Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-03-01
John Alden'S Farm.

but there is something in luck = and
luck has always been against the AL
den's,' said John Alden, despondently
to his sister.
"How, John ?' susy turned her
round, bright face attentively toward
him.
"Look at grandfath George Alden
and his sons! Why, their estate was
the richest on the Ohio shore. They
lived like Irish kings, I've heard peo,,
pie say, and ex eepting father they all
died penniless."
"Grandfather Alden, am sorry to
saw. was too fond Of horse racing and
cards to keep money long; and his
sons, excepting fat her, all drank" said
Susy, dryly. "Liv ing like Irish kings
too, is not the most secuee way OF keep
ing fortune"
"Well, now. look at mesn continued
John, with the scowl on his face un'
altered. II neither dl ink. nor gamble.
nor care for the turf. Tm nin neteen,
and I've tried honestly to do my duty
in very way"
"Well, John ?'
"Well"-snappishly- the diff
ference between me and George Har-
vey. At school, study as hard as |
would he carried off all t he prizes. l
was the dull plodder, he the brilliant
scholar, the genius. When, visitors
came, heard him pointed ou t lnvaria
bly, as Harvey. sir. A most promising
fellow. He'll make his marls in the
world 1 was passed by wi thout q
word. When we go into society it Is
the same thing. 1 take the utmost
pains to lbe polite and attentive to the
girls, and Harvey laughs, and qllizzes
and is positively rude to them. Yet he
is splendid and 'facinating.' and the
incest girls are proud to bave him TO a
partner, while | am endured on suffe.r-
ance. There is precisely the same diff :
ference in business. In every way he
is favored by fortune and / am slight
ed."
"I do not see that, John" said Susy,
gravely, George has snowy, dashing
manner which commands attention to
whatever he does. But people soon
find out how little that is. Even the
girls in the long run"-
Il hate the long run y cried John,
impatiently.
Susy was silent. She knew very
well that this outbreak was all owing
to the fact that Laura Faulke had
shown some attention to George Har-
vey the night before. "Ee always did
care too much for Laura Faulke's opin-
ion since they went to the primary
nantly. "And as for business" she
said aloud, II do not see that George
has any advantage over you in his po-
sition. You both have been left farms,
both are independent, both have the.
means of making a sure though not a.
large income"
Nov that shows just how little you
know about it. Harvey's farm numbers
| just the amount of acres that mine does
it is true. But his is on the south side
of the creek. in rich aliuvial soil, mine
on the hillside, where nothing will
grow but pine trees"
"Hollo! What the matter, Jack ~
said Squire Dali, riding up to the porch
II was grumbling about my patch
here, to tell the truth. It will yield
nothing; absolutely nothing"
"Don't be too sure of that, my boy.
| Come out here bit"
They whispered for some time to-
gether. and then John came ir,, his face
flushed and eyes glowing.
"Thera's great news, Susy :! Oil has
been discovered in the bOttOl q, and a
company from New York have. sent on
| inspectors to test the property en- either
vey's and mine. If there are al ~ indi
cations of oil being there we can ask
our own price for the land"
80 John, knew all would go we'll ~
The little girls face was prett y and
sparkling, and her brother stoop ed and
Kissed it heartily.
1.-THE inspection is to be made tOmor-
row, and then I'm made or lost for life
II only luck is not against mel
"God. will be for you in sany case
john" said Susy gently.
But "luck" to John Alden. which
came in visible good fortune of doiIars
and cents, or even praise, was a much
more real thing than the unseen power
which his sister wOrshipped so t; aithful
ly.
He rose the next morning with a hag
gard face, which showed he hail SLEPT
| but little.
"To-day." he said to Susy, sit viii
be all settled. The inspectors from
New York will be here by ten o CLOCK
In an hour he can tell if there is any
oil on the land. He is an expert, yor
understand. If there be any will sci
and build a house like Squire Peter 9,
only larger. And then, Susy w ht
knOws?-I might marry. I am as Il
as Ben Scott"
"Yes, that is true"
She could not bear to discou, iage hin
by hint of defeat He watched ner
vously by the door for the men Il
appear, and when he saw them coming
the New York expert, one or two 0l
the proposed stock holders in the new
company. and Squire Peters himself
he snatched up his nat ard hurried
down the road to meet theUl.
Even Susy's heart throb'oed fast. She
told herself in vain that it was not 6
matter of life and death; it seemed t.
her as though her own tate as we'll a
Johns depended on tb q few words t.
be spoken In the comir g half hour.
The hour passed. she had seen tn
groups of men passi' ng from point t.
point OF the farm. az It'll they turned t.
the right of the big red barn, and dis
appeared in the cor patch. After ths
they were lost to 81 ght.
Noon came! On o'clock 7 The din
ner was ready, bv 1t she dared not SCUM