SPENDINa MONEY. 
versation on various subjects, and tbe two departed 
at nine o’clock, well pleased with the pleasant even- 
ing they had spent. Wildgoose acknowledged he had 
enjoyed himself far more than at any of his heavy 
spreads ‘‘but then you know poor Jones can’t afford 
that sort of thing.” Mr. Brown was fully of opinion, 
that, even if he could afford it, he would not give 
them, “ but you know, Wildgoose, it is impossible 
to convince you on these subjects, or if you are con- 
vinced, 
‘ A man convinced against his will, 
Is of the same opinion still. ’ ” 
Mr. Brown had remarked that his neighbour Wild- 
goose had not “been himself” for a long time; he 
was silent and thoughtful, and seemed all of a sudden 
to have given up all “nonsense” and “gadding 
about ”; he was always busy with papers and accounts : 
in fact, was quite absorbed in business. It all became 
explained, after it could hardly be concealed any 
longer, when on meeting him one daj^, he said : — 
“Brown, lam going to leave you. lam going home, 
and am not sure if I shall ever come back again.. 
Coffee planting does not suit me ; it is too slow and 
plodding a life. In fact, it does not nearly come up 
to what I expected, unless in the spending of money : 
in this respect it certainly bas far exceeded^ my ex- 
pectations, and the worst of it is that I have nothing 
to shew for thousands I have spent on this wretched 
place. Beally, I don’t know where the money has 
gone to. Will you believe it now, here is somewhere 
about from 100 to 130 acres of coffee, and it has cost 
me in all, or rather the ‘ governor,’ close upon £10,000?” 
Mr. Brown asked the very natural question, if he 
had kept a separate and distinct account of his own 
personal and private expenditure apart altogether from 
estate expenditure, but he had not. “Why,” says he, 
“the money is spent. I have been living on the 
estate, so it ’s all one,” and he made an attempt at a 
smile and a joke. “The money has been spent upon 
the estate, and they tell me,” says Wildgoose, very 
sorrowfully, “ that the estate is not worth it. No- 
body will give that price, and that the place must 
just be carried on under agents, in the most eco- 
nomical manner, in order that it may yield the ‘ go- 
vernor’ a fair interest for his tin. Upon my word, 
how I am ever, to face him I know not; for it was 
not so very long ago I wrote him, to make his mind 
quite easy, for I was sure to be home in a couple of years 
with an income of £2,000 per annum. And the worst 
of it all is, that I fear the money he has given and 
sent me is all borrowed, or at all events a great portion 
of it. Oh dear, what is to be done !” 
