Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-08
wHATWAs HE MADE FORs

feeling and appreciation, although
greatly to the disgust Of many larger
boys, who had been dragged away
from their favorite sports to behold
this model for Rochester youth. AS
he grew in years and intelligence,
and his parents were too poor to COM
plete his education, some wealthy
persons supplied the money which
enabled Sam to graduate, at 10, from
an Eastern college.
After he graduated, however, Sam
did not at once begin to give practical
evidences of the ability which he was
supposed to possess. In fact, he de-
veloped no special ability atall, en-
cept as connoisseur in smoking to-
bacco, The ministers all liked him,
for he enabled them to recall their
own college days; but the other citi-
zens began to remark to each other
that Sam Minney wasn't doing much.
AT last, after receiving several hints
OH the subject of unused talents, Sam
became clerk in store. All his Gus
toners liked him exceedingly per-
haps because he was too good-natured
to stand out against an ordinarily
vigorous beating-down. His peculiar
sort of ability gained Sam an early
release from the thralldom Of the
counter. hut 10 lawyer stood ready
to seize him rs student and pros
rectiye partner: not even Rochester
editor seemed anxious TO secure Sam
as assistant.
"IIe ought 10 go West was the
final decision of Rochester. He need
ed something to stir him up. and in
the West he could get ii. Sam him
self had much The same idea he had
read a great many novels so he was
fully convinced that he was not ap-
preciatcd, and that it needed only a
great occasion to enable him TO dis
play his exceptional powers. So Sam
joined party of colonists who were
about to leave Rochester for the far
West. e., Indiana. As every other
man was obliged to designate his oc-
cupation, Sam called himself land
survey or, and actually traded away a
great many books for secondhand
theodolitc. Experience proved that
he had reasoned rightly, for his
services were not required more than
an hour in the week during the first
year Of the colony, while the school,
master, who was employed by the
people in the following year, proved
as capable surveyor as Sam. and a
great deal more Trustworthy in point
Of time.
What Sam did after that, il is
doubtful whether he himself could
tell. lie seemed to get a sudden start
in the world when anew and we'll
to-dO store-keeper employed him as
private tutor 10 his half-dozen large
children. We say adyisedly that the
employment gave him a sudden start,
for it enabled him to obtain a much
needed suit of clothes on credit--an
achievement which would shortly he
fore have been impossible. The mer-
chants children made considerable
progress. but hardly in the direction
contemplated by their parents; the
boys learned more college songs than
mathematics, while the oldest dangh-
ter found Sam so agreeable that she
exhibited symptoms Of falling in love
with him.
For long time after Sans dis
charge BY the merchant. his only busi-
ness efforts consisted in running in
debt for his board. As ri week
was the price of board at New Roches-
ter in those days. his. transactions in
this line were not large, but he could
conscientiouslv say that in this re-
spect, at least. he did his best. But,
after receiving notices to quit from
every one at New Rochester who ever
took boarders, Sam conceived desire
to visit the sunit-South, in which
land he understood existence might
be maintained without labor. lie
embarked for New Orleans on q fiat
boat, or rather he became one of the
crew of such a boat, and for five
weeks told jokes in the little cabin,
and grnmbled when he was called on
duty. After he parted from his mates
at New Orleans, the citizens of New
Rochester heard no more Of him for
a year, when suddenly he rcappearcd
just after an upward-bound steamer
had left New Rochester. His cloth.
ing was not oyer-neat, and the shoul.
ders of his coat were rubbed through
in the manner peculiar to the '''roust-
abonp (deck-hand.) He brought no
baggage ashore with him, and made
no secret Of the fact that he had been
very hard up, and had learned Ia
work.
/ But the good.hcarted storckcepcl
who employed Sam Immediately on
hearing the ex-suryeyor's story, soon
found that his clerk had forgotten
the excellent habit he had learned
but had not been so successful will
certain other acquired accomplish
ments. He had learned to drink, and
he parted with not fragment of hi
knowledge on this subject; he had
learned to make palatahle beverages
from raw materials, and he freely i'm
parted his knowledge to the custom
ers ofthe single liquor seller who
had crept into New Rochester. HI
had profited so literally by the free
lunch attachments to the Southern
bar-rooms that he suggested the 1dei
Of free lunches to the liquor dealer
and the experiment resulted so profit
ably that the grateful barkeeper made
Sam welcome whenever he called
Later, when Sans patronage seemed
rather expensive, the vender Of thl
poisons remembered that Sam hai
never been suspected of theft, so h,
employed him as barkceper. Poo
Sam was already so far gone that h,
could not understand why, after hi
taking this new position, the non
drinking inhabitants ceased to recog
nize him respectfully. But he hat
his revenge, although he had not tn
slightest idea of taking any; hi
bountifnl store Of jokes, and his fin
assortment Of funny songs, drew int
J the back door of the liquor sho]
many likely Young men whose pa
rents supposed their sons were visit
ing their neighbor's daughters.
AT last Sam became too much of
drunkard to mix liquors correctly, s.
he lost his professional position. Bn
Bayne, his late employer, was not
man to GO back on his friends, so h
let Sam sleep OH the bar at night, fc'
him with his own hired man and wo
man, and occasionally gave him cast
I of clothing, in return for which kind
r ness Sam took down and put up tn
shutters. made the fire, chopped wood
and made himself incidentally useftl
in other ways. His principal occupa
$ ton, however, consisted in ramblin
! about aimlcssly. aud chatting in
desultory manner to whoever wonl
listen to him. lie delighted in chil
: dren, and they In turn loved him, a
the little Dutch boys and girls love