The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-02-24

small boy, and worked for her father,
and the girls laughed at her about me;
and I said | wouldn't, and / didn't, and
| haven't spoken TO her since, and ! have
given up farming too
"Given up farming," said, "Why,
what are you going TO do ?"
"Well, I'm going to try 10 be gen.
tleman, he answered.
,"Can't farmer be gentleman ?"
said, thinking what foollsoness | must
have put into the boys head, by my talk
during that ride.
.,Yes; s'pose he can; but you said
there were different sorts OF gentlemen,
and you see, want to try snd be an
other kind. When you told me what q
gentleman was, thought I'd like to be
one; but didn't find it as easy ss | ex
pected. Then l remembered you said
only God could make gentleman !
didn't know exactly what you meant,
but after had got almosqiiscouraged
trying. il came to me to ask Gods help,
and so sm trying harder than ever"
"Well, what sort OF gentleman are
You going to be ?" I asked.
"That's it," be said. "You see, I'm
so little, thought l could do more to
help others, and take care of mother, il
tried something else beside farm work !"
"Had any supper2' l asked.
"Guess have" he answered proudly.
''Pm stopping at hotel"
think it will pay2' said I, smiling.
swell, you see, Mr. Hollyhead brought
me In, and he is coming rssain to.mor-
row. The hotel Is filled with teamsters
and teams, so asked the landlord if
might stay, If would help take care of
the horses, and he said he'd put me
through and be did and that's the rea-
son it's so late, for l have only just got
through, and had my supper"
1 "You want. l should help you, do
you"
mo; I don't want any help. only
want advice"
And so we talked It all over. He
hadn't been TO school much, and he
needed more education, and yet he van
ted to help support bis mother, and fnal.
" we decided that be should 90 in the
morning to the Office OF The Daily Bun.
derbuss. and see II he could get employ
ment there, and learn type-selting. !
told him he might refer to me.
The result was Richard got place in
the printing Office, and ueed 10 see him
occasionally at work, with his sleeves
rolled up, his face and hands smeared
with ink; but at night, and on Sundays,
he was neatly dressed, aud he and the
bows became great friends.
At the end Of the year l took him in
to my office, for suspected the printing
Office was hardly the best place for him,
and he proved faithful in all his ways.
NY boyo we're atud wing hiatorv at tHot
time. and they gave him nickname,
which / don't think he at all objected to
lit was Richard, Coz .r de Lion"
After be had been with me nearly a
wear, I one day asked him suddenly,
.'what sort of a gentleman he meant to
be?"
"Tbat's it ?" said he, IL haven't got
education enough, and l must go to
school, and work half the time"
So / got him situation as book.keep-
er in bank, and he worked and went to
night-school, and finally fitted himself
for college. 1t was long aud hard
struggle, but few years since be grad
uated with honors at the Michigan State
University. and went to Chicago, where
he soon obtained position on one Of
the daily papers OF that city, and got a
home for himself and his mother.
When the great fire came. his business
was swept away, hut the cottage where
his mother lived "ou the west side" was
mercifully spared. In the meantime, I
had moved to the East, and had lost
tight of Richard, except as occaslon-
ally heard from him by letter, or heard
| of him from others.
Fortunately, his capital was in his
brains. and great conaagratiou could
not destroy that; and he was soon at
work again.
A few mouths since, I received let
ter, quaint and curious. in lsdv's hand.
writing, which commenced, ''Rspected
r. lend" 1t was full of thees and tuous,
and il said: "Richard" {no other name) },
"who vas formerly in thy employment,
has applied to me for position as SON.
in-lsw. He refers to thee. Thou know.
est there be adventurers abroad. lam
lone widow, to whom God has given
one onlv daughter. What canst thou
say OF Richardi"
wrote, Il have no doubt he will Gil
admirably the position he is willing to
accept. He is gentleman, in the best
sense Of the word, and any lady in the
land may be proud to become his wife,"
Soon after, Richard was married and
now it is Christmas time again. l have
just received letter from him, in which
be says. 1--WE have returned from our
wedding tour Ny wife is real laay,
il there ever was one. am sure. l have
got used to the thees and thous. and
learned to love to be called simply Rich
ard, better than ever.
I'VE found double surprise await
ing US F,rss, an invitation to me to
take the position of edltor-in-chief o.
the Daily Chicagoaian, one OF the largest
papers there, which have accepted.
"It has been agreed that We were TO
come hack 10 mother-in.law's, to spend
few davs, before going to my own
house When we reached the house we
found my mother there, and everything
arranged to make 1t permanent home
for us all
"Mother-in law said she could not live
in the house alone.
"After dinner was over. Esther and l
explored the house. and Esther showed
me its treasurers OF closets, and spotless
linen, and all that; then we spent a
pleasant, social evening together, and
gathered in the back parlor for prayers.
"On The table lay mothers big old
well worn Bible. / opened to the thirty.
seventh Psalm, and there was the money,
pinned to the note in nv boyish hand
writing, just as had left it twenty years
before. 1t seems mother could never,
in. her darkest hour, make up her mind
to use that money. tried to read, but
my voice fal,ered, and then it broke
down entirely. Mother and Esther knew