Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1901-09-05

" " tive town Of Canaan, he
did not expect to find his
memory canonized. Fifteen years was
hardly enough time, he thought, for
his fellow townsmen to forget his
faults OF enlarge upon his virtues.
Doubtless those people were still alive
who, ii they remembered the boy at
all, would do it to their sorrow; still
time usually softens grievances, and
Busby, with the aid of his newly ac-
quired wealth, hoped to find some
kind Of quasi welcome in the quiet
town under the elms.
He had never seriously injured any
one, he thought, and, although the vii
lage dogs might beat a hasty retreat
On the return of this prince Of practi-
cal jokers, the majority of the inhabi-
tants had enjoyed in full measure his
many pleasantries.
Busby-noW grown up to wealth and
dlgnity-WaS not q little ashamed of
his early pranks, and he determined,
as he alighted from the stage and en-
tered the city hotel. to sign some fic-
Titious name and look cautiously about
the old place to see what his standing
might be among the saints at home.
He was highly gratifed to find the
town unaltered in any particular. We
like to see change and progress in the
great world at large, but our native
place, where we spent the happy years
Of Our boyhood, is blessed with too
many memories to admit of any i'm
provement.
Busby was thankful to find the vii
lage parson preaching the same kind
of exclusive hereafter that had fright
ened him into obedience fifteen years
before. He congratulated himself on
finding the old pump still yielding de-
licious water from the same cracked
spout; to have repaired it would have
been an impertinence he felt. He
blessed the lazy and penurious schoo.
directors for having failed to plug uI
a single knot hole in the venerable
abode Of knowledge where a 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
sonnel of the inhabitants there were
many missing faces.
The old fogies were mostly on deck
Busby's inveterate foes-a little more
tall1ative maIevolent and reminiscen
perhaps. They were whiting on tht
same red fence which had always
served as a resting place for the un
employed. Jim listened to the records
Of the young man who had gone Wes
and the girls who had married wealth.,
men. Some Of his Old associates occu
pied positions OF honor and trust; il
fact, all had done Well-so well, tha
he felt emboldened to czk after him
self-not without mary 1nisgivings.
There was slight change Of expres
sion on the faces O. the old worthie
at the mention Of It's Wayward youth
The oldest inhab. tan1 coughed, th
postmaster grinres., and the venerabl
deacon looked tie other way with
Knowing smile.
1t was tryii. moment for jim
Their significant giances nettled hi1
not little, and re could not refrain
from coming to h3 own defence.
He was always an active boy" b
said.
Too everlastingl. activew returne
the deacon with a suggestive gri1
Every dog and cat Knows he neve
slept. I calculate there waren't n
Kind O. tolnfoolery he diGn't pract.c
before he pulled out OF here OF a sue
den. Everybody prophesied he'd /
hung, and guess the best people fe
renewed when they got the sad new
VI MS execution. I [ know I did"
Jim tried to whistle tune in an III
cohcerned way, but it was with di
Aculty that he concealed his feeling
its something Of a shock to find on
Sell hanged, and it takes time to g
useo to It, Ee spent the day amusiI
himself with tie younger element, WI
fortunately knew not Jira Busby. The
hAed him at once. His plaid sui
nea'5 gold watch and plug hat SCENE
" embody certain ideals of youthf