Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-07-25
WAITING FOR A FARM

Jim Randall and Steve Hall sat in
the village inn Of the latter one evening
after it was closed to outsiders, smoking
their pipes of peace and friendship, as
was their wont.
1t was a plain country inn, where
you could buy almost anything, but it
also showed signs of modern improve
ments, since the increase of population
and the times demanded it,
Steve Hall had inherited it from his
father, and. having come into possession
year before, married the girl he loved
and settled down, which happy course
of action he was constantly urging upon
his old friend, Jim Randall
eff you love EN- we'll enough to have
her, why don't you marry at once, in
stead of spending your best years in
courting and waiting?" asked Steve of
his friend.
ooh, can't afford itp' answered
Jim, STOPPING to knock the ashes from
his pipe. ems good girl and has
promised to have me; but / told her
she, or rather we, must wait until /
could see my way clear to support a
family"
"What did she say to that?" inquired
Steve, with Il curious expression on his
face.
''She said of course we couldn't ex-
pect to marry at once-you sec, that
was five years ago-and she was will
ing to wait, but didn't want me to
think she cared for money. To be with
me poor would be happiness enough for
her, and so Oh. You know how girls al
ways talk under those circumstances.
eyes, and know Emma Willis al
ways means what she says. Jim, if you
had married her four years ago, you
would have been rich man now"
ga rich man! How"
"Well, TO tell the truth, see good
many signs of neglect about your farm
which | know would never exist where
Emma Willis lived.
Jim colorcd at this intimation of his
indolencc. and answered stit1iy:
"WeD. when it's all my own, mi
take more pains with the old place, and
marry I1m i'll the BARGAIN
''Don't wait for that, old boy. Do
both right away, and, my word for it.
you'll never be sorry
These words rang i'll Jim Randall's s
ears as he walked back in the starlight
to the only home he had known since he
was q boy.
Here he had lived with his GRANDPA
ther and tho cid housckeepcr ever since
first goingfto school, then assisting in
the care Of the farm until the whole
charge gradually fell upon him. But he
never took much interest in tit was
too much ike working for nothing.
"Wait until it is my own." he would
say to himsclf "then you'll see some-
thing worth looking at. For Jim was
his grandfathcr's expected heir, and
some day, not far off perhaps, these acres
would be in his possession. Then he
would bring his wife here and fix up the
old place and show folks what he could
do. But now he might as we'll take the
world easy and not work himself to
death fer his board and clothes.
Thus he had always reasoned, until
tonight he began to wonder whether he
hadn't done wrong.
"Wife," said Steve Hall that night,
II do believe Jim will live on and on
i'll the old place until the old man dies,
before he will better himself He has
fallen i'll this careless, indolent way Of
letting things go, until it wouldn't sur
prise me to hear that En- herself slipped
away from him"
''It is a shame" rejoincd Mrs. Hall
warmly, '"to let such sweet, pretty
girl as Emma Willis waste the best
years of her life waiting for such a man.
declare I'd marry somebody else just
in spite!"
"No, you wouldn't. my dear. But it
is too true that Jim doesn't seem to
know what he's waiting for. can't see
that his prospects improve at all" "
'"Thcy may before long, for old Mr..
Randall has seemed unusually feeble
lately"
Even Us he spoke, Jim Randall was
trying to rouse the old man from sleep
in the big chair, where he was surprised
to find his grandfather at this late hour.
But in vain. No earthly power could
arouse the old farmer from the sleep
that had come upon him alone and un-
expectedly. So the news later spread
throughout the town, and few days
later they laid him beside the compan-
ion of his youth, who had gone years
before.
Then Jim Randall felt desolate
enough, and his only comfort was in
the thought that the farm was now his,
and he could do as he pleased.
The relatives assembled after the fu-
neral to hear the will read, which
seemed a mere matter Of form to most
of them, as Jim's expectations We're
shared by all.
After several small boquests the law
yer read the astounding passage:
In consequence of the apparent dis
like of my grandson, James Randall, to
the pursuit of agriculture, hereby give
and bequeath my farm, consisting of
Ok nprpS viii, thp ho,,cc aud cptbu lid.