The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-11-15
HIS PROFESSIONAL sH1FTLEssNEss.

,
He paused moment, shading his
face with his hand. Then he went on.
81 am going to do what is seldom
donein this age and generation.
am gOing to send you out in the
world % seek your fortune. have
nothing to give you-that is, nothing
in the way of money, except $Ioc
apiece. That I will give to you. In
addition he stretched toward them
two legal documents, II have divided
that large stretch of timber land into
two portions. To you, William
Henry, give one portion to you,
James, the other. Take them and do
with them as you please. Remember
that perseverance and industry can
accomplish much. My own farm,
which is now 50 fertile, I cleared
years ago of timber-it took long
while to do it. But it is now one
of the best farms in the country. Go,
my sons, go forth, with such inner
itance as I now give to you. Come
back to me in 10 years, and to the
man who has been the faithful ste
ward, 1 will give his reward. Go
and do your best"
He paused again. cat this mo-
ment," he resumed, II forget all but
that you are my two boys. I will
not remind you, William Henry, that
you have been industrious and eco
nomical nor you, James, that you
have sometimes been a bit wayward,
and at times lazy and careless. Let
the past be a blank in our minds.
Begin afresh and with renewed vigor.
Goodbye, my boys"
He stretched out his hands-the
right hand to William Henry, the
left to James. His sons departed.
"Well, Bill" said James, "I've
got that hundred, an all that hunting
ground. I'll have bully time of it,
1 reckon. I want to buy good gun,
an some good rods, an then I'm fix
ed. We've got a hundred miles to
go. I'm goin' to tramp it, through
the woods"
"I'll ride" said William Henry.
"This afternoon I begin to clear that
ground"
"Well, goodbye, Bill" said Jim
"come over an see me on my reser-
vation. I amt more than few
miles from you at the best. If you
can't find me, holler out. Goodbye,
Bill"
Goodbye, Jim," said William
Henry.
William Henry reached his destina-
ton and at once set to work. He had
a big contract on his hands. His
lands were covered with underground
and young trees; but he started in.
He cleared a big patch of ground and
put up small wooden shack, and
planted garden. This was for bare
subsistence. Then he brought in
from far-of village a young lad tc
help. Slowly but surely they clear
ed off the ground. AS fast as Will
liam Henry cleared it the boy titled it
At the end of the second year Viii.
liam Henry was not only supporting
himself and the be7 in comparatively
luxury, but was selling considerable
wheat in the market as we'll. Still he
kept on clearing and planting.
One day he strolled over to see Jim.
Jim had come over early in their new
career to state just where he was To-
Gated. As he returned, he blazed
the trees, so that William Henry now
was able to find the place. He found
it, and he found Jim. Jim was lying
on his back on the ground gazing into
the deep blue sky, patch of which
was visible between the trees. Be,
hind him was rude tent constructed
of deerskin. Not tree had been dis
turbed. On the ground lay a deei
newly killed and some birds. Jim
saw William Henry as soon as he saw
Jim. He sprang to his feet "Well
old Bill !" he exclaimed; "glad to
see you. Here, sit down here
1 was just thinkin' about gettin' din
ner. Now I'll get it."
He built a roaring fire. In al
hour William Henry sat down to the
finest repast he had tasted in two
years. Jim could shoot and cook il
he couldn't do anything else. !"
William Henry made motion to
ward the trees that surrounded them
Jim laughed. ''Ain't got to them.
he apologized. "Some day 1 will
Plenty of time. I'll clear it off some
day. There's too much fun arounC
here now, though, to commence tc
work. Some day I'll start" That
was just like Jim.
In eight years William Henry hat
cleared his farm. He had built
goodsized house and had settled dowr
and married. He ran his place OF
the most approved principles. Peo
pie came from miles around to SCI
Bill Henry's farm.
Farms amt at premium" sait
one old fellow, "but that farm-tha
there farm O. Bills, d fetch anywher'
from eight to ten thousand dollars il
the market. Yes, sir. An he aim
been only nine year or so clearin' it
too-an' there ain stone or stunt
on it. No, sir. !"
In fact, Halliday of East Donaldson
drove over one morning and Offered
ten thousand dollars in cash for tn
place. Ten thousands 1t mad
Bills mouth water-but he refused it
He kept the place. And then h
thought of Jim-shiftless Jim. Her
it was-nearly ten years gone by
and Jim was the same old Jim-h
had left every stick standing.
One day stranger pushed his wa,