Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-10-14

FOunu " men II " "" ''1''e H'as
He Had Forgotten His EoIi, but.
Fortunately. IL Good Angel Turned
Up In Time.
a bright sunshiny afternoon and
nothing to do. 1t will be Il long time
before Mr.. Dustin StaX fOrgctS that
day. a nice long walk before dinner
eh, Tommy" he had said to the little
boy who always looks so helpless and
forlorn and clean when other little
boys are playing in the street. His
son FASTENED to adjust the elastic cord
of his large hat under the chin which
nature had so bencticently provided for
that purpose. The little fellow hurried
along in silence for nearly half an
hour, sometimes trying to take long
steps. as his father did. and then
breaking into little run to recover the
distance he had lost. Each wished he
were a little better acquainted with
the other. But Mr.. StaX was a very
busy man.
Observing the boys efforts, he chang
ed his gait so as to suit that of the am
bilious little legs and was immensely
amused at the proud swing with which
Tommy kept step. 1t occurred to him
that many n man congratulated him
self, as Tommy was doing, upon per-
sonal success when the truth of the
matter was that conditions had merely
adjusted themselves to suit his CON
yenience.
"Wherell we go, Tommy? he ask
l.; Ia,
the fact that he was expanding energy
without any definite object in view.
something that he abhOrred as nature
abhOrS Il vacuum.
as it very far to the zoo?'
Not very. If we get tired walking.
we can take the ears
But there was no thought of fatigue
There was interest in every turning of
the thoroughfare, in every different
tree and in every sparkling pebble
Tommy said to himself that his father
was better company than any of the
boys, and Mr.. dustin StaX saw numer-
Gus indications that Tommy was go
ing to be first rate fellow when ne
grew up. and they were both very
proud.
They watched the sedate stork and
laughed as he swung his undulous neck
about and dropped his head with n
thwack upon some impertinent duck
that sought to steal a morsel from I'M
der the very nose of dignity.
Il think ostriches are funnier than
storks,' remarked Tommy. ''Os-
triches," he added thoughtfully, "can
eat anything"
Which reminded his father that they
We're hungry. An invitation to patron
lie a vender of harmless drinks and
sugary viands was promptly accepted.
Mr.. StaX went into one pocket after
another, with gathering dismay on his
face. He had on his "other clothes"
Tommy" he said, "it frequently oc-
ours when an enterprise is to be set on
foot that one man puts in the capital,
while the other puts in the experience.
Now, | have some recollection of hav-
ing given you a 10 cent piece yester-
day. For my part, | am some years
older than you and feel that can hold
my own in an equal partnership by
contributing my experience"
Tommy, without vOicing his deep
suspicion that it does not require much
experience to eat, made Il search and
after turning all his pockets inside out
brought to view three pennies. Never
was an investment made with more
shrewdness and caution, and never
was a long homeward walk more thor
oughly enjoyed by two better fellows.
Next day Mr.. Dustin StaX was at Il
desk up to his chin in papers-papers
whose printed forms, filled out with
various styles of penmanship, might
have told some rather pathetic stories
of struggles which did not win. But
they were so many assurances of pros
perity to Mr.. Dustin StaX. There We're
signatures to be made to numerous
papers and transactions in bonds and
certificates of all kinds to be attended
to, and he appeared worried and an
noyed until the clock told that it was
time for lunch. He was too busy to
go just then, but he smiled and let
some documents fall out of his hand
as he looked out of the window. He
was thinking of the only time in all his
life that he had been dead broke
Washington Star.