The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Allen House, by T. S. Arthur

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Title: The Allen House
or Twenty Years Ago and Now

Author: T. S. Arthur

Release Date: October, 2003 [Etext #4588]
Posting Date: January 29, 2010

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ALLEN HOUSE ***

Produced by Charles Aldarondo

THE ALLEN HOUSE

OR, TWENTY YEARS AGO AND NOW.

By T. S. Arthur

Philadelphia:

1860

PREFACE.

WE point to two ways in life, and if the young man and maiden, whose
feet are lingering in soft green meadows and flowery walks, will
consider these two ways in sober earnest, before moving onward, and
choose the one that truth and reason tell them leads to honor, success,
and happiness, our book will accomplish its right work for them. It is
a sad thing, after the lapse of twenty years, to find ourselves amid
ruined hopes;--to sit down with folded hands and say, "Thus far life has
been a failure!" Yet, to how many is this the wretched summing up at the
end of a single score of years from the time that reason takes the helm!
Alas! that so few, who start wrong, ever succeed in finding the right
way; life proving, even to its last burdened years, a miserable failure!

TWENTY YEARS AGO, AND NOW.

CHAPTER I.

THE rain had poured in torrents all day, and now, for the third time
since morning, I came home, wet, uncomfortable and weary. I half dreaded
to look at the slate, lest some urgent call should stare me in the face.

"It must indeed be a case of life and death, that takes me out again
to-night," said I, as my good wife met me in the entry, and with light
hands, made active by love, assisted in the removal of my great coat and
comforter.

"Now come into the sitting-room," she said, "your slippers are on the
rug, and your dressing-gown warmed and waiting. Tea is ready, and
will be on the table by the time you feel a little comfortable. What a
dreadful day it has been!"

"Dreadful for those who have been compelled to face the storm," I
remarked, as I drew off my boots, and proceeded to take advantage of all
the pleasant arrangements my thoughtful wife had rea