prize。〃
〃Oh！ If the house and furniture will pay the notes I'm content； especially
if you can contrive to keep the lots。 Dosie will part with her
handkerchief； too； I dare say； if that will do any good。〃
〃By George！ that will be a capital ideayes； the handkerchief must be
sent back to…morrow morning； THAT will make a famous talk。 I only
bought it because Munny was present； and I wanted to get fifty
thousand dollars out of him； to meet this crisis。 The thing didn't succeed；
but； no matter； the handkerchief will tell in settling up。 That
handkerchief； Dosie； may be made to cover a hundred lots。〃
In what manner I was to open so much； like the tent of the Arabian
Nights； was a profound mystery to me then； as well as it was to the
ladies； but the handsome Eudosia placed me in her father's hand with a
frank liberality that proved she was not altogether without good
qualities。 As I afterwards discovered； indeed； these two females had
most of the excellences of a devoted wife and daughter； their frivolities
being the result of vicious educations or of no educations at all； rather
than of depraved hearts。 When Mr。 Halfacre went into liquidation； as it
is called； and compromised with his creditors； reserving to himself a
pretty little capital of some eighty or a hundred thousand dollars； by
means of judicious payments to confidential creditors； his wife and
daughter saw all THEY most prized taken away； and the town was
filled with the magnitude of their sacrifices； and with the handsome
manner in which both submitted to make them。 By this ingenious device；
the insolvent not only preserved his character； by no means an unusual
circumstance in New York； however； but he preserved about half of his
bona fide estate also； his creditors； as was customary； doing the
PAYING。
It is unnecessary to dwell on the remainder of this dialogue； my own
adventures so soon carrying me into an entirely different sphere。 The
following morning； however； as soon as he had breakfasted； Mr。
Halfacre put me in his pocket； and walked down street； with the port of
an afflicted and stricken； but thoroughly honest man。 When he reached
the shop…door of Bobbinet & Co。； he walked boldly in； and laid me on
the counter with a flourish so meek； that even the clerks； a very matter…
of…fact caste in general； afterwards commented on it。
〃Circumstances of an unpleasant nature； on which I presume it is
unnecessary to dwell； compel me to offer you this handkerchief； back
again； gentlemen；〃 he said； raising his hand to his eyes in a very affecting
manner。 〃As a bargain is a bargain； I feel great reluctance to disturb its
sacred obligations； but I CANNOT suffer a child of mine to retain such
a luxury； while a single individual can justly say that I owe him a dollar。〃
〃What fine sentiments！〃 said Silky； who was lounging in a corner of the
shop〃wonderful sentiments； and such as becomes a man of honesty。〃
Those around the colonel approved of his opinion； and Mr。 Halfacre
raised his head like one who was not afraid to look his creditors in the
face。
〃I approve of your motives； Mr。 Halfacre；〃 returned Bobbinet； 〃but you
know the character of the times； and the dearness of rents。 That article
has been seen in private hands； doubtless； and can no longer be
considered freshwe shall be forced to make a considerable
abatement； if we consent to comply。〃
〃Name your own terms； sir； so they leave me a single dollar for my
creditors； I shall be happy。〃
〃Wonderful sentiments！〃 repeated the colonel〃we must send that man
to the national councils！〃
After a short negotiation； it was settled that Mr。 Halfacre was to receive
50； and Bobbinet & Co。 were to replace me in their drawer。 The next
morning an article appeared in a daily paper of pre…eminent honesty and
truth； and talents； in the following words：
〃WORTHY OF IMITATION。A distinguished gentleman of this city；
H H； Esquire； having been compelled to SUSPEND； in
consequence of the late robbery of the Bank of the United States by the
cold…blooded miscreant whose hoary head disgraces the White House；
felt himself bound to return an article of dress； purchased as recently as
yesterday by his lovely daughter； and who； in every respect； was
entitled to wear it； as she would have adorned it； receiving back the
price； with a view to put it in the fund he is already collecting to meet the
demands of his creditors。 It is due to the very respectable firm of
Bobbinet & Co。 to add； that it refunded the money with the greatest
liberality； at the first demand。 We can recommend this house to our
readers as one of the most liberal in OUR city； （by the way the editor
who wrote this article didn't own a foot of the town； or of any thing
else；） and as possessing a very large and well selected assortment of the
choicest goods。〃
The following words〃we take this occasion to thank Messrs。
Bobbinet & Co。 for a specimen of most beautiful gloves sent us；〃 had a
line run through in the manuscript； a little reflection； telling the learned
editor that it might be indiscreet to publish the fact at that precise
moment。 The American will know how to appreciate the importance of
this opinion； in relation to the house in question； when he is told that it
was written