The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-29
Cbarley's Reform Work.
CONCLUDED

Cant do for those who don't care TO
be done foT SAID hS fa' tTed I to bay
| our debt to Seth. l sent him to school
| with you. and paid his tuition and FUR
nished him with good clothes, and ne
| stayed Just two weeks. before he ran
swsy' got him job in a store, and
he was turned of Tor beng lmDudent
to customers. AS "A last resort l of&red
| him regular work on the farm ana ne
said he wanted something
easier. Now, what can you do with
boy of that kind? Nothing. of course.
But that was two years ago, tatner,
Gemurred Charley. Seth was only thir-
-,a Inen and he had beer brought up
to be lazy and impudent. lie didn't know
any better. / think he feels direrent
now-some. Anyhow, i heard MN say
yesterday that he wished no had decent
folks"
Better try to be decent himself. Folks
don't make a person However, j m VIII
ing to do anything in reason for the boy;
If you think he'll work, you can Try MN.
Il don't know as he WILL admitted
Charley. frankly, Hes queer SUCK
at best. But there's lots of good IN
him. father. tnat you haven't seen. lie
always takes the part Of small boys, ana
he doesn't lie or tell tales, or 90 the niue
mean things that many OF the boys think
all right He is lazy and shiftless, OF
course: and he swears and smokes and
talks impudent; but that's because hes
brought up in the Hopkins way. I've
been Thinking about him this morning,
and T would like to have another chance
at him. You know I'll be going away TO
boarding school next year, ana theh l
won't see much more of him until we are
grown up"
every well; go ahead in your own
way" said his father smiling; ana ne
was turning away when Charley Caught
him by the arm.
"Wait just a minute. father" he urged.
eagerly. 1T isn't merely hiring Seth
few days that ] want. That wouldn't be
any good. live been thinking of max
ing a sort Of partnership business with
"A-what?"
well. it's just this way you see" ex-
planned Charley. "Seth's pretty sensitive
about his folks, and everybody seems to
think Il sort Of duty to keep shaking
them before his face. At school they call
ed him a prison cadet, and when he was
in the store the customers used TO count
their change suspiciously, and when he
goes down the street there's sure to be
some name called after him. | believe
that's what keeps him from sticking 10
anything-that and his bringing up. If
ones treated like dog he's bound 10 feel
and act Ike a dog
But about your partnership"
Charley Redeemed "A little.
Maybe you'll think I'm foolish" he
| said: but seems to me that II Seth was
| treated like a gentleman he might act
| like one. Anyhow, I'd like 10 try 1t. Now
therell be lots and lots of shrubs and
roots and bulbs and cuttings TO throw
away before I'm through with this job.
Mother says must divide the peonies and
day-liies and yuccas and irises. and l
don't know how many other things, into
five or six times as many clumps as
there are now, and that / can set new
hardy border Of them around the kitchen
, porch. But even then there1l be hun
dreds of roots TO throw away: and the
wistarias and honcysuckles and running
roses and other vines are a perfect tangle.
and would bloom better If a wagon-l Dad
of tho spreading roots were dug up. I've
often heard you say that good nursery
would pay in this section; and my idea
is TO use all the stuff we would otherwise
throw away In starting n nursery on that
five-acre lot you gave me last birthday.
Instead Of giving me bicycle for my
work. you might let me- have fifteen or
twenty dollars in money, or else put on
couple of men TO pillow and break up that
lot in good shape Then I'll take Seth as
a partner end Wen see what we can do
| I'm the nursery business. Seth's good
fellow to work when he gets interested:
and he likes shrubs and flowers, and
knows even more about them than do.
] think he'll make first-class nursery
man."
why not give him the stuff and the
use of your lot and let him try the nur-
sery business by himself?' asked Mr..
Rogers IF you study for COLLEGES l
want YOU tO-you will not have much time
TO spare for some years"
Charley shook his head.
II thought of that" he said but I'm
afraid Seth might not stick TO il by him
self You know he's never done anything
regular. I'll have plenty OF time until
20 away to school next fall, and by that
time Seth and / can get the business pref
~ well under way, and all the nrst druid
gerry work over And even after l go TO
school Seth will be apt TO do better as my
partner than he would alone He always
would do more for me than he would Tor
himself. I'll write to him about the work,
and keep him interested; and when come
home vacations | can help him some or
course he will have to do most of the
work. but III arrange so he Will have
most Of the profit SO long as We're part
ners and he thinks I'm interested, he'll be
sure TO do his part
, Mr. Rogers looked curiolsly at him
from under his shaggy eyebrows then he
let bis hand fall gently upon the boys
Your logic is better than mine Char
ley" he said. sOberly. TIN not sure there
Is anything in Seth; but If there is, you'll
bring II out"
, And he was right In less than a year
| even the village folk began TO notice that
| Seth carried his head higher. and that
| his eyes were acquiring habit or look
! ing at one. instead Of rowing uneasily
about the ground. And every day the
nursery stock grew larger and more
thrifty. The second year most of II was
ready TO transplant and the third and
fourth year II was large enough TO sell.
i one day there was notice OF IT in the
village paper. and Seth Hopkinss name
was appended TO the advertisement as
manager and principal owner AT that
| time he was a tall sunburned young man
of nineteen, with brisk manner, and warm
eager eyes. When Charley left college;
Seth was there 10 congratulate him. and
as they clasped hands each saw in the
steady. clear depths OF the others eyes.
tho earnest purpose and ambition of