Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-19

HE MET CALDWELL.
| "But suppose do know about agricult-
ure and can write?" Jack asked.
'Even then," the editor said, 1--WE could
not find place for you"
Jacks supply of money was now nearly
exhausted, and he was low indeed in his
mind II shall take laborer's place
rather than go home," he said to himself
twenty times day; and as he was strong
and accustomed to work this would not
have been such hardship if he could have
left his ambition out of the account.
Old Mr.. Hartford knew very little of city
life, but he had not passed all his years
without learning that the percentage of
those who found failure instead of success
| in the struggle in New York was very
large and that therefore the chances
against his boy were much greater than
| of it." he continually said to himself, 'he
will come home, and may be then it won't
seem so hard to help us here"
| When church was over one Sunday
morning about this time the old man
waited for Emma Rogers at the door and
approached her with some timidity when
she appeared. To his invitation to go
home to dinner with him she was obliged
to decline, but she volunteered to drive
part of the way with him and walk back.
She knew by intuition that he wanted to
say something about Jack.
"Have you heard from Jack, Mr. Har.
ford?" she asked.
"Yes, we had line saying that he had
found boarding house. Has he written
to your"
"Only to say that he would not write till
he had found something to do"
81 hoped that you would help US to keep
Jack at home; he cares more fer you than
any one else"
"How do you know that?" asked the
girl, blushing prettily, but looking con-
cerned.
"Oh, l haven't been looking on at the
girls and boys for forty years for nothing.
wish you had kept him at home"
''But / did not want him to stay at
home," Emma said with positiveness
''Oh, we were in hopes that you cared
for him.
$50 / do''-the girl blushed deeply at
this confession-''and that was the reason
l thought it would be better for him to go
away"
$50 the old place is not good enough for
| you either?"
''Mr. Hartford, it is not kind of you to
|
did not understand each other. He could
not have helped you any better than an
ordinary hired man, and it was not right
for him to stay at home any longer-it
! was not right to you or to himself"
"Why, Emma, l was always good to
Jack" the old man protested.
ooh, yes, I know that, and he knew +
too, but he is ambitious and high strung.
1t won't do him any harm to try different
kind of life, even though he should for a
time get the worst of it, and fear'' with q
| deep sigh) that that's what he is getting
now. You know I have some cousins in
town, and have heard how hard it is for
them to get established in business, and
Jack knows no one there"
where are all his fine college friends?"
Mr. Hartford asked.
"Oh, they are young men themselves,
and each of them has his way to make
much the same as Jack Mr.. Hartford, if
were you / should write to Jack and help
to keep his spirits up''
II shall, my dear, and all l have to say
| is that if Jack doesn't do something big to
be worthy of such a good girl as you are,
then am sure you won't get your deserts.
7 ami much obliged to you for coming with
me-"
'Good-by, Mr.. Hartford" the girl said as
the horse stopped at the top of a hill, and
before she jumped out of the buggy she
kissed the old man on his sunburned
cheek, thus giving to the father unasked
what she had denied to the son, though
much besought.
When Emma Rogers had finished her
simple little dinner she sat at her fathers
old desk and wrote this letter:
NEARByE, Sept. q.
DEAR JAcK-I promised not to write to you, but
trust you will forgive me for thus early break
ing my word. l drove with your father after
church today as far as the hill top He is much
concerned about you, and think it is your duty
to write to him at least once week so that
he may not feel uneasy about you. Don't foolishly
wait until you have done something to be proud os.
Write to him at once and write to him regularly.
Ifyou will do this you may also write to me once
| week, and 1 will answer your letters now and
again, and will also confess that miss you aw-
| fully and often wish very much to see you and
| continually wonder what you are doing.
| E. R.
| P. S.-Why don't you look up all your college
friends who living in New York?
Jack Harford's Sundays in town had
been particularly gloomy. He had been
accustomed for two years past to spend the
greater part of each Sunday with Emma
Rogers, and the loss of this companion
ship was at this period grievous one. The
| Monday morning after the conversation
between his father and sweetheart at Near
| bye he started out early to answer as many
of the advertisements printed in the Sun
day papers as seemed to him to be of any
promise. The day had been succession
of dreary disappointments, and he return
ed to his boarding place in the evening
tired and utterly blue. On the hat rack in
the hall he found Emma's letter. 1t bright
ened him up wonderfully. He at once