The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-21

to hoe more corn ana dig more 'taters
than any ether youth ia Posey county.
but &c didn't last long
Notices never do. found every
farmer quite willing to let me do q dol
lars worth of work for twenty-five
cents in cash. When any one in the
village wanted a boy to walk i've miles
TO set a new handle put on a fiat-iron
Excelsior was called for, and a pat
on the back was all the pay handed
out I built the fires in the church in
winter and swept cut tire seho0ib0use
In summer, and Il there were any lost
cows to be hunted up or lame dogs to
be driven to market, L was supposed to
be on tap.
I finally got it through my head that
j could find q better thing than Tx
celsior," and I changed to Honesty Is
the Best Policy" was 5JEst the age
when a youth had rather steal a water
melon than to go and visit his uncle
in iowa, and I had to stand back and
see the other boys have all the fun.
I found a dollar in the road and spent
three hours walking around to ask if
this or that one had lost it. I gave it
up to the first man claiming 1t, and
was then abused by i've other men who
had lost a dollar that day and been re-
duCed 90 the verge OF bankruptcy If
I took four dozen eggs to the store the
merchant counted me snort Dy three
or four; If I traded them for a pair
Of nittens I got the worst end of the
bargain
because was known 30 &c honest
the grocer would get me to help him
get a barrel Of molasses down cellar.
and would even forget to thank me.
I was selected above all others to help
a man load lumber because he knew /
wouldn't steal the wheels or s1is Wag-
on When the village cooper became
nervous about the safety OF his shop
from fire he employed nIe to watch for
five successive nights He offered no
pay ana the only consolation mad
was in hearing him Say shat he knew
his barrels would be ali there when
he came to count them
After sitting down and playing on q.
mouth-oFgan and thinking things over.
] came to the conclusion that some
thing was wrong with my motto and I
changed it. I asked Uncle Elisha Shell
den to recOplmend something, and az
ter q painful struggle with the subject.
he threw Onward ana Upward at
me.
I took 1t home and sought to -rrac-
tice it. Our village had only $50 in
ifabitants. and there wasn't much
chance to make a name, but did the
best I could / wrote q piece Of
poetry on winter and set out to lick
was sweet on. The poetry fell into the
hands Of our justice Of the peace, and
he sent me word that was guilty OF
g raisd emeanOr and could be fined and
sent to jail. The sChooImaster was not
only able to take care of himself but
Of me too. About the only chance
had 20 get onward ana upward was to
climb a crabapple tree, and after q
year or so I recognized the fact and
was looking for another motto.
1t was Aunt Hannah VTay. who
gave me my next send-oH. She was the
gossip and the scandal monger and
the liar OF the village, but tears stood
I'm her eyes as she laid her hand on my
shoulder and said.
Young man, there's nothing like
Truth. Truth viii conquer everything
You cannot bury It on land or drown
II In the sea For your motto takS
took it. and It wasn't tEventy-foui
hours before I was san s acrape. tOlC
the truth about Uncle Hiram NEarne
ru4tine stones in his deeces Of wool Il
make them weigh BEAVER and he wa
after me SO hot foot that I had Il
turn around and ten g whopping biz
lie TO keep out Of jail. They Wer
1vfns at the postoflce and the grocer.
every evening and I had to stant
around like q bump on q log and keel
INV mouth shut. Tin peddlerss pfan
Elen and lightning-rod men cam
alohe and told beautiful lies.
Deacon EeEram lied when he sal
SO moved I'VE acres Of grass in on
day. The cooper lied when he sal
shat ne once had a chance to MARI
the number Of bushels Of corn he fal
ausxed one Saturday. There was lyinl
Ho5na On all around me- and ever
flue opened my mouth and told tn
erfth I was set aewu for & scouuare
and q villain. In 6 year went into