Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-30
An Exchange of Ambitions.
Manning Lemen.

both boys. They began with great en-
thusiasm. and 1t seemed as II they could
not do enough work. To be sure, when
Horace was first called at o'clock In
the morning he did feel pretty grumpy
ana once or twice he fell asleep again be-
fore he could get up. but the hired man
shook him by the shoulder and said:
There's no place for lazy bones here;
get up"
When Horace had been on the farm be-
fore he had worked, but only when he
wanted to. He found it another matter
to have to split wood, carry water, help
with the feeding and milking. follow q
plow until his feet and back ached. and
rake hay In the blistering sun until ne
seemed on the point Of expiring. There
never seemed to be any let up. AS soon
as one thing was done there was some-
thinE else that had to be done. He was
SO tired at night that he felt like throw
ing himself on tho bed without undress-
ing. Indeed. he could have fallen down
anywhere from sheer fatigue. And It
seemed to him no more than five minutes
from the time he won. to sleep until he
naa 10 get up. He never had believed
that nights could be so short. There we're
no fishing trips such as he had enioyed
on previous visits, and no riding on loads
or hay for lark. 1t was simply one
steady grind. and Horace was too weary
20 see whether tho country looked beau
t'ful or not On Sundays there was not
much work to do. but there was no fun to
be had. He went to sleep in church. and
again N the afternoon out under the
trees Wnen he woke up he thought OF
inc icilows In the city taking long walks
together and seeing all sorts of interest
ing sights. He could hear the Jokes, the
stories and the merry laughter as they
cna'ted. Inc city wasn't such bad
place after all. Why. even during the
week It was moro like living than this
eternal farm drudge"y. fellow did not
nave TO get up until a decent hour. lie
could turn over and have another nap
almost any morning. and be sure that
some breakfast would be served for him
IT nc were late. Even in the Office where
his cousin and father were working It
was quite pleasant. It was on n river
pank. and the breeze always blew in
pleasantly In the summer time. The work
was ridiculously light. He wondered how
, ne could ever have thought otherwise
mere was whole hour at noon, and
they were through at o'clock on every
day but Saturday and then there was a
whole half-hol'day-a luxury unknown
upon the farm. Things happened. too,
anout the Office. Tho clerks chaffed each
o'her pleasantly: they really were quite
WITTY at times. Horace remembered. And
out In the shops and the yards there was
always some kind OF excitement. Yes,
That was life. Horace felt It bitterly.
now that 1t was too late. More than once
he found the tears coming against his
VIII: lie was proud boy. however, and
having made his choice he was deter.
mined to stand by It. He would be n far
ner ana be miserable to the end of his
days. That was the way he looked at the
matter.
Meanwhile Irwin was discovering a new
city to the one with which his visits had
made him acquainted. When he started
down town in the morning he stuck close
~ to the shady side of the street and
looked out over the paved thoroughfares
and long rows of brick and stone walls
with positive disgust. He remembered how
| pleasant the dewy fields in the country
had always seemed in the morning and
! when he got to tho Office door he could
| hardly endure the thought of being shut
up In such narrow quarters for the day.
| The long rows OF figures. the everlasting
| handling Of receipts and tags and the
| painstaking comparisons and records
| made his head ache even Mt night when
| it was all over. He was so weary when
Office hours were over that he did not care
to seek any kind of recreation and the
| only thing that he priced his half holiday
| on Saturday for was the opportunity It
| gave him to wander into the country and
look at the meadows the fields of growing
| grain and the cool woods All! there was
| something worth seeing; there you could
breathe freely. he said to himself, and
wondered that he had been such a ninny
as not to know 1t sooner. His chance was
gone. he thought with a pang, and the
| farm that ought to have been his would
| become Horace's. He would have to stay
in the Office. which was little better than
| a grave, as long as he lived. and he would
| muddle the business terribly Irwin tried
| his best to keep the tears back. but there
were times when he simply had to let 20.
He knew hardly any boys of his own age
in the city. and the few he had met on his
visits were away for their vacations He
was very lonely boy.
1t was hot. dusty day in the middle