The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-10-23
Two Important Papers.

"I don't know what / shall do with
that ere boy" said Farmer Long to his
wife, rs they sat by the fire that winter
morning. "He's more harum.skarum
than that States eform.school boy
was"
"Well, father, have patience with him
for the sake of his folks. I think there's
something in Jim that will surprise you
one of these days"
"I dunno whether he'll surprise me
emmy more'n he has or not. Last spring
he made bl'eve he knowed all bout
billing down sap, nd surprised me by
burnin' the bottom nv the sap-pan cont
nd settin' the sap.house on fire. Last
summer he broke more tools in hayin'
time than all the rest nv Us together.
And dear me |! Yeou'd orter seen him
dig pertaters last fall I'll venter he cat
every third one in tew---;ruol ct 'em ez
ef he vas splittin' rock-maple logs. Nd
meow he's broke my best three tined
pitchfork in some way, feedin' the cat
tie. He's only sixteen y'r old. Ell he
does this in the green tree, what in
mater IL he do in the dry?"
After these remarks about the boy he
had taken to keep until he was of age,
the farmer started for the barn. he
was bending over the great meal-chest,
just inside the barn door, as a tandem
team was turning around the corner OF
the barn. This team consisted Of wild
yearling steer and the boy, Jim Fowler.
The steam" was on the "dead " run.
The youth had hold of the steers tail
with his left hand and held alof. milk.
, ing-stool in his right.
Mr.. Long was unaware OF danger,
and when something struck him, and
Immediately he found himself on his
back in the meal-chest, his first thought
was of an earthquake or q tornado OF
some other dread outbreak of forces. He
emerged from the chest just in time tt
see his lime backed steer pass on into
the stable and Jim Fowler arise half
stunned from the floor.
"Yeou young scamp p he thundered
"yeou'll murder somebody yet-er-el
I shall, if yeou don't stop yer dumbec
work."
The boy did not laugh at the miller
like appearance of the man. His OWL
face was. white as the farmers as ht
said:
"I'm awful sorry, Mr.. Long"
81 dunno whether yer be er not,
replied the latter. "But Iii tell yel
neou nd here, Jim Fowler, what's what
When yer father died yeou hadn't rel
ative left"
"No, sir, they want none left." broke
in the youth and the tears filled his
eyes.
"I promised him little afore he
died, I'd take care on ye until yeou was
old enough ter take care nv ye'self; nc
do we'll by ye-give ye common schoo
eddication md 50 on. Nd mean tel
do it if yer conduct don't become onbar
able. But yeou must be more stidd.
nd man-ike nd not plague roe te
death by yer recklessness. Dye hear ?
"Yes, I'm goin' to try, Mr.. Long"
"That's the sorter talk. I want "
ter 20 ter school an git ter be ez smar
ez Jennie is, eff ye can. Yeou er tev
years older'n she is nd y'aint nowher,
side her."
81 know it. I aint nowhere side b,
her."
Jennie, the farmers daughter, was
bright girl and as pretty as pink
Jim did not wonder that her father anI
mother were proud of her; or that the.
felt there was q vast difference betweel
him and her. He thought there va
himself; and he believed she did, TO
one day of the last summer, when b
STUN bled on her flower. bed, she spok
sharply at him and, If he had not mis-
understood her, called him "beggar.
He was careless and stupid if sh
had said as much, he would hav
thought it iustifable under the circum
stances. But for her to speak in tina
way-as if his misfortune was his faul
made him almost hate her. He di,
not answer back. but the look he CAV
her kept her from ever repeating tn
taunt; and also from forgetting that sh
had once made it.
Yet he continued to be the same care
less "Jim " up to this winter morning
But when Mr.. Long had administere
his reproof and returned to the house t
brush tho meal from his clothes, tn
youth fell into G profound meditation
out Of which ne came: with this eiacula
ton:
"IIl do it p
When the next term of school begar
there were two scholars from Farne
Longs.
Jennie and Jim.
They went together but they seps
rated when they got there, for Jenni
was in higher department than Jil
could enter. This was the first teri
the latter had ever begun with detel
mination 10 learn. That he was now s
determined is proved by the answer /
gave to his teacher on the first day {
school,. when she asked him, anon
other things, what he wanted to do;
was this: q went ter git ter know e
D.. - Ioo, ~