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Gordon was in a more desponding mood than usual, when he indulged in the complaint with which our story opens. What was said to him changed the tone of his feelings, and inspired him with a spirit of cheerfulness and hope.

“Time, Faith, Energy!” he said to himself, as he walked with a more elastic step. “Yes, these must bring out all right in the end. I will not be so weak as to despond. All is much improved as it is. We are happier and better. Time, Faith, Energy! I will trust in these.”

When Gordon opened the door of his humble abode, he found a lad waiting to see him, who arose, and presenting a small piece of paper, said–

“Mr. Blake wishes to know when you can settle this?”

Mr. Blake was a grocer, to whom ten dollars had been owing for a year. He had dunned the poor drunkard for the money until he got tired of so profitless a business, and gave up the account for lost. By some means, it had recently come to his ears that Gordon had signed the pledge.

“Some chance for me yet,” he said, and immediately had the bill made out anew, and sent in; not thinking or caring whether it might not be premature for him to do so, and have the effect to discourage the poor man and drive him back to his old habits. What he wanted was his money. It was his due; and he meant to have it if he could get it.

“Tell Mr. Blake that I will pay him as soon as possible. At present it is out of my power,” said Gordon, in answer to the demand.

The lad, in the spirit of his master, turned away with a sulky air, and left the house.

Poor Gordon’s feelings went down to zero in a moment.

“It’s hopeless, Mary! I see it all as plain as day,” he said. “The moment I get upon my feet, there will be a dozen to knock me down. While I was a drunkard, no one thought of dunning me for money; but now that I am trying to do right, every one to whom I am indebted a dollar will come pouncing down upon me.”

“It’s a just debt, Henry, you know, and we ought to pay it.”

“I don’t dispute that. But we can’t pay it now.”

“Then Blake can’t get it now; so there the matter will have to rest. A little dunning won’t kill us. We have had harder trials than that to bear. So don’t get discouraged so easily.”

The words “Time, Faith, Energy!” came into the mind of Gordon and rebuked him.

“There is sense in what you say, Mary,” he replied. “I know I am too easily discouraged. We owe Blake, that is clear; and I suppose he is right in trying to get his money. We can’t pay him now; and therefore he can’t get it now, do what he will. So we will be no worse for his dunning, if he duns every day. But I hate so to be asked for money.”

“I’ll tell you what might be done,” said Mrs. Gordon.

“Well?” inquired the husband.

“Mr. Blake has a large family, and no doubt his wife gives out a good deal of sewing. I could work it out.”

Gordon thought a few moments, and then said–

“Or, better than that; perhaps Blake would let me work it out in his store. I have a good deal of time on my hands unemployed.”

“Yes, that would be better,” replied Mrs. Gordon; “for I have as much sewing as I can do, and get paid for it all.”

This thought brightened the spirits of Gordon. As soon as he had eaten his dinner he started for the store of Mr. Blake.

“I’ve come to talk to you about that bill of mine,” said Mr. Gordon.

“Well, what of it?” returned the grocer. “I wish to pay it, but have not the present ability. I lost my situation on the very day I signed the pledge, and have had no regular employment since. So far, I have only been able to pick up five or six dollars a week, and it takes all that to live upon. But I have time to spare, Mr. Blake, if I have no money; and if I can pay you in labor, I will be glad to do so.”