of luck in this world, and I ain't a-going to complain
on my OWN account, but I've noticed that most things get
along too late for most people. It made me feel bad,
and it took all the pride out my success with the paint,
thinking of father. Seemed to me I might 'a taken more
interest in it when he was by to see; but we've got to
live and learn. Well, I called my wife out,--I'd tried
it on the back of the house, you know,--and she left
her dishes,--I can remember she came out with her sleeves
rolled up and set down alongside of me on the trestle,--
and says I, 'What do you think, Persis?' And says she,
'Well, you hain't got a paint-mine, Silas Lapham;
you've got a GOLD-mine.' She always was just so enthusiastic
about things. Well, it was just after two or three
boats had burnt up out West, and a lot of lives lost,
and there was a great cry about non-inflammable paint,
and I guess that was what was in her mind. 'Well, I
guess it ain't any gold-mine, Persis,' says I; 'but I
guess it IS a paint-mine. I'm going to have it analysed,
and if it turns out what I think it is, I'm going
to work it. And if father hadn't had such a long name,
I should call it the Nehemiah Lapham Mineral Paint.
But, any rate, every barrel of it, and every keg,
and every bottle, and every package, big or little,
has got to have the initials and figures N.L.f. 1835,
S.L.t. 1855, on it. Father found it in 1835, and I tried it
in 1855.'"

"'S.T.--1860--X.' business," said Bartley.