Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-07-17
HI KEPT HIS FLAG UP.
BY c. A. STEPHENS, IN THE "YoUTH's
COMPANION"

zimmerman IN fenOOSCOL county,
Maine. All who knew him declared
that be was queer for he was droll,
long llmbed, slow laughing boy, whom
it was as difficult TO make angry as it
was to turn from any purpose which
he had once formed.
He seemed always to be softly
laughing; nevertheless, it did not do
for other boys to presume upon his
good nature, for Eliphslet (the boys
called him 'Life) had a muscular,
long reaching arm, and although he
continued to laugh even when engaged
in q boyish encoun ter, his antagonist
usually found it anything but laugh
ing matter.
His father, Dexter Whitcomb, was
something such man as Eliphalet was
q boy. He owned and ran q large
sawmill on the Penobscot river, and
manufactured eastern lumber; which
was shipped in schooners from Bangor
to Boston and New York. One day,
when Eliphalet was about eighteen
years old, his father laughed and said
to him:
Life, if you'll 60 into the mill and
work steadily till you are twenty, I'll
give you the odd year of your time.
Life laughed and made no reply.
The next morning, after breakfast, he
walked slowly to the sawmill and
went to work. Nothing further was
said. For two years he tended large
circular or board saw. He was very
industrious, was at the mill early and
late, and before the second year had
passed, with the tacit consent of his
father, he had almost wholly assumed
the care and oversight OF the business.
He had good judgment, and proved q
driver in getting work done, and
there is no business where an ene,get-
ic foreman can do more efficient
work than in a large lumber mill.
Whitcomb senior was greatly pleas
ed with Life's' efficie ncy, and laugh
ed softly to himself; but as the two
years approached their close, he sud-
denly thought what in the world he
should do if Life were to leave him.
sI'd better make him partner with
me and be done with it, he said to
himself, 'for I declare can't get along
without him.
However, he hesitated to do it,, for
he did not relish the thought of hav-
ing a partner, even Life. This feel
ing of hesitation continued for two
days, and then one forenoon he went
to the mil, and found that the boy
was not there.
The mill men had not seen him,
and were waiting for orders in their
work. The old man went back to
the house, and asked his wife where
Life was.
He's gone, said his mother. He
went away right after breakfast, and
took his vallse with him.
by jingl' exclaimed the father, and
for the first time in five years he
failed to laugh when anything Life
had done was mentioned. why
did't you stop him, Sarah2 said he.
How could I? l knew nothing of
his going until saw him leaving the
door yard, replied his mother.
Well, we'll. well, that's badl' cried
Mr.. Whitcomb, dropping into chair
and shifting his leg with vexation.
why, I think he's only gone to
Bangor, and will be back by to-mor-
row, said Mrs. Whitcomb.
mo he won't. Nor next week, nor
next month, and like enough not next
year. The old man knew the young
man. He rose, ruefully, and went
back to the mill.
Life, however, had not left home in
q fit of anger or of surliness. He had
thought of the expiration Of the years
of work he was to give to his father
in his slow and easy way, and had
conclued that he would like to travel
q little, and see something of the
world, now that he was his own mas
ter, and as he had not money enough
to travel like tourist, he unhesitating-
ly decided to go on foot. So, two
days after the two years had expired
he packed his valise, put on his linen
duster, and left home.
He was not incumbered by excess Of
luggage. In his valise he had only
two pairs of stockings two shirts, a
box Of paper collars and pistol. He
did not expect to use the pistol,
but he had vague idea that a man
travelling ought to carry one. He had
but a few cartridges, which, with a
box Of pills, half dozen trouser but
tons and pin ball, he rolled up in the
first bit of wrap that came to hand
that morning, and that CHANGED to be
. little flag that had been left over
from some Fourth Of July celebra-
ton.
Life had some money, about fifty
dollars, which he had saved from the
earnings of odd jobs. Without any
definite purpose he started eastward
and traversed on foot the maritime
provinces Of Canada, and saw all that
was to be seen at Fredericton, St
Tla.