Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-02-20
EARLY ASPIRATIONS.

Love and heroism were the twin idols
that received the worship of my ex.
treme youth as they were the fever.
dreams of my later wild and reckless
boyhood. In the vast susceptibility oi
my tender years was passionately and
chivalrously in love with all the girls
in the settlement where lived. There
were two of them. One died, and the
father of the other discovering our at
tachment moved away, leaving no trace
of his whereabouts. My father also
moved to another village, and at the
age of twelve / was apprenticed TO a
dry goods firm, the head of which had
very attractive daughter about my
own age, and, of course, as the most
natural thing in the world, we fell
promptly in love. My devotion to the
interest of my employers was shown
principally by an eager devouring of
the contents of every ten-cent novel
published in the catalogue of dime lit
erature, the effect of which was to fill
me with Quixotioally-romantic i'm
pulses. With supreme contempt for
the prosaic duties of my position, l
lived and dreamed in an atmosphere of
the silliest romantic sentiment, while
Susie, whom called BORDER Queen" ="
perhaps for the reason that we lived
five hundred miles away from the 'front.'
ier, was no less romantic and absurd,
and regarded me as a veritable hero of
no inconsiderable proportions!
We plighted our troth, l swearing by
my "trusty right arm," and in accord
ance with the formula laid down in the
yellow-backed literature, that would
defend and protect her until the last
drop of my true hearts blood should
crimson the green earth, all of which
was approved by Susie, whose vows
were equally emphatic, if less CORY.
l expected, of course, as soon as we
became lovers, Susie's father would
come to me Just as fathers did in the
novels, and say "my daughter loves
you. have only her interest at heart;
take her and make her happy. In fu-
ture the firm name will be 'Dobson &
Son. Bless you, my children"
/ say looked for this, and in order
to give the stern parent-he must be
a stern parent at tristan oppor-
tunity to broach the subject, l made it
my business in his hearing, to converse
with fellow apprentice, another VIC
tim of border blood d-and-thunder enthu-
siasm, about how MIR. Archibald Tracy,
or Sir Ferdinand De Gonzales, or Senior
Gomez had each given his daughter
and fortune in like manner.
With an industry and perseverance
that would have been more commend
able in my capacity of employe haunt
ed my employer, but somehow he failed
to grasp his opportunity, seemed ghast-
ly unconscious of it in fact, though |
was determined it should not be my
fault if he did not awake to a realiza-
tion of his duty.
He could not hesitate to approach the
subject, for anybody but an idiot
could see by my aflirmatively inquiring
look that was ready to take his hand
and swear by the universe and contents,
that his daughter was the guiding star
of my destiny, and that sooner than
harm befall her-r-r! the fragments OF
my anatomy waited on the first thun.
derbolt, or any other destructive ele-
ment, that conspired to take advantage
OF my determination to shelter her.
After | had collided violently with
him two or three hundred times day,
stepped on his corns, and allowed him
to fall over me as | was STOPPING under
the counter to replace some shoes in a
box, and he declined to mention the
matter absorbing my mind, it grad
ually began TO dawn upon me that Mr..
DObson 10dS an idiot, that he was, in
fact, an animated statue of stupidity.
felt lonesome in my consuming con-
tempt for the man.
was employed to keep the books OF
the iirm-off the hoor-sweep out the
store, and see that fresh bucket OF
water was kept in the office. What.
ever attention these duties received
was personal, as / did not wish TO en-
trust them to careless hands; and as q
reward for my efficiency in performing
these arduous labors, / was discharged
about three times week by the Junior
partner, but Mr.. Dobson being under
pecuniary obligations to my father,
was as often reinstated, with instruc,
hons to the book.keeper to enter my
salary on the profit and loss account.
A whole week passed, and as Ihadn't
been discharged, nor had other notice
taken OF me, l felt neglected, and de
termined to resent the slight by re
signing.
In making this momentous announce
ment | was prepared for Mr.. Dobson Il
rush forward, hang on my neck anC
weep. But he failed TO rush; he alst
failed 10 hang--he did not even weep
:" trust, SIR" said /, initiating til,
impressive manner Of the man In th,
novel, that my sudden withdrawn
will not seriously impair the CONNER
cial standing Of the firm"
" N.no, no." he said, slowly an,
carelessly, and l felt that whateve
pecuniary embarrassment might fal
upon the establishment / was by thi
assurance clearly relieved from all re
sponsibility.
Ny father was Indifferent concerning