Connecticut western news., 1885-03-18
Tom Slug.
A STORY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

"sThis will never do, Tom," said Mir. Benj crhin Slug, as he read his sons school-report for another term. "You must really rouse up, or you'll never make man of yourself"
 Mir. Slug had got on in the world by acting on the motto, Labor conquers everything, and thus from an office-boy he had risen to the head of the firm. Justly proud of his own success, and knowing it's secret, he was very anxious his sop should follow in his steps. To this end he had put him to the best schools, and given him every chance of 8 good educ .tion. But the burden of every report was the same: ''The lad has good natural abilities, and would make splendid scholar had he applica- tion''-a polite way of saying that Tom was lazy. M
 There was picture fn his bedroom of Q field in wilderness state of briers and thorns. Part of it had been originally inclosed as vineyard, but it was now covered with nettles, and the vines were overrun with foxes, finding ready en- trance by the ruined wall. In one cor ner of the vineyard was lodge, the latticed window showing the 6rowsy keeper within murmuring now and again; as he turned from side to side |: $ ''Yet little sleep and little slumber, then will I arise and till my field and trim my vines." In the d1m distance, the grim, gaunt, hungry-looking figure of Poverty was seen stealthily approach ing. Tom often looked at this picture, but hitherto had not fully learned it's lesson.
 He was thoughtful boy in his way, and sometimes philosophical bit about his lazy tendencies. Indeed, he was a ph losopher in petticoats, for he would , sometimes argue to himself in this way
 ''My name is Slug. Why, it's the name of that slimy, gliding thing on the garden walks '! Wonder If the family got its name-as Edward Long. shanks got his, from his long legs from the slowness of some member re- minding people of a.slug? If so, how can I help being sluggish ?-it's in the blood"
 He had yet to learn that people are born into the world like colts, and need breaking in to be of full use. ....
 The boy was quick with his eyes however, if slow with his hands and feet He had picked up a great deal, ir this way about beasts and birds and flies and creeping things. On thi' memorable afternoon he was fresh from book about the termites or "whitt ants," found in Africa, which bull, nests twelve feet high, some on tn ground, shaped like pointed haycocks o huge muslin ooms, and some in trees shaped like sugar-casks, with a covere. way to them, winding round the trunk from the ground.
 There was seriousness in his father tone as he begged Tom. to free himsel from the growing slavery of indolenc' bJ one grand effort, which made hin feel very miserable and disgusted wit himself. In this mood he wandere, into the orchard and threw himsel down 1nder tree. It was beautifu summer evening. The slanting sunligh barred the grass with long shafts C green and gold. Hard by, litti stream made music as it ran. The ai was thronged with insects, dancing away their little day in the sunset hour Tom could not help feeling the beaut of the scene. Ard some sense of sweet ness would mingle with the bitterres that found vent in his tears. Whe these had ceased, his eye chanced t fall on nest of ants, the inmates c which were very busy around him, som repairing the nest, others guarding . and others carrying stores into it.
 As heswatched them, the nest began to grow sensibly bigger, until it scene, as if he could walk up and down in. it Tom thought this was splendid chanc of exploring an ant hill, and making u to the nest, was about to enter whe two of the..guards rushed out, clashir their jaws so fierceIy that he felt qui frightened. He was still more startle however, when one of them asked hi what he wanted. On recovering hin self, he made bold to ask if he might 1 allowed z to see over the nest IT guards conversed for a moment, ar them ono os tham wens issids sad pEe