The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-03

smile; +" aad the young wretch suggested
that he should follow my profession. "
g Your professionr' criedI. in amaze
ment. I had known Septimus all my
life, and was well aware that he had
never followed an occupation for more
than six days at time. The routine of
work which he planned ON Monday morn
ing never could survive the intervention
of the following Sunday.
My friend looked at me rather comic
ally and said: - am afraid he was
laughing at me. You know that went
in for all sorts Of things when was .
young man. was wild about art at one
time; and once seriously thought Of
making a fortune on the stock exchange.
You remember my devotion to literature !;
and how studied architecture that year
when we Travelled together. l might
have made something of them if I had
not been SO often anticipated by Mr..
Matthew Arnold, Mr.. Ruskin and Others
1t was not until l was engaged to Jessie
that took up political economy, and
found that had been an unproductive
consumer. 1t Is wonderful science, and
makes humanity SO simple, showing you
that all men are very much alike, if you
look at them in the right way, and don't
confuse yourself by the analysis Of peo-
pies characters"
"Well, Septimus,' ! said, you can't
be surprised that your son should be as
idle young dog as you were in your
youth. Perhaps he may some day catch
this science as you did, fori is certainly
in the air"
But" said Septimus, "the curious
thing is that he is not idle at all. On the
contrary, he works very steadily, but
hates to get anything for it. l have
shown him Bishops in their aprons and
Judges in their gowns, but without the
slightest effect When l took him into
the House of Commons he expressed an
opinion that all the members should wear
wigs like the Speakers, maintaining that
no man could be revolutionary in a wig.
He added that, but for the head-ge of
the lawyers, cOdification would be inevi
table When l introduced him to the
peer Of my acquaintance he cross-ques-
toned the noble lord about his tenants
cottages. ! should suppose him to be
entirely without reverence if he did not
sometimes burst into enthusiasm over
people Of whom, for the most part,
have never heard, and who have GER
tainly achieved no position. But though
he is without ambition, he is so far from
idleness that his industry is almost a
vice. He not only pursues every study
which cannot possibly lead to fortune or
place, but he occupies spare time with
other peoples business. Some days ago
my laborcr q had but one) abruptly left
the place, and on inquiry found that
Tommy, anxious to diminish the surplus
agricultural population, had helped him
to cmigrate. He is on the point of de-
livering a series of lectures to our peace
full rustics, who have heretofore been
perfectly satisfied with my penny read
iHSs, dHu ~ tHCsC HlSdHS Hc VIII pIOu-
ably dcpopulate the village. He talks Of
visit Of inspection to the valley Of the
Mississippi. In short, | begin to fear
that | am the father Of an agitator A
strange lad, Of whom the only thing
which you can safely predict is that he
will do what he likes and that his mother
will abet him.s Will you have any more
wines'
One moment said. 81 only want
to ask, what has become of the borrowed
Theodore?"
" He is a very fair player at Polo" re-
piled my host. You won't have any
more wines Then let us join Jessie and
my boy on the lawn."-Blaeknood's Maga-
zine.