The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-19

transact it. On these occasions he is al
ways sure to sell good deal more than he
buys, hence the swelling of the bank
account.
But there was time, not so many years
ago either, when the Simmerlow farm was
anything but model when its all around
poor condition and dilapidation were as
marked as are now its many projections.
And at this same time Lemuel was known
as the most no-account boy in all that
region. He hated the farm he hated work
and as Il dodger and shirker of his tasks
had no equal. He did everything he
should not have done and nothing it was
duty to do. His own father characterized
him as ''too orn'ry to live and too triflin'
to die" In those days he couldn't keep
away from the town. He was there at
every opportunity to the neglect of his farm
work He loved to loaf about the streets,
to hang around the saloons and to pitch
horse shoes in the back alleys. Year after
year he grew more worthless. There were
dark rumors to the effect that he gambled,
and that drinking had grown to be habit
with him. Finally no respectable young
man could afford to be seen with him.
Things had come to such pass, when
Lemuel changed all at once, and the farm
changed its character along with him.
This change was not gradual; not the
slow awakening of conscience to the mis-
take of evil ways, but was sudden and
violent and occurred within few hours
of summer afternoon.
That day circus was in town. grand
free balloon ascension was advertised prior
to the performance; daring aeronaut was
to perform on a trapeze way up in the air
and then to fall several thousand feet,
hanging from parachute. Lemuel was
on hand. Out at home the young cotton
was choked with weeds and needed thin
ming out with hoe badly. Down in the
ca ooked, weedy burrows lay Lemuel's hoe
where there was every prospect of its re-
naming for several days to come. Circus
days always caused mental and physical
breakup in Lemuel that lasted quite
awhile.
He stood in the inner circle of the crowd
watching the preparations for the ascension.
1t was a hot air balloon and was charged
from an ovenlike furnace. AS it became
filled, it expanded and rose as far as the
restraining lines would allow. The aero
naut, a gorgeous being in pink tights,
mounted the trapeze. The ropes were one
by one loosened from the posts and lay
trailing on the ground like the tentacles of
some tremendous monster. At last only
one or two held the balloon and they were
ready to be loosened in an instant. Some
body said Ready another "Let her GO F."
Just here, in his eagerness and excitement,
Lemuel stepped forward and put his foot
into a slip moose on one of the loose detain-
ing ropes. In a second his feet were ierked
violently from under him, the earth seemed
to fall away and he was dangling head
downward, five hundred feet in the air, his
long coat tails tapping about his ears. and
still going upward. A pint of peanuts, a
hat, package of cheIoots, seventy cents
in silver and half empted whislley bottle
came raining down.
That indescribable, terrible roar arose
that always comes from crowd when
brought face to face with an awful and
portending tragedy. Women tainted,
children screamed and men ran hither and
tbither in agonzed helplessness.
Far up in the blue void, ever rising,
Lemuel hung like spider from its thread
He grabbed the dangling rope and tried to
push himself up backward, then he tried to
squirm himself into an upright position
His movements caused the balloon to sway