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Then, take care that your suretiship for one, does not involve you in consequences arising from the improprieties of others. If you ask how it can do this, we can give you a case in point. Not long since, a friend of the writer gave security to a railway company for the good conduct and fidelity of a station clerk. In a short time a deficiency in the returns of the station was discovered, and, while it was proved and acknowledged that the conduct of the youth had been correct, and that the deficiency arose from the dishonesty of a fellow-clerk who had joint access with him to the cash box, or till of the station, the surety found, to his cost, that he had made himself liable for the full amount of the deficiency.

Again. A man ought never' (or very rarely, and only under peculiar circumstances), 'to be surety for more then he is both able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay without wronging his family, in case the principal fail; for he ought to look upon it as his own debt-Be not surety above thy power, for if thou be surety, thou must take care to pay it.''*

And lastly; Though you may give your name as security 'jointly' with another, or with many others, bear in mind, reader, that you are personally and 'severally' accountable for the full amount of the forfeiture incurred by a failure of fidelity on the part of him for whom you have given it.

Thus much, then, for this feature of Home Morality. We cannot more fitly or usefully bring this article to a close than by a reference to those societies which undertake to guarantee the honesty of persons whose characters are unimpeachable, for a certain per centage on the amount for which security is required. The principle on which these societies is formed is a good one, and the advantages they offer cannot be too widely known. We question, whether they will not, in time, altogether supersede the necessity for per

* Matthew Henry in Commentary on Prov. vi. 1.

sonal suretiship; at any rate, they will very materially obviate that necessity.

The main objection would probably be that the rate of assurance is somewhat high, so that the scrupulously upright have to pay for the uncertainty and risk connected with those whose principles are less established. This objection is, to a great extent done away with by a plan which lies before us, in which the guarantee system is combined with life assurance. We extract the following illustration, to show the working of the plan,

A person aged 25, having to render security for £500 to his employers, would be charged from 30s. to 40s. per cent. at a simple guarantee office, while in this Society, the rate would be only about 52s. per cent. for a policy, guaranteeing his fidelity of principle to his employers, as well as securing, in the event of his death, the amount insured or guaranteed, to his family. By this new and interesting incident in assurance, employers will at once see the great advantanges accruing to them as well as to those whom they employ, it being evident that every assurance effected on this salutary principle must unquestionably create in the mind of the wife and family of the employed the deepest interest in the maintenance of his integrity." '*

In recommending to all, especially to young men, just entering life, this simple but efficient plan of SURETISHIP, Combined with the important duty of Life Insurance, we are quite sure that we are furthering, in no small measure, the interests of HOME MO

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50

LEGACY HUNTING.

IN TWO CHAPTERS.

CHAPTER I.

AMONG the several varieties of contemptible characters which are to be met with in the world, is that of the Legacy-Hunter. Individual specimens of this genus are to be found in almost every class of society, and there is no work too dirty for them to engage in, if there be but the distant prospect of success. It would be sometimes amusing, if it were not disgusting, to watch the crafty cunning with which such persons pursue the object before them, and the perseverance they exhibit in their pursuit. And it is highly instructive to observe how often, spite of all the tricks and wiles to which they have recourse, these mighty hunters are either thrown out in the chase, or find, to their chagrin, that they have thrown away much good time and perverted talent, for what proves to be of little worth.

In the following sketch we think we can promise our readers some slight amusement, while, by it, we hope also to serve the interests of Home Morality.

The prettiest house in our village is that which once belonged to old Sampson Smith, who, by virtue of ten thousand pounds in the funds, and sundry lands and tenements in and about the village, was unanimously recognized as Sampson Smith, Esquire.

But Sampson had not always been an esquire; that is, he had not always had ten thousand pounds in the

funds, or anywhere else. In earlier life he had been a shoemaker. But shoemakers, in those days-however it may be in these-sometimes got rich. So it was with Sampson Smith,- -so much so, that at the age of forty-five, he was in a position to cast the slough of trade, and appear in all the pomp and glory of an independent gentleman.

When Sampson Smith retired to B, to luxuriate on his ample income, he brought with him his very excellent wife, to whom he had been married some twenty years; and though, up to that time, they had not been blessed-or bothered, as the case might have been,-with a family, it was not too late for hope. Whatever expectations, however, might have been formed on this important matter, were soon cut short by the sudden death of Mrs. Smith. And as Sampson then formed a stern resolution, which he afterwards carried out, to pass the remainder of his days in widowhood, common report, as well as the natural order of things, settled upon his nephew and heir-at-law, Timothy Baker, the future succession to the ten thousand pounds, &c., &c.

Strange to say, but no less true, notwitstanding, Timothy Baker cared, or seemed to care, but little about the tide of good fortune that, some day or other, was destined to roll to his feet. Perhaps he thought that his uncle was as likely as himself to live out all his days, and that waiting to step into dead men's shoes, is but idle work at best. Be that as it might, Timothy took but little pains to wriggle himself into the good graces of uncle Sampson, while he set to work independently and diligently in carving out his own fortune,-thinking, probably, that if the shoemaker Smith could manage to accumulate ten thousand pounds, there would be no reason why the tanner Baker should not do so too. But the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; and by the time Sampson Smith was bordering upon seventy, and Timothy not far from fifty, the retiring point of the latter seemed in as distant a perspective

as ever.

To be sure, Timothy had sons and daughters, a goodly number, and this might have made some difference.

'My dear,' said Mrs. Baker, to her husband, one day, I think you should pay a little more attention to uncle Sampson. He looked in yesterday, and you sent word to him that you were so busy you could not spare time to come into the house. I can tell you that the old man was not very well pleased with the message.'

'A tiresome old fellow!' retorted Timothy; 'I knew well enough what he wanted. He would have kept me an hour or more, reading the nonsense he puts together and calls poetry. It is a pity he has not something better to keep him employed. At any rate, I wish he would keep it to himself when it is done.'

'Well, my dear,' replied the peace-making wife; 'I nave no doubt you are quite right about the poetry; for my part, I can never make head nor tail of it; but for all that, would it not be better to endure it now and then than run the risk of offending him ?'

'And what does it matter to me,' asked the sturdy tanner, whether he is offended or not?'

'Not much, perhaps, only he might take a fancy to leave his money away from us, that's all.'

'I don't see how that is likely,' answered the husband; he has no other near relation in the world; and if it were probable, I would not stoop to flatter him. I tell you what it is, my dear; at my time of life I am too old to turn toad-eater.'

'Yes, but now, couldn't you say a word or two now and then, in praise of his verses, just to put him into a good humour, and

'No, my dear,' interrupted the husband, 'I could not really I make it a point of conscience never to praise his poetry. How can I ?'

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And then,' continued Mrs. Baker, going off on another tack, he likes you should consult him about your business sometimes.'

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