St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-03-27
something to the effect that if Wilne
wanted to stay and pick berries in q

wauteu 10 Stay piCh DCIiISS AAA
pasture full of snakes he could.
Tom thought there was something
queer about his mothers manner, and
the first of the week he found out the
reason. Willie, who had come home
on Saturday with his pail heaped with
the most beautiful blueberries, went to
New York with Mr. Ames, and the
next day sailed with him for Europe.
| He had no family of his own, and had
kindly offered to take one of his
friends sons to Europe with him on
his first arrival. and the question which
it should be had been hard one to de-
eide.
Finally Mr.. Ames, who was
shrewd man. had hit upon this plan.
Give the boys some work to do. he
said, and I'll take the one who does it
according to my mind
$50 the plan was tried, and Willie
went to Europe. Mr. Ames. who was
a quizzical, though kindly. man, gave
Tom little lecture before starting.
Why. there would be no sense in TAX
ing you, my boy said he. If we
wanted to go to England and see West
minister Abbey we couldn't, because
You might see snake. And if we
wanted to 20 to Switzerland and see
the Alps. don't see how we could, for
YOU would be very likely to come
across black snake on the road. and
then back we should have to 60. This
other boy won't see anything worse
than butterflies
when Willie had come home on
that Saturday and they asked him what
he had seen in the berry pasture, he
had stared, and then said he hadn't
seen anything but perfect swarms of
beautiful butterflies. Never saw so
many handsome ones together he
said
No snake?' asked Mr.. Ames.
willie laughed. i told Tom there
wasn't any, he said. / went right
over and looked in the bush, and there
wasn't sign of any. | most filled my
pail there
tom was terribly disappointed and
mortified. but he was not cured. He
lived to be a man, and an old man, but
he found many snake under his
bushes. which kept him away from
good things.
"Willie's journey to Europe with Mr..
Ames proved to be the key to fortune
for his whole life. His hopeful, willing
disposition won the old gentleman
more and more; he did great dearfor
him while he lived. and left him his
immense fortune at his death"
Uncle Ezra had been telling the story
in a precise way, now he spoke out
earnestly Il tell you what said he,
..when think of what have missed,
during my whole life, by this miserable
habit of hesitating and seeing obstacles
to duties which knew ought to be
done, feel as if couldn't do enough
to save George from it. / could tell
you of failure on failure, and disappoint-
ment on disappointment, which / could
trace directly to it. I'm going to help
George to kill the snakes under his
bushes, if can. / bought him little
bank. and I put in a dollar for every snake
he kills, and take one out whenever he
is scared away from anything he ought
to do. You saw how quickly he went,
when said there were three snakes.
He knew that meant losing three dol
lars, and when there are dollars enough.
he is going to have pony. He has sat
his heart on pony, but he'll have 70
work pretty hard for it. Some OF the
dollars have gone out, poor little cnap.
but he has done good deal better ON
the whole. Here he is now.
George came in all rosy and painting.
He had been running.
..Well." said Uncle Ezra, ears
frozen, Georgea"
George laughed and blushed, but he
turned his handsome eyes frankly to-
ward his uncle. mo, SIR"
Didn't get very badly bitten by the
dangerous dog3"
mo. sir"
Got over your lameness?"
..Yes, sir"
Uncle Ezra counted some silver
pieces out from his pocket-book.
..Well, here's the bounty money for the
three snakes" he said.
And George took it and thanked him,
and jingled it proudly into his bank
MurU H. Wilkins IN Cou1re1ntionnLiSt