"A bird may be ever so small, it always seeks a nest of its own." "Every one has his lot and a wide world before him." "Gold is no balm to a wounded spirit." "He that is too much in haste may stumble on a good road." "He wants to fly before he has wings." "He that stays in the valley will never get over the hill." "He who stops at every stone never gets to his journey's end." THE REEK FAMILY; OR, GETTING ON. LITTLE distance beyond the cottage of Lame Reek family, a family well-known in the little town of Braintree, as being a family determined to get on. Let who would lag behind, they intended going a-head and making money. There were a goodly number of them altogether, but one and all possessed the distinctive family trait-an eagerness to get money; and, even when little children, were characterised by a fondness for making bargains with the advantage always on their side. The father was a little, spare man, not by any means healthy looking, and with not an ounce of spare fat on him. He could not afford to have fatscarcely flesh, one would say, to look at him. The mother was a tall, gaunt-looking woman, with high shoulders and high cheek bones, who moved about 56 A SORDID FAMILY. with a slouching kind of gait, her head thrust forward, and her eyes everlastingly fixed on the ground, as though she expected to find some precicus stone or pearl of price. Early in life were the little Reeks, boys and girls, initiated into the mysteries of money making; and, when no more than three years of age, might be seen wandering about the roads and lanes seeking for cast horse shoes, or in the early spring and autumn mornings in old Wakem's meadows gathering mushrooms, all of which were turned into money. No family, however large, ever gleaned such quantities of corn in the golden harvest time as the Reek family, or gathered more elderberries for elder wine. Behind their cottage they had a tolerable piece of garden-ground, well stocked with gooseberry-bushes, currant-bushes, and fruit-trees: all its produce was sold, and it was currently believed that not a single apple, plum, or currant was ever eaten by any member of the family. Of course they kept a pig-what country family does not?-but how they found "wash" for it was a mystery never cleared up. In short, the Reek family was a mean, grasping, sordid family, and the popular saying respecting them was, that "They would skin a flint if they thought they could get a farthing by it. No one ever called at their house for a glass of water, no friend ever dropped in to have a social cup of tea, no little youngster ever begged for an apple on his way to school; there was "A FELLOW MUST GET ON." 57 no cat or dog ever seen about the premises, and the boys kept no white mice or guinea-pigs, no birds or tame pets of any description-nay, it was generally believed they grudged the very bees the honey they managed to gather from the pea-blossoms and fruitblossoms, for they cultivated no flowers. Such was the Reek family. As the younger members grew up into life they were started east, west, north, and south, to try and make their own fortunes, with the parental injunction ringing in their ears, "Whatever you do, get on." One evening, the youngest son, Stephen, looked in upon Lame Felix to bid him good-bye, as early on the following morning he was to start for London, where he was to commence life on his own account. "Sit thee down, lad, sit thee down," said Felix. "So you are really going to London! Well, well, 'When the wings are ready the birds will fly,' says the proverb; so I suppose it's natural for lads to feel home too small for them as they grow in years and strength. And what do you intend doing in London. Stephen, when you get there?" "Well, Master Steadman, I intend trying to get on. You know a fellow must get on." "Ah! I see, Stephen. You mean you intend to make money, and grow rich." "That's about it, Master Felix; you've hit the right nail on the head this time. Yes, I mean to make money." 58 WHAT GOLD CANNOT DO. · "And when you have made a good heap, what then, Stephen?" "Why, I don't know; make some more, I dare say." "Yes, that will be it, Stephen, lad, a little more, a little more. Well says the proverb, 'No one says that his granary is full,' and of riches no one ever has enough. But while you are toiling to heap up for yourself riches, remember what Solomon says-' A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold;' and, again, - Better a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures and trouble therewith.' And a greater than Solomon has said-'What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?' for the soul is to last through all eternity, and riches but for a little space of time. "You cannot carry your wealth away with you, however vast it may be; recollect that 'Our last garment is made without pockets;' we must leave all our money behind us; it will not gain us admission into heaven; truly says the proverb, 'A hammer of gold won't break heaven's gate. 'He that trusteth in riches shall fall,' and 'Riches profit nothing in the day of wrath.' A man may go on working and toiling from morning till night, and from youth until old age, to accumulate money, and at the end find he has made a grand mistake. "I don't like a youth to set out on the journey of life with no nobler ambition than that of making |