The Tupelo journal., 1902-11-07
A %"HUSTLER'S" AMBITION

By J. Mervin Hull.

II had been u memorable day in
L Riverdale. Everybody had said,
as usual, that the graduating eXer-
cises were the best that the academy
had ever known, and at the reunion
IN the evening Hamlin hall was
crowded with students, old and new.
But it was all over now, and the
last to leave the hall We're John Ar
mington and Alice Raymond. They
were somewhat older than the rest
of the class, and it was well-known
that they were engaged. Alice had
been the music teacher at the acad-
envy during the last year of her
course, and Riverdale was more than
proud of her musical ability. John
had assisted in teaching some of
h younger classes.
The grace and beauty of youth
rested upon them as they stood side
by side. They were looking at the
class motto above the stage.
PER ASPERA AID ASTRA.
Plenty of 'aspera' ahead of u.s."
~0AA Oohh. bub l. guess We Cdn 20
per- them together"
"Oh, but we must remember all
the time there are plenty of '%astra,'
too" said Alice, cheerfully.
NO" said John, looking straight
down into her star-like eyes, "onIy
two 'astra' in all the world for me-"
Alice tried to look very grave, but
only succeeded in blushing prettily as
she said: at doesn't do a bit of good
10 preach to you, John, you always
make some sort of game of it."
Then they ran down the stairs and
out into the bright moonlight of the
COO May night, none the less happy
because there was an undercurrent
of anxiety in their thought of the
future.
The next morning John went to
the station with Alice, and she took
the early-train for Boston, where she
was to study music, and as soon as
possible to teach it. When the train
had gone, John went Immediately
to Enoch Rice's general store in the
village, hung up his coat, put on a
linen buster, and began to 'sweep
out"
There were some who were much
astonished at Johns action in going
into the store as a clerk.
81 hadn't no idee that John was
goin' to stop here" said old Josiah
Green, the village uncle" "When I
heerd him rattle off that Latin piece
to the g~raduatin', I thought certain
ly he was goin' right on to be a per-
lessor or minister, or sunthin'. OF
course, not havin' no own folks, as
you might say, he may be short on't
for money to go ahead, and so he's
gone int the store to arm a little to
help him out"
But it soon appeared that John
was in the store to stay, and it also
appeared hat many changes were
taking place there. Order succeeded
chaos. With the reluctant consent
of Mr.. Rice, John arranged a sort of
"rummage" sale, and marked old
goods at such low prices that the
accumulations of % years were
cleared away, and the store looked as
if it had just been stocked with new
goods.
II tell We what" said Uncle Josiah,
Johns a hustler, no mistake.
Trades just about doubled since he
went there. Enoch has raised his
pay twice, and he's had to hire a
new hand already. The way John
I--J1a- Ill -O-t- 80 =
caution. Why, here the other day
he actually sold Mis- Pincher a new
black alpacky afore she knew it,
which she hain't bought a new dress
this ten year, with all her money"
And the old man chuckled with 81
lent laughter.
81 happened into the store the
other day." he continued, when
Oliver Rush, that Boston drummer,
come in. He hadn't been in the store
before since John had his sale and
cleared off all the old goods. Rush,
he looked all around the store afore
he said a word.
a'Cap'n Rice he says, what you
been doin'?
".Oh,' says Enoch, my clerk here
has been havin' a kind of an auction
sale of the old goods, and fixin' up
things a little
crush turned quicker'n lightnin',
and looked John all over, head to
foot; but John, he never turned a
hair, jest KEEP right on measurin' off
a dress for one of the factory girls.
/ tell ye, sir, I see now what Johns
game is. He's set out to be a mil
iionaire, and he'll be it, too. And
that drummeE. he'll have his finger
in the pie, now you mark my words"
And having once more settled
John's future to his own satisfaction,
3Inele Josiah shufled home.
One morning Mr.. Rice came into
the store in great excitement.
A.John,. he said, 81 hear that two
rhen from Rutland r going to start
: grocery store in the lower village,
r;ght where so many OF the mill
-,eonle i've. 1t will cut deep into u
rrocery trade, sure 40 you r born.