The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-03-04

ders but his sense of duty didn't 90
very far. The Rev. Mr.. Blake bought n
new coat, and Sam entered Harvard that
fall; and there matters stopped for a
while.
GA freshman has a great deal to
learn, as you know; but l think the
chief thing Sam learned, that term,
was the great difference there is be-
tween Harvard and little village like
Elmbank, and the great difficulty of
working and playing at the same time.
{" Here he had society meetings to
attend, and rooms of his own, with a
chum, where good deal of smoking
was done by himself and his friends.
And then there was baseball, into
which it appeared indispensable for the
honor of the class that he should enter
actively, on account of his strong legs,
wonderful wind and ground batting.
He could not refuse to 90 to the
theater occasionally with his richer
companions. Sam took natural inter
est in the society of young ladies, too,
and had to give up some time TO its cul-
tivation. He also thought a moderate
amount of practice in the gymnasium
was desirable to prevent his health
from breaking down under the contine-
ment of study. So, on the whole, the
actual work that he did in the college
course was not very extensive.
"This didn't seem to have any bad
effect till well along in the winter, when
the habit of shirking work had grown
so strong, without his noticing it, that
he fell easily into reading novels
when he ought to have been in the reci-
tation-room. Gymnasium, theater, bill
lizards, smoking-and l am afraid
must say a little drinking - frittered
away his time.
"One horrible snowy, sleety morn
ing, when he had got up too late for
prayers, the postman brought him a
note from the Faculty - an 'admOni-
tion.'
{" He dropped the pipe he was just
| lighting and bOlted off to recitation.
But he 'deaded Immediately and that
discouraged him.
80 He soon began to make light of the
warning, and did himself no credit in
his studies. Though he managed to
squeeze through the examination at
the end of the freshman year, he came
out far down toward the foot of his
class.
"He wasn't quite contented with
himself and thought he would try to do
better the next year. But during the
journey home he recovered his usual
spirits.
+" When he walked up the village to-
wards the parsonage farm, he was think
ing that-since he was a sophomore now
-he would buy the knottiest and big
gest headed cane in Cambridge when he
should 90 back there. And what do
you suppose was the first sight that met
him at home?
" was his father out in the field, dig
ging for new potatoes, his coat off, and
his specialized face perspiring!
"The sight struck shame into the
| boy. He vaulted the fence, and, run
ming up with hardly pause for greet
ing, cried:
$50, father! let me do that! don't
like to see you at such work
ssMr. Blake stopped and looked earn
estly and rather sadly at him.
'''Well, Sam, think that's about as
good ''How-do-you-doP'' as you could
| have offered me. There's something
right about you after all
at hadn't occurred to Sam that there
was any doubt on that point before. He
| blushed as he asked
! where's the hired man?'
"I've discharged him. can't af
ford one atpresent, my son. was the an
swer.
'sSam was rather puzzled, and begar
to reflect.
"They went into the house, and there
when the minister reappeared aftel
making his toilet, his son noticed tina
he wore the old shabby, shiny coat. A
this he was more than ever astOnished
"The supper, also, notwithstanding
that it was the first night of the prodi
gals return, was very meager. Not {
single extra luxury was on the table
and Sam observed that his father anC
mother took no sugar nor butter. Hi
own appetite began to fail at seeing this
and his perception was sharpened ac
cordingly. He was now aware that hi
father looked very thin, as well as sad
Suddenly he laid down his knife, ant
, exclaimed to his sister katy
s'' Sis, what does all this meanP-
this going without the hired man, an
starving yourselvesP
"His sister looked at him, the
t glanced at Mr.. Blake and her mother
I and made no answer.
"' l thought, said Sam, petulantly
! that Williston's money was going t
/ make it easy for you, father; and her
the pinching is going on five times wors
: than ever
D 81 don't own my friend Williston
f money! said the minister, quietly.
i "tOf course not. But the five hun
dred dol Sam stopped abruptly c
/ an entreating gesture from his sister.
/, "The subject was not resumed b
/ before he went to bed, Sam obtained q
n interview with his sister alone.
5, felt, secretly, that he was responsible f,
a the depression and trouble which SCENE
1t to fill the household, but that only mac
r him speak more impetuously. Nov
d sis, he began, can l get two words
e sense out of youP'
II 60 Not until you ask politely s.
i replied:
the mystery is
IT ." 1t oughtn't to be mystery to yo
\. Sam, that you haven't done well at c,
er lege Papa is terribly disappointed.
is a. l don't see why he should comm
" suicide, if he as Sam retorted.
haven't cost him much this year.
ly "sOh, yes, you have. Do you knC
x he actually sold the new coat?'
t, "sWhy?' Sam frowned.
NJ sss Because he's been trying eve
ne way to save money since he began
IN get reports of how you were wasti
your time
r, "' What forP' asked Sam, though
lis began to suspect.
n. - Well, he - how should / knO'
II Don't you see? He's ashamed
DIS have had that money from his old ella
We mate, and he's nearly saved enoug
RS and he's going to pay it all ba'
rs There, was to keep it secret, and n,
I've told you'll And his sister bu
id into tears. You've nearly broken
It; heart, Sam-poor papa!'
ell The next day Mr.. Blake's son W,