pursuit, the more perfection and certainty attend its action. But if
it be divided between two objects and pursuits, and especially if
both of these require much thought, its action will be imperfect to
a certain degree in both, or one will suffer while the other absorbs
the most attention.

Thus it happened with Lawrence. While ardently engaged in
financiering, his business received less attention. Instead of using
to the best possible advantage the money already obtained in his
financiering operations, he strove eagerly after more. In fact, too
reckless an investment, in many instances, of borrowed capital, from
which no return could be obtained perhaps for years, made his wants
still as great as before, and kept in constant activity all the
resources of his mind in order to meet his accommodations and
steadily to increase them.

Ten years from the time when Sidney Lawrence started in business
have passed. He is living in handsome style and keeps his carriage.
Five or six years previously, he was married to a beautiful and
lovely-minded woman, connected with some of the best families of the
city. He has three children.

"Are you not well, dear?" asked his wife, one day about this period.
They were sitting at the dinner-table, and Mr. Lawrence was hardly
tasting his food.

"I haven't much appetite," he replied indifferently.

"You eat scarcely any thing; hardly enough to keep you alive. I am
afraid you give yourself too much up to business."