Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-08-30
JOHN ALDEN's FARM.

10y
but there is something in luck, and
luck has always been against the AL
dens," said John Alden, despondently,
to his sister.
"How, John ?" Susie turned her
round bright face attentively toward
him.
"Look at grandfather 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 excepting father, they all
died penniiess."
Grandfather Alden, / am sorry to
say, was too fond of horse racing and
cards to keep money long, and his sons,
excepting father, all drank, " said Susie,
dryly. Living like Irish kings, too,
is not the most secure way of keeping
a fortune"
"Well, now look at me-" continued
John, with the scowl on his face unal.
tered. 81 neither drink nor gamble,
nor care for the turf, I'm nineteen, and
Eve tried honestly to do my duty in
every way"
"Well, John?"
"Welp- snappishly-"see the diff,
ference between me and George Har.
vey. At school, study as hard as ]
could, he carried off all the prizes. ]
was the dull plodder, he the brilliant
scholar, the genius. When visitors
came, l heard him pointed out invaria.
bly, as Harvey, sir. A most promis.
ing fellow. He'll make his mark in
the world | was passed by without
word. When we go into society it is
the same thing, l take the utmost
pains to be polite and attentive to the
girls, and Harvey laughs and quizze;
and is positively rude to them. Yet
he is splendid and fascinating, and
the incest girls are proud to have him
for partner, while l am endured on
suferance. There is precisely the same
difference in business. In every way
he is favored by fortune and l am
sighted"
81 do not see that, John" said Susie
gravely. George has snowy, dashy
manner, which commands attention tc
whatever he knows. But people soor
find out how little that is. Even the
girls, in the long rum"
81 hate the long run ?" cried John,
impatiently.
Susie was silent. She knew every
we'll that this outbreak was all owing
to the fact that Laura Faulke haC
shown some attention to George Har
vey the night before. "He Away
did care too much for Laura Faulke'
opinion since they went to the primary
school together" thought Susie, indig
nantly. "And as for business" sht
said aloud, 81 do not see that George
has any advantage over YOU in his pc
sition. You both have been lett farms
both are Independent, both have thu
means of making sure, though not {
large income"
"Now that shows just how little you
know about it, Harvey's farm num-
bers just the same amount of acres mine
does, it is true. But his is on the soutl
side of the creek, in rich alluvial soil
mine on the hillside, where nothing
will grow but pine trees and Jimsol
weeds"
"Helloa WHAT'S the matter, Jack!
said Squire Hall, riding up to the porcl
on his gray mare.
81 was grumbling about my patel
here, to tell the truth. 1t will yielC
nothing, absolutely nothing"
"Don't be too sure of that, my boy
Come out here Bit" reckoning hin
mysteriously aside.
They whispered for some time to
gether, and then John came in, hi
face flushed and his eyes glowing.
"There's great news, Susie Oh
has been discovered in the bottom, an,
company from New York has sen
out inspectors to test the property o.
either side of the creek, among the res
Harvey's and mine, If there are an
indications of oil being there, we ca