Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-08-29

v u tive town OF Canaan, he
did not expect to find his
memory cnnOnized. Fifteen years was
hardly enough time, he thought, for
his fellow tOWnsmen to forget his
faults or enlarge upon his virtues.
Doubtless those people We're still alive
who, If they remembered the boy at
all, would 90 it 10 their sorrow; Still!
time usually softcns grievances, and
Busby, with the aid or his newly ac
CURED wealth, hoped to find some
Kind OF quasi welcome in the quiet
tOW-I under the Gins
de had never seriously injured any
one, lie thought, ard, although the vii
lage dogs might beat 4 hasty retreat
on the return of this prince Of pr&cti-
| cal jokers, the majority OF the inhabi
tants mad enjoyed il fuu measure his
many plcasantrie@.
BuSby-nOw grown UP to wealth and
dignity-Uas not a little ashamed Of
his early FRANKS, and he determined,
as he a.ighted from the stage and en-
tered the city hotel. to sign some fic-
| Iitious Eamc and look cautiously about
| might he among the saints 1T home.
lie WAS highly gratificd to find the
town Unaltered i'll any particular. We
like to see change and progress in the
great world at large, but OUT native
place, where We spent the happy years
of our bOyhOOd, is blessed with too
many memories TO admit of any i'm
prOvCmcnt.
Busby was thankful to find the vii
laSc rars0n preaching the same kind
| of exclusive hereafter that had fright
cncd him into obedience fifteen years
before. He congratulated himself on
finding the old pump still yielding de-
IciouS WatcI from the same cracked
spout; to have repaired it would have
been III iMpertincEcc he felt. He
blessed the lazy and penuriCuS school
directors for having failed to plug up
4 single knot hole ia the venerable
abode o. knowledge where Il success
sion Of pedagogical tyrants had only
partly subdued his spirit Of fun.
The external landmarks of Canaan
still stood intact, but among the per
sonnet of the inhabitants there were
many missing faces.
The old fogieS were mostly on deck
Busby's inveterate fOes-a little more
Jalkativc, malevolent and reminiscent
perhaps. They were whiting on the
same red fence which had always
served rs q resting place for the TN
employed. Jim listened to the records
of the young man who had gone West
and the girls who had married wealthy
men. Some of his Old associates occu-
pied positions o. honor and trust; in
fact, all had done Well-sO well, that
he felt cmboldened to ask after him.
self-not without many misgivings.
There was 4 slight change OF express
! sion on the faces of the old worthless
ut the mention Of this wayward youth.
The oldest inhabitant cough"d, the
postmaster grnned, and the venerable
deacon looked the other way with 4
knowing smile.
1t was 4 trying moment for Jim.
Their significant glances nettled him
not little, and he could not refrain
from coming to his own defence.
He was always an active boy" he
said
TOO cverlastingly actiyew returned
| the deacon with a suggestive grin.
Every dog and cat knows he never
| slept. l calculate there waren't 10
Kind O. tolnfoolery he didn't practice
| efore he pulled out of here of sud
cen. Everybody prophesied he'd be
hung, and 1 guess the best people felt
pn1iaJn1 t6oI- lo
of his execution. | know l did"
Jim tried to whistle Il tune in an IN
concerned way, but it was with diff
1iculty that he concealed his feelings
It's something Of a shock to find one
self hanged, and it takes time to get
used to it. He spent the day amusing
himself with the younger element, who
fortunately knew not Jim Busby. They
liked him at once. His plaid suit.
heavy gold watch and plug hat seemed
to embody certain ideals of youthful
grandeur; and his free use OF money
easily cemented their friendships.
The next day he hunted up his par
ents in the little graveyard and decid-
ed to replace the wooden headboarG
with piece of marble in due time. He
also chatted with several old women
at work in their gardens, and found
Jim Busby had been anything but
favorite of the other sex. 1t was in
deed very discouraging. He felt re-
vengeful.
Finally, in despair. he asked the edi-
tor if anything had happened that was
worth printing since Jim Busby had
left.
Nothing to speak Of" answered the
editor, stroking his chin whiskers,
land we're thankful for it. Fifteen
years ago body couldn't go to bed
without expecting to wake up and find
| his livestock Oh the roof of his house
CT his black COW whitcwashed pale
pink
"CoIfound it.'' said Jim, out of pa
| tience. You people haven't treated
Jim Busby right; you enjoyed his
Jokes as much as he did
"Well, what is that to you, please:'
Simply this; 1 am Jim Busby.''
The news spread quickly.
Il don't believe it" said the oldest
| lnhabtant, who stood near.
That can't be-Jim BuSby never be-
havcd himself two days together in his
| whole life"
We'll, it's a fact, any ways" said
| Jim. i've been out knocking round
| for fifteen years without scarcely Il
| postage stamp to my name, and when
1 made my stake thought I'd hunt up
| Il relative or two to share it with me;
| but I find these people think, when
they've got Teller hung, they've done
| enough for one man."
'Pshaw. Jim" said one. IF we'd