p, but on his tract. Mr. Barron and
family did move to Burnsville, as Mrs. B. intimated they might. He
brought a good deal of money with him, and turned his enterprise to
account. The families continued intimate. In ten years Burnsville became
one of the most prosperous villages in the State. Joel Burns was a rich
man, as well as _the_ man of the place. These ten years had wrought no
great changes in Joel's character or habits. To be sure he had become
more engrossed in plans for future operations. By degrees he had
narrowed his mind into the channel of _successful effort_. The
circumference of his existence was probably more limited than when he
brought his little wife into the pretty log-house on the ridge. (He now
lived in the handsomest one in the village.) Still, he was more active,
more perseveringly energetic, more effective than ever before. But the
romance of which I spoke had faded, or was overshadowed, by the forms of
active, busy, bustling life. Still Joel Burns was in the main the same
ingenuous, honest-hearted fellow as ever. A happy man--happy in his
home--happy because prosperous in his business--but by no means as happy
as he might have been. Regarding him in this view, it was melancholy to
see him so utterly engrossed in his pursuits and plans. He did not take
time to look about him and enjoy. The Sabbath to him was a dull,
wearisome, restless day. He had too much respect for it to desecrate it
by even a private attention to his affairs, and he had very little idea
of any spiritual wants. He was active in erecting a church and securing
a good preacher, on whose ministrations he attended regularly with his
family. Yet it was a great relief to him when Sunday was over, and he
welcomed the succeeding morning with a renewed zest.

Joel Burns became a very popular man; he was universally beloved; he was
generous and public-spirited. He was unselfish in his ordinary dealings,
and always ready to lend a helping hand to those about him. His success
was not owing to a close, hard, grasping nature, but was the result of
fine business abilities, coupled with extraordinary energy and
perseverance.

Joel Burns was unjust to no one but himself. He neglected to cultivate
his moral nature, and left it in danger of being choked by the cares he
voluntarily assumed. He had one safeguard, however. I have observed that
he was happy in his family. This consisted of his wife, and one child--a
daughter named Sarah, after Joe