The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-01-26

Stuart Willard WI Xkind-hearted bow;
frank, generous, honest and truthful. but
so lazy that his mother despaired of ever
seeing him amount to anything. She
was widow, with no one to help her
train her son, and neither advice, expos.
tulation nor argumen thad any effect upon
him. He studied no more than was act
ually necessary to enable him to keep up
with his classes, had no ambition to be at
the head of any of them, and worked as
little as possible about the house, though
love and consideration for his mother pre-
vented him from ever Sinking his regu-
lar duties, such as milking the COW, cut
ting wood and bringing water. But he
stared at her aghast when she proposed
that he should take entire charge Of the
garden, devoting to it his time before and
after school hours, thus saving the ex-
pense of hiring help.
90 mother, never could" he said,
"the weeds would be higher than my
head in months time; I'm no hand at
rake or hoe
"You're no hand at anything. so far as
l can see," said his mother. "There will
have to be radical change in you,
Stuart, if you expect ever to win money
or position -
81 don't know that 1 care for either"
answered Stuart. "Tm net one of the
pushing kind. A quiet life suits me
best"
"And you'll be content to gee all your
friends get ahead of you, suppose.
! "Now, mother. don't worry "-and
Stuart looked really distressed. "Pll come
out all right, never fear"
| "There'll have to be a miracle worked,
then," said Mrs. Willard, signing
Laziness is the one fault of your charac-
ter, and it will keep you down all your
| life"
Though adverse to exertion of any
kind, Stuart was a fun-loving boy, always
ready for frolic, and not apt to think,
until repentance was too late to be of any
avail, of the right or wrong of the good
time. And he had three particular
friends, who, in boy parlance, "never
stuck at anything" when there was fun
ahead.
They all considered old Simon Peiffer,
the richest man in Westville, fair game, for
it was we'll known that be hated anything
in the shape of boy, and never spoke to
or looked at one, little or big, without
growing like the rough old bear he was
believed to be.
He was an old bachelor, and lived with
a housekeeper ana half a dozen servants
in handsome house in the suburbs of the
town, and he might have thoroughly en-
| ioyed his large grounds, fine orchards, and
| wel-bred live stock, but for the boys of
the town, who mischievously MIXED his
COWS, stole his fruit, 6shed in his trout
pond, broke down bis fences, left his gates
open, and made themselves generally OBJ
noxious.
The culprits always managed in some
way to escape detection. Well did they
know the terrible example that would be
made of the first boy old Simon caught.
He openly declared that he would show
no mercy. and would know how to deal
with the offender.
We never know how our most trifing
impulses, if acted upon, may affect the
lives of others. When Ben Hopper
stopped one May evening at the gate OF
the little cottage in which Stuart lived,
and asked if he didn't want to 60 out to
the old mill on the creek road to hunt
squirrels, no intuition told him that be
was doing something which was to lead
TO an event that would influence all the
rest of Stuart's life. Stuart accepted the
invitation, of course, and on their way
out of town the boys were joined by Tom
Halpine and Luke Wright, who were
quite as fond of squirrel hunting as were
Stuart and Ben.
For at least half a mile after leaving
the town the creek road was bounded on
one side by pasture belonging to Mr.
Peiffer, and 80 generously did it abound
with chestnut, persimmon and crab-apple
trees that the boys were familiar with
every rod of it.
But it was not the season now fol
chestnuts, persimmons or crab-apples, and
the squirrel-hunting party would have
gone whistling and shouting by, had
not a handsome brown horse, quietly
grazing the short grass, raised his head at
sight Of them and whinnied softly.
"I know something we can do sight
better'n squirrel-hunting," said Luke
Wright, stopping short. "What do you
say to rider"
"pm in for it," answered Tom Halpine
"I don't believe we'd find any squirrels
ANYHOW. They're gettin' 80 shy they
don't come around the mill like they used
to-"
The brown horse had probably beer
feeling lonely, and was glad of company
for he made no objection whatever whel
Stuart let down pair of bars, and going
up to him. took hold of his forelock anG
led HIM into the road.
But he objected very vigorously 4
having four boys on his back at one time
and Kicked and careered until be suc
ceeded in ridding himself of all four o
them.
aWe'll have to take turns riding" sait
Ben Hopper. each fellow can go y
far as the bridge, and then turn back"
They had, made . hTidb oat Of rop
Stuart had in his pocket and piece g
wood they picked up in the road, and th
horse allowed himself 70 be gnided very
easily. He seemed spirited bat yer.
gentle, and had evidently been trained =
trot. . ss..se...s
and took turns at trying the animaps pa
ces. enjoying themselves - mach tha
they wsrs lcssh % end the sPsst vhsn !
began u grow dark.
Z I nust have oas moro rids. and thsl
s.f