Smyrna times., 1899-06-21
CHADD
BY William
lELWAIV , Zachary
GIadwln.
A ShiitIess EOy. Becomes an
Energetic Man.


belated last lecture of the course was
to be given in Wilburg.
Here. Chadd." said old Escb Harm
haw, holding out Il bit of pastebOard. |
Here's ticket for that there lecture. |
All about ambition. that lecture is
the right kind OF ambition and how to
get it and how to keep it,
The big 17-year-old boy looked in
differently ut Mr.. Harnhaw, and did
not offer to take the ticket.
Squire IIuvick. him they call old
Crusty.' You know. he give it to me
and told me to give it TO the most
wuthless and ambitiOnless fellow in
town | told him I'd give it to you, but
| had my doubts about your takin it.
Even if you did take it, | said, 'twOuld
be only to tear it to pieces in them big.
lazy fingers of yours. Says l, Squire.
it isn't no sort of use givin it TO him.
But the squire he just bumped up his
shoulders and went off. Some says
humpin up your shoulders means one
thing, and some says it means another
| took it to mean he didn't think much
of you, nOhOw."
There was a flash of temper in the
boys eyes. He reached out abruptly
and took the ticket. He did not tear it
in pieces however. Instead. he slOuch-
ed off down the street. holding it tight
ly in his hand. MeddlesOme old Esek
looked after him. Now. wouldn't it
be great note if he went to that lee
ture?' he said to himself. "'TwOuld
mortify me considerable ii he did. aft
! er me a-prognOSticating to the squire
so positive"
The boy lounged on. Suddenly the
same idea that was agitatng old ESek
struck him. tYOnder was the church
where the lecture was to be given.
| What if he should go? He paused a
moment and looked down at the tick
ct in his hand. 1t was almost time for
the lecture to begin. Then he raised
his head with decision. 1.-The most
wuthless and ambitiOnless fellow in
town will go to the lecture" he said
as he entered the church.
Cant never count on nobody in this
world" grumbled old Esek. III feel
pretty foolish tomorrow, | guess"
1t was not to be wondered at that
Chadd had no ambition. From child
hood he and his twin sister, Fannie,
had lived at the edge of town with a
miserly old uncle and aunt who never
had made it of any advantage to the
children to work However much they
toiled, they had no reward but scant
food aud patched and frayed clothing.
Fannie was still held down to toll by
the miserly aunt, but Chadd had re-
belled. He did the most necessary of
the heaviest work about the place and
the remainder of the time idled about
the town. Time had a resting spell,
l guess" he told himself. IF uncle
and aunt had hired anybody else to
work the way they made me work for
nothing 'twOuld have cost 'em some
thing now, l warrant you"
Nobody knew of these thoughts that
filled the boys mind, for he was NO
; talker. And he was misjudged by
those who look only on appearances
as many another person has been.
Chadd had never heard lecture be
fore, but he had enough instructive
sense of the prOprieties to sit uI
straight in his seat and give the speak
. er his attention. Soon he was lost tt
= his surroundings. When the lecture
was over, with a sigh Chadd arose
% with the rest of the audience an(
passed out of the church. 'Fll do it,
he said, as he stumbled along the IL
e paved street that led to his home. "I'l
, get me an ambition tomorrow. Sc
, your mark the lecturer said. And to
- morrow I'm going to set it,"
D The next morning he rose and me
chemically did the heavy work he hat
taken for his share and then set of
for the town. All day he loafed an'
loitered, to all appearances the sam
- boy that he had been the day before.
= Lecture didn't do him no good if h
. did GO" commented old Esek Harm
haw. Reckon he just went out o
spite, anyhow. That was a kind OF
= dare l give him. and it runs in tn
70 Ettelman blood not to take dare"
:. And all the time Chadd. with hi
undisciplined mind, was thinking hare
= He had no conceit. No glorious vision
90 for himself dazzled him. He was lite
- ally at sea. He could find no ambition
- 1t was late in the afternoon, and b
"a was passing along the street that wa
0U lined with the better class of res
dences, when a door just opposite hi
opened, and a pretty girl stood thel
- looking out upon him. momel
- Chadd gazed, almost open mouthe
Not at the girl before him. Sudden
nd his ambition had come to him. In Il
ng place of the pretty girl he saw b
he sister. Then the door closed, al
ne Chadd reused himself and walked {
IRE with a brisk step. He had set h
lat mark.
ers Fannie's hands were rough and r,
from hard work. Fannie's hair w
tumbled. Fannie's face was fretful /
on cause the poor girl was always owe