sible? Long before this I ought to have been doing a
flourishing business, and here I am, nothing but a bank clerk, with
the prospect of never rising a step higher as long as I live. I don't
know how it is that some people get along so well in the world. I am
sure I am as industrious, and can do business as well as any man; but
here I am still at the point from which I started twenty years ago. I
can't understand it. I'm afraid there's more in luck than I'm willing
to believe."

From this time Jacob set himself to work to obtain a situation in some
store or counting-room, and finally, after looking about for nearly a
year, was fortunate enough to obtain a good place, as book-keeper and
salesman, with a wholesale grocer and commission merchant. Seven
hundred dollars was to be his salary. His friends called him a fool
for giving up an easy place at one thousand a year, for a hard one at
seven hundred. But the act was a much wiser one than many others of
his life.

Instead of saving money during the third year of his receipt of one
thousand dollars, he spent the whole of his salary, without paying off
a single old debt. His private account-keeping had continued through a
year and a half. After that it was abandoned. Had it been continued,
it might have saved him three or four hundred dollars, which were now
all gone, and nothing to show for them. Poor Jacob! experience did not
make him much wiser.

Two years passed, and at least half a dozen young men here and there
around our friend Jacob, went into business, either as partners in
some old houses, or under the auspices of relatives or interested
friends. But there appeared no opening for him. He did not know, that
many times during that period, he had been the subject of conversation
between parties, one or both of which were looking out for a man of
thorough business qualifications against which capital would be
placed; nor the fact, that either his first failure, his improvidence,
or something else personal to himself, had caused him to be set aside
for some other one not near so capable.

He was lamenting his ill-luck one day, when a young man with whom he
was very well acquainted, and who was clerk in a neighboring store,
called in and said that he wanted to have some talk with him about a
matter of interest to both.

"First of all, Mr. Jones," said the young man, after they were alone,
"how much capital could you raise by a strong effort?"

"I am sure I don't