“I wish you had about three thousand dollars,” said Merwin to him, one day.  Merwin’s business had turned out well.  In five years, he had cleared over twenty thousand dollars.

“Why?” asked Peyton.

“I know a first-rate chance for you.”

“Indeed.  Where?”

“There is a very good business that has been fairly established, and is now languishing for want of a little capital.  The man who has made it will take a partner if he can bring in three thousand dollars, which would make the whole concern easy, perfectly safe, and sure of success.”

“It’s more than I have,” returned Peyton, in a voice that was slightly sad.

“So I supposed,” Merwin said.

“Although such needn’t have been the case, if I had acted as wisely as you through life.”

“It’s never too late to mend our ways, you know.”

“True.  But a year mis-spent, is a whole year lost.  No matter how hard we strive, we can never make it up.  To the day of our death, there will be one year deficient in the sum of life’s account.”

“A just remark, no doubt.  How much would every man save, if he would take good care not only of his years, but of his weeks and days!  The sum of life is made up of small aggregations.”

“And so the sum of a man’s fortune.  A dollar mis-spent is a dollar lost, and never can be regained.  You say that it will require three thousand dollars to admit a partner into the business of which you just spoke?”

“Yes.  Nothing less will do.”

“I have but two thousand.”

“Have you so much, Peyton?” said Merwin, with a brightening face.

“I have.”

“Right glad am I to hear it.  I only wish that I could furnish you with a thousand more.  But it is out of my power entirely.  Our business requires the use of every dollar we have; and it would not be just to my partner to draw out so large a sum for the purpose of assisting a friend in whom he can feel no interest.”

“No, of course not.  I neither ask nor expect it.  I will wait a little longer.  Something else will offer.”

“But nothing so really advantageous as this.  Let me see.  I think I might get you five hundred dollars, if you could borrow as much more.”

“That I cannot do.  I never asked a favour of any one in my life.”

“Though you have dispensed thousands.”

“Foolishly perhaps.  But no matter.  I will wait.”

A week afterward, Peyton, who dismissed all thought of embracing the proposed offer of going in business, paid a visit to his mother.  He had not seen her for a year.  She was still cheerful, active, and retained her usual good health.

“I think it time you gave up this shop, mother,” said he to her.  “You are too old now to be working so closely.  I’ve got something saved up for a rainy day, in case any thing should go wrong with me for a time.  You will give up this shop, won’t you?”