The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-12-29
CHADD
By William
EllELMAN > Zachary
-1,-,z Gladwin.
A Shiftless Boy Becomes an
Energetic Man.

Q Energetic Man. ol
3 81
xo%o&o%o*o*o*o o%o*o*o%o%o*oM
1t was the middle of May, and the
belated last lecture of the course was
to be given in Wilburg.
"Here, Chadd," said old Esek Harm
haw, holding out 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 at Mr.. Harnhaw, and did
not offer to take the ticket.
esquire Huvick, him they call odd
Crusty,' you know, he give it to me
wuthless and ambitionless fellow in
town. 1 told him I'd give it to you, but
1 had my doubts about your takin it.
Even if you did take it, l 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
SllouluClo WSht oh. hoOlhC say
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-
,I off tl,n ST, ha1dinrr irhf
ly in his hand Meddlesome old Esek
looked after him. "Now, wouldn't it
be Il great note if he went to that lee
ture?' he said to himself. "'Twould
mortify me considerable if he did, aft
er me a-prognosticating to the squire
so positive
The boy lounged on. Suddenly the
same idea that was agitating old Esek
struck him. Yonder 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. "'The most
wuthless and ambitionless fellow in
as he entered the church.
Cant never count on nobody in this
world" grumbled old Esek. "In fee
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 q
IL ~
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 an6
the remainder of the time idled about
the town. Thine l had a resting spell
| guess he told himself. "If uncle
and aunt had hired anybody else tC
work the way they made me work fol
nothing 'twould have cost 'em some
thing, now, | warrant you"
Nobody knew of these thoughts tha
| filed the boys mind, for he was NJ
talker. And he was misjudged b.
those who look only on appearances
as many another person has been.
Chadd had never heard lecture be
| fore, but he had enough instinctiv'
sense of the proprieties to sit VI
! straight in his seat and give the speak
er his attention. Soon he was lost t
his surroundings. When the lectur
was over, with sigh Chadd aros
with the rest of the audience an'
passed out of the church. "Pll do 1t,
he said, as he stumbled along the il
paved street that led to his home. 'l'l
get me an ambition tomorrow. 'Se
your mark the lecturer said. And to
morrow I'm going to set it."
The next morning he rose and me
chanically did the heavy work he ha
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 CO." commented old Esek HarI
haw. "Reckon he just welt out c
spite, anyhow. That was a kind of
dare l give him, and it runs in til
) Ettelman blood not to take dare"
And all the time Chadd, with h
undisciplined mind, was thinking har,
He had no conceit. No glorious vision
of future advancement and splendC
for himself dazzled him. He was lite
ally at sea. He could find no ambition
1t was late in the afternoon, and |
, was passing along the street that W;