Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-08-25

f-NNAi Af4t lA-ll@loD O. H. N~t~s
and epoke IN the most enthusiastic
manner about TIE freedom and happi'
ness Of the hfe, and said;
although I have enough, and more
than enough, money fer my needs, ]
cannot consent to live n fife ofidlencss.
And as to my living IN this city, I al
woys feel as though l had weight on
my chest-I can't set a good big mn9
tull Of air, as can when l am out with
the sheep"
"Why not go into the business In
this country, uncle ?" said Tom
"There are plenty ofplaces here where
7 think n man can do.fullyas well as he
could in Australia. III only had the
means ard knew The business as vel
as you do, I think I should-I would
embark III il tomorrow. It is rather
a singular thing that you should be here
tonight, and The subject Of shcep-rais-
ING should como up; for it is something
which have been very much interested
in for the past two weeks, and l will
tell you how il occurred"
And Tom told Uncle George how
near he had come TO selling the rancho
III Texas and how he aud Bessie had
already in imagination drawn largely Oh
the commission fund, and al about it.
Uncle George laughed heartily, and
at the same time looked 2 little
thoughtful. He told them, after visit
of few days, during which time he mad
a preoccupied way ,and an air Of general
uneasness, that business would keep
him away from them for few weeks,
but that lie should look upon their
house as his home until lie found
another. and vent his way, not, how
eyer, before taxing Bessie aside and
saying 20 her:
"Do you know, l think it sham in
that Chicago man to fairly cheat Tom
out OF his commission in that way, but
you can have the parlor carpet all the
same"
And he tucked the neatest crisp
little wad of Green paper in her land
that had been there for manya day.
When he was fairly soue Bessie took Il
look at it and was astonished at the
amount.
Tom, in the meantime had immersed
himself in another grand scheme. Some
of his numerous friends Lad incorpora-
ted the Cresas and Midas Mln'ug Com
pany, and Tom was eudeayoring to sell
some of tue stock at "boiiom prices" "
receiving q very large bonus therefor
in stock. When Tom believed in
anything himself be had a way OF
making those he talked TO concerning it
believe 10 it too, and as consequence
his sales of stock were very much larger
than he expected, and the amount OF
his own certificates was something
handsome. The income from them,
however, was not large as yet, as tie
shaft had not been sunk deep enough
and the reduction works were not
erected,
About the time that the mill stock"
was all sold, and Tom was wondering
where next he should employ his tai
ents, Uncle George, without word OF
warning, put in an appearance at the
house, and during the course OF the
first even Ing he SAID to Tom:
"By the way, Tom, did your Chicago
man ever come back and buy that
ranch 2"
IL had been so long since Tom had
thought of the ranch that lie had to col
lect his thoughts before he could an
swer, mot yet"
"Well, said Uncle George" 'if the
gentleman from Texas is still in town,
you can go to him and say that YOU
know Of party who is willing to give
him, say half Of what your Chicago man
was to pay, and cash down. Pm sorry
your commission will not be as large as
you had first hoped, but still it will
amount to something"
Tom was in dazed sort of condition,
but, all the same, found the Texas gen.
tleman, made him the offer. which was
accepted on the spot, and went home
that night to report TO Uncle George.
"Very good" said Uncle George,
"I'll take it myself. The fact Of the
business is, when l went away from
here | went down in Texas 10 look at
the Brazos ranch, and a good deal tC
my surprise found 1t very nearly as
represented, aud it has all the elements
of a very nice sheep farm about 1t, end
in the course Of a year or two we can
make a jolly nice place oft. say we,
you know, for | am not going there
alone; and l think, Tom, there is the
making of a splendid sheep farmer in
you. According to your own story,
you have not amounted to much al
anything else. and you know that we
are all created to fill some special mis-.
sion, and the only inference TO draw is
that sheep farming is yours, for you
have tried about everything else"
Tom was delighted, Of course, and
wherever he was Bessie was satisfied to
be. All this was five years ago, and
to- day Tom Cornthwait is one of the
most prosperous men in Texas, and be
and Uncle George are partners on
equal terms with q much larger rancho;
for, as singular as it may seem, Tom
got letter one day from one of his