Australian Tales - Setis

upon doing something noble. “I can spare sixpence a day from my beer
money, and if I go without beer altogether, I dare say I shall be none the
worse — indeed Tom Bevil is always trying to persuade me that I shall
be very much better in every way if I adopt his plan, and drink nothing
stronger than tea. He has managed to save money enough to build a snug
little house for himself. I can and will spare sixpence a day, Jenny; and
I'll tell you next week what I want it for, but not before then, so don't ask
me there's a dear.”
* * * * *
About ten days afterwards, Peter Giles handed his wife a large printed
paper, in an envelope, and told her to put it away carefully in her
drawers. It was a policy of assurance on his life for £300.
* * * * *
Boxing Day of 186 — was a sorrowful day for poor Mrs. Giles and her
young family. Peter went out that morning, in company with several of
his shopmates, to spend the day on the harbour in a boat. That afternoon
a furious squall of wind from the south did much mischief to the small
vessels in port, and, amongst other distressing casualties, Peter's boat was
upset, when he and two of his companions were drowned.
I need not try to depict the grief of poor Widow Giles and her five
young children, when the lifeless body of her husband was brought to her
home the next day. It was a very sad trial for her; but, happily, she had
not to bear poverty in addition to her intense grief, for Peter had kept his
premiums punctually paid to the assurance office, and in a short time she
received about £320, being the amount assured for, with bonus additions.
That was the capital which enabled Widow Giles to stock her nice little
grocery shop.
Instead of speculating on the forlorn condition which Widow Giles
would have been placed in, if her late husband had not made that
fortunate provision for her, I will close this chapter with the following
quotation from a London journal (which I read some years ago), on the
“moral duty of Life Assurance.” The writer in question, says, “It may be
felt by many, that their income is insufficient to enable them to spare
even the small sum necessary as an annual premium for life assurance.
The necessities of the present can in their case so great, that they do not
see how they are afford it. We believe there can be no obstacle which is
apt to appear more real than this, when an income is at all limited, and
yet it is easy to show that no obstacle is more ideal. It will be readily
acknowledged by every one who has an income at all, that there must be
some who have smaller incomes. Say, for instance, that any man has