The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-05-12
A FABLE IN SLANG.

A certain business slave was bon
ing like Turk so that his wife could
wear three rings on every finger. Also
he wanted to put aside something for
rainy day. And he put it aside as
if excepting another delugs. He
always said that he was geing to re-
tire when he had enough. When he
was 20 years old he hoped to amass
$4,000. At 80 he saw ahat he would
not be able to peg along on less that
100000. When he was 40 he realiz-
cd that man that didn't have mil
lien was little better than tramp.
At so he wanted to make the steeres
of the Meat Trust look like a band of
paupers.
At so he still promised himself that
he would retire. Just as soon as he
had cabbaged everything getable, then
he was going to lie back in an invalid
chair and read the $4,000 books he
had collected, but he had not found
time to cut the leaves.
In order to get ready for his lay
off he built home in the country. He
told the architect to throw himself on
something compared with which
Windsor Castle would be a wood
mans hut. He decided on deer park,
poultry farm and ancestral oaks, so
as to have something's ancestral.
He put up shack that reminded
one of the State Capitol at Spring
field. 1t was big enough for a Sol
dier's Home. The family consisted
of himself and wife, and the architect
allowed them nineteen bathrooms
apiece.
The rugs and tapestries cost $1.75
a thread. Every painting was fresh
from the salon and had the cost-mark
attached to show that it was good
goods.
When the place was completed he
handed the business over to the junior
partners and went out rest. He turn
ed on all the fountains and ordered the
birds to strike up. The dream of his
life had come true. Ae had no cares,
no responsibilities. All he had to do
was sit there and watch the grass
grow.
He enjoyed it for nearly twenty.
five minutes, and then he began to
fidget, so he went and sat in the Marie
Antoinette room for while and
counted the stripes in the .fresco.
Afterward he took turn about the
grounds and came back and wondered
if everything was running along all
right at the office.
"Gee, but this is tame," said the re-
tired hustler. IL think I'd better take
a lite run into town to he sure
that the under-strappers are not max
ing botch of it,
At IL o'clock he was back at tho
old stand, lowering about an uneasy
spirit. He looked over the cores.
pondence and dictated a few letters
and got the noise in his ears and he be.
gan to feel good again.
His associates told him to clear out
and play with the deer and the prize
chickens, II have been associating
with them all morning." was the re-
ply. "They did not seem disposed to
close any contracts, so their society
palled on me. Besides, l have been
looking around and see that you can't
get along without me- Furthermore,
it is all tommyrot for man 68 and
just entering the prime of life to talk
of retiring"
When the Reaper finally came the
old gentlem was found in the tread
mill, but he was still counting Oh
making use Of the country place next
year or possibly the year after.
Moral.-One can not rest except
after steady practice.-Georye Ake.