The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-11-25
THE OLD, OLD STORY.
He was nothing but a boy.

had to run errands, and fill wood boxes.
and have big sisters with beaux, and
wear good clothes when there was com.
pany. Yes, and they mustn't talk at the
table, nor ask twice for pie and nuts,
nor be noisy around the house. Boys
were neglected and had no privileges.
They had no end of a fuss when they
wanted to go bare.footed; and shoes
were no sooner discarded than some.
thing got in the way and stubbed the
Boys toes. Even now one OF those un-
offending members, carefully wrapped ia
an old rag. was lifted up from the others
in very appealing, pathetic way. 1t
had been bruised this morning on an
old grape vine root down by the swim.
ming hole. The Boy slowly unwound
the covering from the poor toe, and the
tears started 10 his eyes as he gazed
thereon. 1t was hard, hard world.
With sigh, the Boy replaced the rag,
aud his thoughts turned to other woes.
Boys had to go to school, and get les
sons in arithmetic, and geography and
grammar! OF what use was grammar.
anyhow? To teach one to speak cor
rectly, the teacher said. The bow
thought that was all nonsense. A
whistle would bring his dog, and he
didn't care whether Isle 'em" was good
grammar or not. As for swimming,
when he wanted someone to 90 with
him, all he needed to do was to wave
two fingers 10 thu air, and he could sum.
mon another Boy from greater distance
than speech Of any kind could be heard.
School was prison, and the school
master tyrant. He had switched the
Boy only yesterday, and for what? just
Tor bending a pin and dropping it. As
II that were anything. The Boys
wounded dignity arose at the thought OF
IL. and his heart swelDed again. just
wait. The Boy would be a man after q
while. and all .tyrants would get their
just deserts. When the Boy became a
man he would have money. He would
buy all the schoohouses. and turn them
into manageries ard circuses. where all
boys could 90 free. Then he would have
a railroad, and steamboat, and give
free picnics to boys,-and girls; That
would be nice. And then he'd have a
fine law Office, with lot OF clerks and a
big library. and after while maybe be
would be Governor. He did not want
to be President. All boys wanted to be
thar. And when he was governor. and
had bell.boy in buttons to wait on him.
and messenger boys were running after
him all the time with kilograms. then he
might ask that shy, blue.eyed maiden
to be his wife. Alb, wait until the Boy
became Man; Then
He was just common, average Man.
He was not sure whether he was even
an average Man. 1t was 80 hard for
young fellow. just out Of school. to make
a living and place for himself In the
world. In college he had been called
clever and brainy, and the lads looked
up to him. He had taken first prize
in his law class. and had won medal ir
oratory. Yet for two years he had been
trying to practise law, and had not made
expenses. He could not sea how that
squatty, bald.headed old rooster Grubs
had 90 many clients. But never mind.
All the Man Leeded was fair chance.
Halt his life was yet before him. All he
wanted was something to work on. No
politics for him. Politics were too un-
certain. He would win recognition at
the bar, and build up an exclusive and