Smyrna times., 1878-09-04


thought to see the calf going back and
forth so often. But Tom didn't care. He
kept straight on and carried the calf to
Besses door.
Here she is, and here's enough feed to
feed her one week, anyway, and will see
that she has enough all winter, unless l get
sick, and | do not feel very sick just now.
Don't catch me backing out of this scrape
No, sir.eer'
All the winter Tom was up betimes in
the morning, fed and watered the cattle,
groomed the horses and did whatever was
required. He carried Clover's feed every
week or two, and never once complained.
His father watched him curiously, and
every week congratulated him on the good
lesson he was teaching him.
At last spring came. The tender grass
began to sprout and Clover could keep her.
self, from the pastures and meadows. The
farmers were all plowing and narrowing
and getting the ground ready for planting.
Everybody was busy and in a hurry, as
usual. Mr.. Moore improving, but was still
very weak. His affairs looked very dis
couragingly to him and his depressed state
of mind did much to retard his recovery.
He had bought the farm where he was liv-
ing only the spring before, after the plant
ing season was over, excepting to earn
enough by his trade, that Of carpenter,
through the following season to enable him
to buy seed and thoroughly plant the whole
place in the spring Instead of that he was
| taken sick soon after he bought it, and had
been obliged to sell his stock to get money
| to live upon. And now, right in the busy
season, when every hour seemed to be
worth day at any other time, he was
taken sick, with no money to buy seed or
the necessary farming implements, or to
hire the needed help. With his mind
overwhelmed with discouragement he sat,
one evening, in the doorway Of his own
house, and looking hopelessly on his still
unemployed land. At the same time Mr..
Thyson was riding slowly along, having
made an unusally good trip with his meat,
and was reviewing in his mind with great
satisfaction the prosperous condition of his
affairs. AS lie passed he saw Mr.. Moore
sitting there, and noticed that he looked
very pale and worried. A feeling of
sympathy took strong hold of him, and he
was temped to stop and have talk with
him, but those fields, waiting to be plowed
and sown, spoke to him so plainly and re-
proachfully that he concluded he would
bow and 60 along.
"rm sorry for Moore" he said to him.
self; that's a fact. I'd be glad to give
him lift, but I've got my own family tc
look out for. If | had always given away
to my feelings wonder where l should be
now. Oh, no! no it will never do. Nor
But as he drew up to his own house the
sight of his broad acres so carefully plant
ed, and the neat, thrifty appearance of al
the surroundings, did not give him the
feeling of satisfaction he was enjoyin!
| IaP L. r., A., 10
: into kitchen where his wife was busy get
: ting supper, he said, glancng at Tom, whc
| was having q grand frolic with his dog:
alt does me good to see Tom playing
He has had a hard winter of it.. But In
} glad let him go through it. 1t has taugh
him a lesson he will never forget, l guess
ayes, think very likely" gently an
: swered his wife; "but l have though
many a time, father, that Tom was teaching
a more important lesson than the one h
r was learning. But come, supper's ready.
, She then stepped to the door to call Tom
2 and the subject was discontinued. AS Ton
came in, breathless from play, his fathe
r remarked:
"That's better fun than working Clover
A board and carrying it over to her, isn'
e it2"
"Yes, sir. But I'm afraid if Mr. Moor
;, doesn't hurry up and plant, Glover will
|. back here in spite of me, next fall.
s wish was a rich man. I'll bet I'd max
things look different over there in n
o time"
Mr.. Thyson made no reply, but finishe
n his supper and went out into the yarC
IS where he stood leaning on the fence, al
e parently in deep thought. AS Bill, h
head man on the farm, came along, h
If stopped him, and they had quite tai
1t together.
r. the house utterly unable to throw off tt
le gloomy thoughts which filled his min,
le He saw no way out of his difficulties. TT
t. faith and hope which had kept him up ii
le now seemed gone. He went to bed earl
but did not sleep for hours. Toward NOR
or ing, however, he fell into deep sleep. II
M wife quietly darkened the room and lie
~ him. The sun was several hours hig
ID when he drew aside the curtain to look ou
10 What a sight met his eyes men we
lg plowing, narrowing and shouting to the
1t horses. Part of the ground was alreaC
ly prepared for planting, and there in Il
ry barn doorway, sat Tom and Bessie cuttir
ID potatoes, and chatting like blackbirds.
"What does it mean, mother, what do
id. it mean, mother, what does it mean p sa
1T he, as he opened the kitchen door.
We at means, father, that the dawn h
ou come. Twas very dark, you know, Ia
to night. Those are Mr.. Thyson's men.
ed Thyson's menl Thyson's men VIII
llf 1 don't understand"
d, "Well, nor /, and the men say tn
to don't know what has come over hi
ny But he told Bill to take men and hors
SIX and come over here and plant whatev
er you wanted, and he provided the see
oft and they are working like beavers, l t
ey you."
ne The next morning when the horn "
to blown, Mr.. Moore was waiting at the ga
Ter AS the wagon came along Mr.. Thyson s
ng him, and he didn't feel at all like Just be
ing and passing on. Nol-he felt Ii
,r: stopping, shaking hands and getting out
i'd see how his men were doing.
to "God bless you, sirl' said Mr.. Moo
ng. "You have given me the best medci
ow I've had. / believe it's going 10 save
lrn life. ! don't know how to thank you,
! know that feel like new man."
IFS $50 do 1, Friend Moore. But do
Ike thank me. It's all Toms doings,
ard thought was teaching him great less
his but bless you he was teaching me
ere greater one, all the time. Well, the Lo
has great surprises in store for us sol
to times hasn't he9" And. with a ferv
elk, shake of the hand, Mr.. Thyson got bi
md into his wagon and drove home. FIR
that time Mr.. Moore's health steadily
ike proved, and from that time, also, Mr.. I
4 l..