The Osceola times., 1878-06-08

Ieeu enough now 10 Iast her This week,
and after this can earn 1t and carry 1t
over"
His father smiled at Toms business.
like way, and though to himself "Well,
am teaching Tom a good lesson, that's
fact. He'll get tired enough of his
bargain before spring, but 1t will do him
good"
Tom filed his hand cart with the feed,
and tying the rope around Clover's neck,
started again 10 carry her home. dom t
know what the people along the road
thought 10 see the calf going back and
forth ~ often. But Tom didn't care.
He went straight on and carried the calf
70 Be~ie's door. H
"Hers she is, Bess, and here's enough
to feed her one week, anyway, and IN
sse that she has enough all winter, unless
get sick, and don feel very sick now.
Don't catch me backing out of this
scrspe. No sir eel"
All winter Tom was up betimes in
the morning, fed and wstered the cattle,
gr0omsd the horses and did whatever was
required. He carried Clovers feed over
every week or two, and never once COM
planned. His father watched him curi>
ously and every week congratulated him.
self on the good Lesson he was teaching
him.
At last spring came. The tender grass
| began 10 sprout, and Clover could keep
herself from the pastures and meadows.
The farmers were all plowing and har-
rowing, and getting the ground ready
for planting. Everybody was busy, and
in a hurry, as usual. Mr.. Moore was
improving, but was still very weak. His
affairs looked very discouraging to him,
and his depressed state of mind did much
to retard his recovery. He had bought
the farm where he was living only the
spring before. after the planting reason
was over, expecting to earn enough by
his trade, that OF a carpenter. through
the following seasons TO enable him to
buy seed and TO Thoroughly plant the
whole place In the spring. Instead of
that, he was taken sick soon after lie
bought II, and had been obliged to sell
his stock 10 get money TO live upon.
Aud now, right in the busy season, when
every hour seemed worth q day at any
otter time, he was sick, with no money
to buy seed or the necessary farming
implements, or to hire the needed help.
With his mind overwhelmed with dis
couragement, he sat one evening, in the
doorway of his house, and looked hope
lessly on his still unemployed land. At
the same time Mr.. Thyson was riding
slowly along, having made an unusually
good trip with his meat, and was review
ing in his mind with great satisfaction
the prosperous condition Of his affairs
As he passed he saw Mr.. Moore sitting
there, and noticed that he looked very
pale ard worried. A feeling of sympathy !
took strong hold of him, and he wa.
tempted to stop and have talk with
him, but those fields waiting to IN
plowed and sown spoke TO him 20 plainly
aud reproschfully that he concluded ht
would only bow and 20 along.
81 am sorry for Moore" be said to
himself that is fact. I'd he glad to
give him lift, but have got my own
family 10 look out for. II / had always
given way 20 my feelings wonder where
/ should be now. Oh, mol no II will
never do. No !" ..
But AZ be drew up TO his own house,
the sight of his broad acres 10 carefully
planted, s.d the neat, thrifty appearance
Of the surroundings. did not give him the
feeling of satisfaction he was enjoying
before he met Mr.. Moore. As be went
into the kitchen where his wife was
getting supper, he said, glsncing out of
the window at Tom, who was having a
irolic with his dogs:
1T does me good TO zee Tom play ing.
He has had hard winter Of 1t. But
am glad let him go through II. II ha,
taught him lesson he will never forget,
guess"
|Yes, I think very likely" gently
answered his wife; "but have thought
many times, father, that Tom was teach
ing a more important lesson than the
one he was learning. But come, supper
Is ready" .
She then stepped 70 the door and call.
ed Tom, and the subject was not con-
tinued. As Tom came in breathless from
play, his father ssid:
THAT is better fun than working
Clover's board and carrying it over TO
her, isn't it?"
eyes, sir, But am afraid IL Mr..
Moore doesn't hurry up and plant,
Clover will be marching back here in
spite of me, next fall. / wish ! was a
rich man. I'll bet I'd mako things look
different over there"
Mr.. Thyson made no reply, but finished
his supper, and went out into the yard
where he stood leaning on the fence sp>
pearently In deep thought. As Bill. his
head man on the farm, came along, he
stopped him, and they had quiet talk
together.
Meanwhile Mr.. Moore had gone into
his house, utterly unable to throw off the
gloomy thoughts which filed his mind
lie saw no way out of his difsculties
The faith and hope which had kept him
up till now, seemed gone. He went &c
bed early, but did not sleep for heurs
Toward morning, however, he fell into Q
deep sleep. His wife quietly darkened
the room and left him. The sun ws,
several hours high when he drew aside
the curtains to look out. What a sight
met his eyes! Men were plowing, har'
rowing and shouting to their horses
Part Of the ground was already prepared
for planting, and there, iu the barn door.
way, sat Tom aud Bessie, cutting pota.
toes and chattering like blsckbirds.
"What does it mean, mother? What
does 1t mean 2" said he, as be opened the
kitchen door.
at means, father, that the dawn has
come. Twas very dark, you know, Last
| c;oht Thoza are Mr. Thyson's man %
"Thyson's men Tnyson's men Why,
don't understand"
"Well, nor /, and the men say that