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THIS life is called a chequered state of existence, and with
the majority of human beings it doubtless is so. But
there are instances in which it would appear that one long
black shadow has rested upon a man's destiny, from the time
he first opened his eyes upon the world, until he has closed
them in death. Unhappy wretches there have been, across
whose path no bright gleams of sunshine have ever darted;
in whose ear no gentle tones of love and affection have ever
been breathed; doomed mortals, whose misfortunes were
hoarded for them by their ancestors; whose chains were forged
by those whose duty it was to smoothe their pillows, and
strew flowers in their way. There are some to whom a seeming
affliction brings a counteracting benefit, while there are
others whose apparent turns of good fortune are always accompanied
by a more than over-balancing evil.

Of this class of unfortunate beings, was Jeremiah Jernegan.
He was a clerk in the counting-room of Tremlett & Tuck;
and in addition to the ordinary duties of the office, he was
made, through his own gentle and obliging nature, to perform
the duty of a butt for the whole establishment. His keen
sensibilities and lively apprehensions, added to a very weak
frame, and forgiving disposition, rendered him a very suitable
person for fools and cowards to exercise their talents upon;

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and scarce a day was allowed to pass, without his being made
to feel the misery of his uncomfortable situation. Even Mr.
Bates used to domineer over him, by way of revenge for the
indignities that his wife put upon him.

The retrospective pleasures, which to some are a source of
happiness, under afflicting circumstances, were wholly denied
to him. His infancy and childhood had been the most
wretched part of his existence. A brutal father, and a weak-minded
mother, whom he more than suspected of crimes that
chilled his heart to think of, embittered his earliest recollections.
His parents were both dead, but he was denied the
satisfaction of thinking of them as divinized existences, with
whom he could hope to mingle hereafter; for neither their
lives nor the manner of their death, afforded cause for such
a belief. He had a brother, but he was brutal in his temper
and dissipated in his habits; and instead of proving a consolation
to him, he was a continual source of mortification and grief
Jeremiah was possessed of none of those nameless little
graces, that are so worthless in themselves, and yet so powerful
in winning the esteem of others; but, on the contrary, there
was an expression in his emaciated face, and a hesitation in
his manner, which rendered him almost personally disagreeable,
even to them who really esteemed him for his good
qualities. He had but few relations, and they were all in the
humblest walks of life, and were withal extremely poor; so
that whatever his earnings or savings might have been, his
generous feelings would not allow him to keep what he knew
those who were closely related to him stood in need of. He
was accordingly not only very poor, but there was every prospect
of his always remaining so. But even the happiness
which springs from contented poverty, was denied to him.
He was very proud and very ambitious; but his pride was
not of that kind which feeds upon riches, neither was his
ambition of that nature which aims at mercantile greatness;
and although he was forced to make the humiliating

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confession to himself, that he did not possess the qualifications requisite
to give him a claim to the world's notice, yet that did
not abate in the least his desire for distinction, or make him
more contented with his humble position in society. He had
not received even the poorest education that the poorest school
could afford in his younger days; but having, by some chance,
acquired a knowledge of the alphabet, he had learned just
enough of books by employing his leisure hours, and stealing
from his body the moments it might justly claim for refreshment
and sleep, to devote them to reading, for the benefit of
his mind, to make him more sensible of his ignorance than he
would have been, if even this slight glimmer of knowledge
had been denied him: like some poor wretch, the light of
whose dungeon is but just sufficient to reveal to him the narrow
bounds of his prison walls. Jeremiah never had a friend
to whom he could impart his secret griefs, or upon whom he
could rely for reciprocal consolation and assistance; while
he saw every body around him paired off with a mate or a
companion, he wondered why it was that he had never met
with a congenial spirit. He was too honorable to flatter, and
too proud to solicit. As he never frequented places of public
amusement, nor wore fine clothes, he was, of course, not a
suitable companion for the other clerks in the counting-room
of Tremlett & Tuck. But he had begun to possess his soul
in patience; his thoughts had been directed to the meek sufferer
of Nazareth; and looking up to the cross on which he
expired, the poor clerk discovered a bright star, whose light
gave a holy calm to his soul; but its rays were sometimes
obscured by clouds of darkness and distrust.

Jeremiah had become greatly attached to young Tremlett,
for the youngster had been in the habit of making frequent
visits to the counting-room, where he was an universal favorite.
Mr. Bates treated him with the most profound respect,
and never disputed or denied him any thing, because he was
his employer's pet; and he gained the good-will of the other

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clerks, by his good nature, and the smart replies he made to
their teasing questions: but Jeremiah loved him because he
was an orphan, like himself; and instead of feeling envious of
the boy's handsome person, and flattering prospects, he exulted
in the thought that there was happiness in store for at least
one outcast, and that the world was full of gentleness, and
beauty, and love, even though they were all denied to him.
And when it was made known that his favorite was the thief
who had stolen Mr. Tuck's pocket-book, while all the clerks
agreed in saying that they always thought he had a thievish
look, Jeremiah wiped a tear from his eye, and said, “Poor boy!
I cannot condemn him, for I might have done the same thing
myself, if I had been tempted like him.”

“Yes, I dare say you would, Mr. Jernegan,” said the cash-keeper
“and I shall keep a sharp look-out for you in future.”

“Why, the fact is,” said Mr. Bates, “they do say, that is, I
have heard the remark often, that birds of a feather will fly
together; and I shouldn't be suprised if Jeremiah did feather
his nest one of these days.”

“It is very hard,” said Jeremiah, “if one cannot express
sympathy for an unfortunate boy, without being subjected to
such cruel suspicions.”

“I think Jerry,” said another of the clerks, “you are just
fit for a black guard missionary.”

“Ah!” replied Jeremiah, “I wish I were.”

“Well, I will give you a certificate, if you wish,” said the
clerk; “my father is one of the directors of the Board of
Missions, and I heard him say at breakfast this morning, that
they wanted a nice young man to act as chaplain in the Grand
Turk's harem.”

This was such an exquisite joke, that every body laughed
of course, except Jeremiah, who continued writing at his
desk. Many more jokes would have been uttered at his expense,
but the entrance of Mr. Tremlett caused an immediate
silence, and every body caught up a pen, and began to write
very fiercely.

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Mr. Tremlett looked very serious; and after giving some
directions to the cash-keeper, he told Jeremiah he wished to
see him in private. The poor clerk trembled with apprehension,
being fearful that he had been guilty of some indiscretion
that would cause him to be discharged; as he followed
his employer into his private office, his kness almost sank
under him.

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