CHAPTER II.

WANTED A WIFE!

"THOMAS NITSCHKE was at one time a respectable man, in good circumstances, living in Germany, until he was all but ruined by the dissipated life he lapsed into ; he then collected all that remained of his property, and came over here. I recollect his first appearance perfectly; he was then a decent-looking well-dressed sort of fellow, and backed with very good letters of introduction; and on his arrival easily obtained two securities, and conducted himself very properly for some time.

"He was very diligent at his occupation, for he knew the money he had brought with him wouldn't last very long; but this eked out, with a pretty good salary, enabled him to live comfortably, without however, permitting him to indulge in extravagance.

"So all went on well for a period; he was industrious, and was looked upon as a worthy young man-but there was an evil spirit lurking with him that would not let him rest. He took at last to drinking-the first step on the road to ruin in India,-was dismissed by his employers, lived on his money while it lasted, and then began to contract debts.

"Kuhn, who was one of his securities, now sent for him, and, after remonstrating with him for his foolish. conduct, kindly offered to let him stay at his house, to overlook his men, and to keep his books for him. He made him his overseer, and thus enabled him again to lead

a respectable life; he allowed him a good salary, and with good management, Nitschke might have saved no little money.

"This reformation lasted for some time, and his friends hoped he had amended his evil ways; but their hopes were doomed to diappointment. The quiet life he had lately led began to weary him; he took to drinking on the sly, neglected his duties, and at last behaved so badly that one morning Kuhn was obliged to pack him off neck and crop, and forbade him to come near his house again.

"Nitschke then lived loosely about the town for some time, fell in love with a Malay girl, and contrived to rub on pleasantly enough for himself while his money lasted, which, of course, was not very long. Very soon after his money was gone he was deserted by the Malay girl, who only cared for him while she could get something out of him. So he sank deeper and deeper, till at last, reduced to utter want, he went in despair to his late employer, represented his sad and hopeless situation, and entreated him to take him back, promising that he would sin no more.

"Kuhn, who was really a kind-hearted man, was rejoiced at his contrition, and so took him at his word, furnished him with suitable clothing, and restored him to his former position in his office.

"But a protracted course of dissipation requires extraordinary determination to overcome its allurements. Nitschke soon relapsed into his vicious habits, and was again dismissed, and again sank into a state of utter degradation. Kuhn had now firmly resolved to have nothing more to do with him beyond paying his passage home, if he would be willing to go.

"But Nitschke would not have been much inclined to go back to Kuhn had the latter been willing to receive him.

A quiet business-life did not suit him. He lived no one knew how, till at length his intemperate habits caused him to fall a victim to the injurious effects of the climate, and the wretched outcast was conveyed to the hospital, that he might not absolutely die in the streets.

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But, as luck would have it, he did not die. Some natures, in spite of the evils caused by wild excitement and a disregard of the ordinary laws of life, seem to be endowed with an unimpaired elasticity which pulls them through every danger. While tossing and groaning on his bed of sickness, he was induced to reflect seriously ; and when he became convalescent, he wept bitterly over his past conduct, and in this state of mind implored Kuhn to forgive him once more for his past offences.

“At first Kuhn would not listen to this appeal. What dependence could he place on the promised amelioration of the now repentant victim of dissipation, and why should he tax himself with the support of so worthless a fellow? It was hopeless to expect that he could even make a steady and an honourable man of him. But at last his Christian spirit prevailed over this stern resolve, for when he saw him in the hospital, looking so pale and wretched, his sympathy was excited, and after an inward struggle he resolved to receive him once more, but only under severe restrictions, which precautions, however, he might have known would prove useless.

"While Nitschke was in the hospital he had been entirely forbidden the use of any spirituous liquors, and was, consequently, more orderly in his habits, but, as might be expected, very weak and dejected; and when he came out, the doctor strictly prohibited him from resorting to intoxicating beverages. Kuhn declared, accordingly, that he should not touch a drop of brandy

in his house. Nitschke promised to conform to these injunctions, and sincerely strove to keep his word. He was now so deplorably weak that it took several months to get him tolerably well, and even then he looked more like a living skeleton than a man.

"Just at that time he received a letter from Europe, addressed to him by his sister, who had heard of his wild freaks. In severe terms, but tempered with kind expressions, she represented the terrible consequences of such a mode of life, and conjured him, by all that was dear, to repent and reform his conduct, and become another man.

"Nitschke read this letter with much emotion; indeed, he cried and raved in such a manner, that a Malay servant went to Kuhn, and told him she thought that Nitschke was about to kill himself. Kuhn shook his head at this, well knowing Nitschke to be too great a coward, but went at once to see after him.

"What's all this noise about?' exclaimed Mr. Kuhn. "You are alarming all the house.'

Nitschke replied, still weeping-tears with him were always ready when wanted-'I am a useless, worthless fellow.'

"Well, everybody in the house is fully aware of that,' observed Kuhn.

"I am a rogue,' added Nitschke. 'I do not deserve the sun to shine on me."

"Don't bore one with such stuff,' said Kuhn; 'you are always repeating the same story; but you need not make all this uproar about it. What the deuce has happened to make you act so absurdly?'

"Just read this yourself,' said Nitschke, giving Kuhn the letter. See how affectionately my relations

cling to me, and then judge how miserable I must feel when I reflect that their reproaches are so well merited.'

"Kuhn, after reading the letter, returned it to Nitschke, who asked him, piteously, 'Well, what do you think of its contents?'

"Why, it's the old theme, word for word, that we have all preached to you a thousand times; but you would not heed us. When we thought you were on the right road at last, you sprang from it into the mire, and there rolled about with the greatest possible relish. Many is the time you have promised you would reforma promise invariably broken at the first opportunity. You know best how you have profited by all this folly. Look in the glass at the pitiful object you now are, with pale cheeks, sunken eyes, and trembling hands. If I did not feel so provoked with you, I should perhaps pity you in your wretched plight. And how is it all to end? You promise to be steady; but how long will it last. Your sister says truly that you must be considered as a lost man.'

“That, indeed, I am,' said Nitschke, in a tone of despair; 'I am a lost man-lost without the hope of redemption; for I am not worthy of life; the best thing I can do is to throw myself into the water and be drowned. Better to be devoured by crocodiles than to waste away by eternal self-reproaches.'

"Yes, if you would only do that, indeed!' rejoined Kuhn quietly; but you are always ready to promise things, and never think of performing them."

"Nitschke looked at him in a wild and distracted manner, and proceeded to tear his hair out by handfuls. It seemed as if he were struggling with some desperate