“That will do.”
“But I have no tobacco.”
“Ah!” Here there was another long-drawn sigh.
After supper they sat down around the fire, to rest and chat for a while before retiring.
“I suppose, my friends,” continued Dionysius, “you would be surprised if I should tell you that I was once wealthy.”
“You don’t look like it now,” said Tom Cooper bluntly.
“No; indeed I don’t. Yet six years ago I was worth fifty thousand dollars.”
“I shall be glad if I am worth as much six years hence.”
“How did you lose it?” asked Jerry Cooper.
“Through the knavery of wicked men. I was so honest myself that I supposed all with whom I had dealings were equally honorable, and I was deceived. But I am happy to think that when I was rich I contributed to every good work. I gave a thousand dollars to the church in my town. I gave five thousand dollars as a fund for a town library. All men spoke well of me, but when I lost my fortune all turned the cold shoulder, and I found I had no friends. It is the way of the world.”