The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-01-25
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I How DU UG WAYS Boy !
7 Began His Business Career {

1T HERE is something about your
appearance the last two or
three days that puzzles me, Dugway,"
said Cunningham, as he finished sign
ing the last of his letters and began to
hunt in the drawer of the double
desk for a cigar. 81 don't know that
! could define it exactly" he contin-
ued, because it's largely in your bear
ing and manner. You seem to have
thrown off some of the slough of rus
ITCHY which has been clinging to you
more or less since you went into the
suburb; your figure is more erect,
your eye has its old sparkle and your
clothes seem to fit you better. 1
haven't seen mud on your shoes for
all of a week. What did you do with
those cigars? You don't mean to tell
me that you finished the whole box?"
you'll find some very nice stogies
in the bottom drawer" said Dugway,
kindly. 81 find that my income won't
cover the old brand since l secured
your valuable services. Another thing,
a stogie is really one of the best and
most wholesome cigars that man can
smoke There is perhaps little pc
culiar flavor about stogies at first,
but you soon learn TO enjoy 1t. It's
an acquired taste, and / know that
you can acquire anything that isn't
locked up in burglar-proof vault"
'I'll have to smoke one Of my own,
then" sighed Cunningham, resigned
ly drawing his case from his breast
pocket. "To resume; What have you
been doing with yourself? Have they
put in those electric lights at Lone
somehurst or are they paving In front
of the village hall with vitrifed brick7
You are certainly getting a sort Of
semi-civilized look about you, il the
suburb isn't"
IF there's anything that excites my
pity, it's the feeble attempt Of a
brainless yap to JOSH" said Dugway,
hotly. "You haven't been out to
Eldercroft more than 5000 times, con-
sequently you don't know that it has
more and better lights than any ward
in the city and more miles of cement
sidewalk than Hdye Park, better po-
lice protection"
81 thought you told me that the po-
liceman was sick" interrupted Cum
ningham. "Well, what's the reason /
you've quit this little 25-cent-ride par
adise?"
81 suppose my wife told your wife
that when she saw her yesterday. But
it's quite likely she didn't tell you
that I'm going back to Eldercroft
next week-and I'm going to take that
kid back with me and put ball and
chain on him."
"Vance?"
"Of course; who else would II be?
I'll tell you what. I'm seriously con-
cerned about that boy. 1t has always
been my ambition that he should be-
come a useful member of society like
his father, but unless something is
done to check his mercenary tend
encies he'll be a millionaire or some
thing of that sort. He's always out
for lucre: and the easier he gets II
the better he likes il. never was that
way myself like 10 work hard, and so
long as | make enough TO provide for
my frugal necessities and keep you in
stogies I'm satisfied; but Vance isn't
ever satisfied, and he never misses a
chance to work me. I'm afraid that
ny liberal disposition has spoiled him"
"Yes. those hundred-dollar bonuses
hat you are always holding out to
he kid if he'll stand on his head for
"A hours or carry the COW in from the
pasture without spilling the milk
must be having a bad effect on him.
Did you ever give him an uncondi-
ionai nickel in your hfe2"
"He never strikes me for less than a
olar," said Dugway. Hes got a soul
boye nickels."