where to earn food for their families. The whirlwind came; it
made no distinction of persons. "It smote the four corners of the
house," and the high-minded and honorable fell indiscriminately with the
rest. Well may it be asked, Whence came this desolation upon the
community? No pestilence visited our land; it was not the plague; it was
not the yellow fever, or cholera. Health was borne on every breeze; the
earth yielded her produce, and Peace still dwelt among us.

Mr. Draper felt as if "his mountain stood strong," yet it began to
totter. Frances was ignorant of the state of public affairs. Who would
intrude the perplexities of the times into a dying chamber? Softly and
gently she sank to rest, her last look of affection beaming upon her
husband.

The next morning, the bankruptcy of Mr. Draper was announced. No blame
was attached to him, though the sum for which he became insolvent was
immense, and swallowed up many a hard-earned fortune. Where was Howard's
little capital?--Gone with the rest--principal and _compound interest_!

"I am a ruined man!" said Mr. Draper to Howard; "I have robbed you, and
beggared my child; but one resource remains to me;"--and he looked around
with the desperation of insanity.

Howard grasped his hand. "My dear brother," said he, "your wife, with an
almost prophetic spirit, foresaw this hour. 'Comfort him,' said she,
'when it arrives, and lead his mind to higher objects.' Your child has
an ample provision, by the sum settled on her mother. I have lost
property which I did not use, and, with the blessing of God, may never
want. Come home with me; I have means for us both. You will have all
the indulgences you ever coveted. No one has led a harder life than you
have. You have labored like the galley-slave, without wages; come, and
learn that, beyond what we can use for our own or others' benefit, wealth
has only an imaginary value."

Perhaps it was an additional mortification to Mr. Draper, to find that, a
few days after his failure, the banks concluded to issue no specie. Many
were kept along by this resolution; while others stopped, with the
conviction, that, had they been contented with moderate gains, they
might, in this day of trouble and perplexity, have been RICH ENOUGH.

FINIS

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICH ENOUGH***

******* This file should be named 23231.txt or 23231.zip *******

This and all associated files of various formats will