Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-04-16
TOMS VICTORY OVER SELF.
Why He Preferred to Wait, and VIII.
MOI


| Why He Preferred to Wait, and Why
| Topsy Was Not Sold.
/ Tom stood in the middle of the room,
with his hands in his pockets, and
whistling softly, looking about him. 1t
was plain little room just under the
roof, but it had been Toms room ever
since he had had one of his own, and
| he was attached to it. But in day or
| two, so he was saying to himself, he
was to leave it for nearly year. There.
near the head of the bed, stood his
trunk, funny old trunk that had be-
longed to his grandfather, and was COW
cred with hairy hide fastened with brass
nails. He had just been packing it,
and a glance at its contents told where
he was going to spend the coming year.
For be sides his clothing might be seen
| gree recovered Latin and Greek gram
| mars, 1eathern-bound lex;cons. an al
zebra, a geometry, a copy OF Livy, and
several other books which spoke of a
| college course.
| For three days latter, at his college
in a country town more than hundred
miles away, Tom Sargent intended
| to make his appearance as a learned
| Sophomore '.Just to think!' he said
to himself. cts only three days now,
and then I'll see all the fellows. Won't
| we have some powwows? And won't
| we dig into the old classics and math
| ematics?' and he gave a bovish shuttle
| on the floor to give vent to his delight.
just then he heard step below his Win
| dow, and 10 oking out he saw his father
| entering the yard on foot.
ssWhy, fatherr' cried Tom, suddenly.
''Did you walk all the way homer"
yes
"Why, where's Topsy?"
Topsy was Mr.. Sargent little black
| horse that he had had for years; and
| now that he was getting old, and grow
| ing heavier and more bulky as age
| crept on. he had done but little walking
| in his business about town, but made
Topsy his invariable companion.
''Where' S Topsy, father?' asked Tom
| again.
"Well, Tom" said his father. laying
down his knife and fork, 81 suppose
I've sold Topsy.''
'Sold Topsy!'' cried Tom. Ibid you
know 1t, mOCner!
But his mothers face was answer
enough.
.Why, what for, father?" Tom con-
tinued. ''Sold Topsy! And the new
buggy you bought last year. to make
your driving easy; have you sold that,
too?''
Eyes, I've practically sold them both.
The bargain isn't really closed, but Joe
hoa fol try to
and if his offers fair, / shall take it.
s.Why, father" said Tom, in a re-
monstrating tone, as he brushed back
his stiff hair. ''Why, your business
keeps you travelling between your shop
and the folks that work for you, all the
time. You can't walk that much"
II must cut down expenses" said
Mr.. Sargent. ave run behind, this
last year There's no other way"
Nothing more was said.
After dinner Tom went up to his
room again, and sat down on corner
of the trunk.
Topsy sold! And the buggy sold! 1t
did not seem possible And to think of |
his father, far from being vigorous now,
vet forced to plod about continually |
over the rough roads. The backs Of
the grammars and lexicons, smiling up
at him from the trunk, made him I'M
comfortable He rose, and shut down |
the cover of the trunk, and stood for a
long time with his hands in his pockets, |
looking out of the window.
There was very pretty landscape of
green pastures and woodland outside,
but Tom saw nothing of it. His eyes
seemed to be fixed on some far-away
place beyond the horizon. After a
while he turned and began TO pace the
room. Then he paused by his trunk,
and opened it again, and looked in.
What pleasant suggestions it offered,
what promises it held out!
The room was small and plain, and
Tom was by no means a good-looklng |
boy But such boys are sometimes the
heroes, and such rooms the battle
grounds of contests which make no
noise in the world, and which yet de-
mand as much pluck and character in
the victor, as has many famous con-
test for kingdom and crown. Tom
continued his walking to and fro in the
little room, whistling now and then, and
from time to time throwing himself into
a char restlessly.
The afternoon wore away. The sun
dropped till it seemed to rest an instant
on a peak which Tom could see from
his window, and then the room suddenly
grew dark. The change seemed to
rouse Tom to decision. He put on
his hat, and moment later was walk
ing toward the center of the town.
The next morning, when breakfast
was ready, Tom was not on hand. But
just as his father and mother were be-
ginning to wonder where he could be.
what should they see but Tom, driving
Topsy up to the door, and hitching her
to the post.
''Tom,' said his father, as he came
in, what does this meanp"
at means you're going to keep
Topsy, sir, " answered Tom, going up to
his father and putting hand on each
shoulder. Father, I've thought it all |
over, and I've decided not to 90 back to
college this year, but to stay at home
and work. That will be enough saw
ing, so that you can keep the horse and
buggy, and I'll lay up what earn. and
pay my own way when go back to
college next year. I'm young enough
to wait. So you mustn't say word.
I'd rather do it, and it won't hurt me a
Bit
And it didn't hurt Tom. When his
sophomore year did begin, he was bet
ter able to appreciate the worth Of his
studies. He was happy, too, in knowo