The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-06-04
. .
: : USELESS
|, J M

BY William j. Lampt
Copyright, 1op. by the
$. $. Mcclure Company

where uncomfortable for him, and Jim
dearly loved to be comfortable At
school 1t was easier to remain at the
foot of his class than higher up, so he
philosophically chose the easy thing
and stuck to ii. Jim was not mis-
chievous boy or bad one in any sense.
because those attributes require effort
to maintain them. AS somebody hac
to be at the foot of the class, and there
were those who were discontinued
there the teacher accepted Jim as a
special providence and made the most
of him.
cts beyond me about Jimmie" his
mother was wont to say. "He amt
bad boy nor up to no mischief, and
you'd think when no went to school
he'd learn his lessons Just because he
didn't want to learn nothln' else. but
he won't learn single thing. good or
bad. lie just seems to be everlasting
do less - settln' around and settin'
around and settln' around. And I'm
sure he don't get 1t from the Anderson
side of the house neither"
Mrs. Doty was an Anderson, and this
conclusion of hers was an unsupported
animadyersion upon Mr.. Doty because
that worthy man not only made very
comfortable living. but owned n small
farm and had money laid away for
rainy day.
When Jim was old enough to go to
work, his father secured place for
him to learn the carpenter trade, which
was rather surprising selection, as
success In that depended upon skill
which did not appear to be one of the
characteristics OF the young apprentice.
81 put him at that" Mr. Doty ex-
planned 10 an lnquiring friend, because
I've seen that boy set on soapbox in
the shade and white fer six hours
hand runnn'. OF course he never whit
ties nothing out of the wood he uses
up, but | kind of thought maybe he
would learn TO If put him at carpen-
term"
Time, and not very long time either,
proved the speciousness of Mr.. Doty's
| logic, and Jim was no longer seen
| about the shop where he had essayed
to handle the drawknife and the saw.
After this attempt to make skilled
laborer of his son Mr.. Doty thought
possibly there might be an undevelop
cd instinct for agriculture In the youth
and Jim was sent to u farm not ia
from the village. His usefulness II
that field WAS rnanifestea within thre
days by his return to the parental roof
"Wbats the matter now?" inquire
his father when Jim walked Into tn
house at supper time and calmly too
his accustomed place at the table as
he had not missed a meal.
Dunno" replied Jim unconcernedly
"Old man Sparks said he reckoned tn
mortgage OH the place was about al
the load 1t could carry Mt present, an
he told llc could go"
Mr.. Baty smiled. He couldn't be yer,
harsh with his only son, because, Will,
he did nothing TO add to the glory ant
| honor and wealth of the name of Doty
he did as little to bring shame or sor
| row upon It, Mr.. Doty recognized IN
| Jim n negative blessing and many fa-
Tiers would be only too glad IL they
had such sons.
Ry the time Jim had reached his
twenty fifth year he had tried his hand
at every kind of work the village and
vicinity had to offer, and he had ne.
CURED nothing except the title of use.
less Jim" But Jim did not worry. He
was II philosopher, and his good nature
was imperturbable.
"Why the dickens don't you go to
work, Jim" said Hanks, the grocery
man, one day as Jim sat on a salt bar
rel In the shade chipping away at the
chine with his knife.
Got Job you'd like to give meW re.
sponded Jim in willing tone. and the
gfoceryman disappeared. lie might be
anxious enough to see Jim have Job,
but he did not care to assume the rela-
tionship of employer.
AS nothing else of permanent char
actcr offered itself, Jim concluded. en-
tirely on his own volltion, to fall in
love. They say an Idle brain is the
devils workshop, and surely he found
Il fine place for his business in Jim.
Why Jim ever fell in love nobody could
say, and he did not know himself, nor
did he think 1t worth the effort to dis
cover. 1t was enough for him that he
was In love, and he was serious about
1t, too-so serious, indeed, that he
wanted to marry the object of his
| choice forthwith, thereby displaying n
wholly unsupported energy.
This object was Mary Candy, the
blacksmiths daughter and also the vii
| lagc schoolteacher. She was pretty
and bright, and she liked Jim because.
although dlsinclned to bodily exertlon,
| he was not slow of wit and he could
| talk well.
For goodness sakes, Jimmie" said
| mis- mothcr-she called him Jimmie as
| II he were still boy-"whatever do
| you want to marry for? You can't sup
port yourself much less wife and
family, and married women can't
schoolteach to support their hus-
| bands"
81 dunno, mother" replied Jim, whit
| Ting a stick down to fine point.
"Well, you ought to know" she said,
| letting her temper show itself. you
| just can't marry, that's all. You're the
uselessest thing on earth now. and
married you'd be worse"
IT guess there's some use for me in
the world, MOTHER" Jim contended.
"If there hadn't " been, what do you
spose the Lord put me here for!"
She looked him over as he stood In
the doorway the very picture Of care
less Indifference and shftless good ma
! ture.
"Well," she replied, "he's the only
one that knows, and he amt told yet"
When Mary Candy discovered that
Jim was beginning to "aet foolish"
she promptly but kindly told him OF
the utter uselessness Of his suit.
"Why don't you want to marry me,
MaryY he asked in dull, daZed way,
as If not comprehending the full pur-
mont ~ hap Iaaiainp oWa'Vn aIwaVs