LOSS OF DICK'S FLOUR. 



The ship was insured, but Dick's flour was not. 

 Though the bill of lading intimated that the flour was 

 to be delivered in good order " the act of God, the 

 Queen's enemies, fire, and all and every other dangers 

 and accidents of the seas excepted " yet it was found 

 difficult to prove that the disaster occurred through the 

 negligence of those who managed the vessel. Those 

 whose goods had been lost or damaged had therefore to 

 sustain the loss. To Dick it was ruinous. 



The cost of the flour was only 45 : 13 : 6 ; but, small 

 though the sum was, Dick had not the money at his com- 

 mand. What was he to do ? He had never been in debt 

 in his life. And yet, not only must this debt be paid for, 

 but he must order more flour in order to carry on his busi- 

 ness. He had been slowly going to ruin for years past. 

 He had lost 120 of his former savings ; and now, to use 

 his own words, the loss of 45 made him " next thing 

 to a beggar." His only property consisted in his books, 

 his collection of fossil fishes, his botanical specimens, 

 his slender stock of furniture, his old-fashioned clothes, 

 'and his little store of linen. These were of little value. 

 They could not be sold in time to save him. He must 

 turn to some one else. Then he bethought him of his 

 affectionate, generous-hearted sister. She had offered 

 him money a few years before, which he had refused, 

 because "coddling and nursing was about the worst 

 treatment imaginable." 



But alas ! the time had come when he could no 

 longer refuse her generous offer. He wrote to her, 

 pouring out his griefs, and telling her how he had been 

 reduced almost to the brink of ruin. 



