Goldsmith And America

Oliver had but lately completed a rather wild and irregular course of study at college, and his kinsfolk had insisted that he should become a country parson, as his poor father had beer before him. He feit his unfitness for such a calling, but he cared less for that than for some of the irksome restraints that it would impose. For instance, he could not bear the thought of being obliged to wear a long wig when he preferred a short one, or of being always dressed in a black coat when oue of bright colors suited his fancy so much better. He had frankly told his relatives that he preferred pretty clothes to the hard lot of a poor parson; and yet, as neither he nor they could tflink of any other business for which he was better fittêd, he at last consented to apply for holy orders. But when, the time came for him to go to the Bishop of Elphin to be ordained, he could not resist the temptation to wear a pair of beautiful scarlet breeches with long hose and the brlghtest buckles. For would he not become a parson toniorrow, and be forever afterward demned to sober black? The gooa bishop was horrified at sueh levity, and refused to ordaln him. Perhaps upon examination he found that the young man was entirely ignorant of the catechism. This failure of Oliver's had been much less of a disappointment to him than to his friends. But as he was now 23 years old, and his mother was very poor, it was highly necessary that he should find something to do. And so he had found employment as a private tutor in a wealthy family near Lissoy. From his pupils' point of view, he was, no doubt, an accomplished and successful teacher. He was only a great boy himself, and life would have been one long hollday to everybody if he could have had his own way. But his way did not please his employer, and finally, after a quarrel for which Oliver was doubtless to blame, he was dismissed. The nioney which he had earned at tutoring, hoivever, was sufftcient to equip him as a knight erraiit, for it ënabled him to buy the horse and the KplenJid new snit of clotlies with which, as I have said, he rode one fine niorning into the city of Cork. To his great satisfaction, he found a ship already in port waiting only for favorable wtnds to sail ior America. He lost no time, therefore, in selling his horse, and in making a bargain with the captain for his passage to the New World. Then he sallied out to see the town. He had no difficulty in making friends; for he had money in his pocket, and he proceeded to share it with all the beggars and street loafera that he met. He was ready to relieve every case of distress that came to his notice, and many were the boon fellows that he helped to entertain at the tavern. Several days were passed in this way, and the L30 in his pocket had dwlndled to but little more than 30 shillings; and still the ship, upon one pretext or another, delayed its sailing. One fine night, however, while Oliver was in the country enjoying himself with some newly made acquaintances, a favorable wind sprang up, and the captain, entirely neglectful of his passenger, ordered the vessel to be cast loose from her moorings and the sails to be set for the voyage. And in the morning, when Oliver sauntered leisurely down to the wharf, he found that he had been left behlnd.