St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-09-28
coLosM,Tn AND AMERICA.


i
th0ugh He DID Not Co0e.
Oliver had but lately completed y
rather wild and irregular course Of
study in college. and his kinfolk had
| insisted that he should become . coun-
tYv possUn, % hin hiopooxfnAhoeha haA been
before him. He felt his unfitness for
such a calling. but he cared less for
that than some of the irksome re-
traints that it would impose. For in
stance, he could not bear the thought
of being obliged to wear q long wig
when he preferred short one, or OF
being always dressed in . black coat
when one OF bright colors suited his
fancy so much better. He had frankly
told his relatives that he preferred
pretty clothes to the hard lot of poor
parsOn; and yet, rs neither he nor they
could think of any other business for
which he was better fitted. he at last
consented to apply for holy orders
But when the time came for him
to 20 to the bishop of Elphin to be
ordained, he could not resist the temp
tation to wear pair Of beautiful scar
let breeches with long hose and the
brightest buckets. For would he not
become . parsOn tomorrow, and be
forever condemned to sober black?
The good bishop was horrified at such
levity, and refused to ordain him. Per.
haps upon examination he found that
the young man was entirely ignorant
of the eatechism
This failure Of divers had been
much less of . disappointment to him
than to his friends. But as he was now
twenty-three years old, and his moth
er was very poor, it was highly neces-
sary that he should find something to
do And so he had found employment
as q private tutor in = wealthy family
near Lissoy. From his pupils point
of view, he was, no doubt, an
accomplished and successful teach
er. He was only q great boy
himself. and life would have been one
long holiday 70 every ybOdy if he could
have had his own way. But his way
did mot please his employer, and final.
ly, after quarrel. for which Oliver was
doubtless to blame, he was dismissed.
Tho money which he had earned ut
tutoring. however, was sufficient to
equip him rs . knight errant. for it
enabled him to buy the horse and the
splendid new suit Of clothes with
which. as have said, he rode one fine
morning into the city of Cork.
To his great satisfaction, he found =
ship already in port waiting only for
favorable wind to sail for America.
lie lost no time. therefore, in selling
his horse and@in making . bargain
with the captain for his passage tn
the new world. Then he sailed out
to see the town He had no diff
6culty in making friends; for he had
money in his pocket, and he pro-
eeeded to share it with all the beggars
and street loafers that he met He
was ready to relieve every case of dis.
tress that came. to his notice. and
many Of the boon fellows whom he
helped to entertain at the tavern.
Several days were passed in this way,
and the thirty pounds in his pocket
had dwindled to but little more than
thirty shillings; and still the ship.
upon one pretext or another. delayed
it's sailing. One fine night. however.
while Oliver was in the country enjoy
ing himself with some newly made ac-
quaintances, . favorable wind sprang
up. and the captain, entirely neglect
full of his passengers. ordered the ves-
sci to be cast loose from her mOorings
and the sails to be set for the voyage.
And in the morning, when Oliver saun-
tered 1eisurely down to the wharf. he
found that he had been left behind. -
James Baldwin, in st. Nicholas.