St. Landry democrat., 1886-02-20

po'tolh VI LIS pan ocdlctiy CoFeleO Wild
berries.
"When his mother asked him what
he was home so soon for, he said he
had seen an awful black snake under
the bush where he was picking, and
he didn't dare to stay there another
minute. His mother asked him why
Willie didn't come, too, and he hardly
knew what to reply; but he mumbled
something to the effect that if Willie
wanted to stay and pick berries in
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 a
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
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 90 to England and see West
minister Abbey we couldn't, because
you might see snake. And if we
wanted to go 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 20. 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 tegether,' he
said.
60 No snake?' asked Mr.. Ames.
''Willie laughed. 4 told Tom there
wasn't any, he said. I went right
over and looked in the bush, and there
wasn't sign of any. I most filled my
pail there
Tom was terribly disappointed and
mortified, but he was not cured. He
lived to be man, and an old man, but
he found many a 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
won the old gentleman
more and more; he did great deal for
him while he lived, and left him his
immense fortune at his death"
Uncle Ezra had been telling the story
in precise way, now he spoke out
II tell you what,' said he,
when | think of what have missed,
during my whole life, by this miserable
habit of hesitating and seeing obstacles
% dut es which | knew ought to be
lone, feel as if l couldn't do enough
% save George from it. | could tell
you Of failure on failure, and disappoint-
nent on disappointment, which I could
race directly to it. I'm going to help
George to kill the snakes under his
pushes, if | can. I bought him little
)ank, and put in dollarfor every snake
lie kills, and take one out whenever he
S scared away from anything he ought
% do. You saw how quickly he went,
when said there were three snakes.
He knew that meant losing three dol
airs, and when there are dollars enough,
lie is going to have pony. He has set
lis heart on a pony, but he'll have to
york pretty hard for it, Some of the
[ollars have gone out, poor little chap,
'ut he has done good deal better on
he whole. Here he is now"
George came in all rosy and painting.
lie had been running.
"Well," said Uncle Ezra, sears
rozen, George?''
George laughed and blushed, but he
urned his handsome eyes frankly to-
yard his uncle. .No, sir"
Didn't get very badly bitten by the
dangerous dog?"
mo, sir
''Got over your lamenessp"
eyes, sir:''
Uncle Ezra counted some silver
ieces out from his pocket-book.
Well, here's the bounty money for the
lree snakes" he said.
And George took it and thanked him,
nd jingled it proudly into his bank
fairy e. Wilkins, in Congregatiossa1ist.