The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-08-07
By WARD MORSE.

As the last corner of the farm dis
appeared from view around the shoul
der of Hickory Hill, Joe Lenox burst
into happy whistle, and vigorously
slashed tagging porker which had
dropped out Of the drove to investi.
gate some roadside dainty. Joe's
father looked at him curiously, open
ed his mouth to speak, then, chang
ing his mind, settled glumly to the
task of urging his own side of the
drove marketward.
So Joe was going to follow John
and Marvin (! He recalled how pre-
occupied Joe had been lately, and
how eagerly he had asked to accom-
pany the fall shipment of hogs to
market. 1t was just the way the
other boys had done-a little glimpse
of the busy world over the hills, then
away at the first opportunity. It
had been hard to let the others 60,
but Joe was the last one He sighed
as they passed an abandoned house,
and thought of the old neighbors who
had left it for the unfamiliar life of
the city and the condescending toler-
ance of city daughter-in-law.
''Marvin only lives three blocks
from Jim Phelps now, father, and the
old folks are there, too. want to
get around to see them while I'm
down." Joe remarked, breaking the
silence.
Remember US to them ALL" re-
piled Mr.. Lenox, but his throat tight
ened as he realized that if Joe left he
and mother must also In time leave
the old farm to the tender mercies of
tenant and move into the dust and
noise of the city.
True, there had been little to tempt
the boys to stay on the farm. The
fields were thin with years of cultiva-
tion the orchard was old and weedy ;
buildings dilapidated /; implements out
Of date and going to pieces with poor
care and hard usage. He did not
feel that anyone was to blame. Of
course, Marvin had wanted to go in
debt for new tools and blooded stock
the year before ne left home, but that
was the notion of an inexperienced
boy ;he had no use for 'new-fangled"
notions anyway
The loading was soon done, and
Joe was shortly on his way. He
awoke from a troubled sleep in the
uncomfortable seat of a wsy-coach
the next morning just as the train
was slipping down into the valley
where lay the city. Through the
morning haze he saw tumble of
house-tops, spires and smoke stacks.
The tang of smoke, the fetid breath
of the stock-yards /; a bizarre COM
mirgling of thousand odors, came
through the open window. He sniff
ed 1t eagerly it was the smell of the
city, where men did things; the great,
busy town, whose awakening rumble
he heard with quickening pulses.
Marvin's office was not hard to
find, after the details Of the stock sale
had been attended to. The golden
sign, logan & Lenox, Atty's at
Law" almost overcame him, but
Marvin's hearty greeting set him at
ease.
eve were talking of you yester-
day, Joe, when I got word you were
coming. Mr.. Logan, this is my farmer
brother, said Marvin, turning to a
keen-eyed, elderly man who came in.
The senior partners dignifed hand
shake was accompanied by look
which invoiced Joe from head to foot,
and made him suddenly self conscious
and difident.
"Well, Joe," said Marvin, after
the neighborhood news had been
threshed out, "you ought to be about
old enough to decide what you intend
making of yourself. What is it going
to be, farmer orr"
"Idon't know" Joereplied, slowly
with that perversity which comes al
critical moments. He thought of the
old farm and its hard, uneventful life,
and contrasted 1t with the ease and
freedom of the city, but somehow he
could not open his heart to this big
brother in tailor made clothes.
''Mr. Logan has brother who is
at the head of one of the largest de-
partment stores in town, and he
wants an ambitious young man, who
is strong, honest and willing to work
Experience doesn't matter so much as
these other qualities. There's big
future for the fellow he picks out.
Would you care to see him ?"
Would he Il Joe could scarcely be-
lieve his ears
"Icouldn't leave father til spring.
he replied, "but I don't like the farm,
and I'd be glad to tackle that place II
could get It,"
Hell take my word for you,'
said Mr.. Logan, land I'll not fail tt
give you a good rating. Well go VI
and see him after lunch"
And so it was arranged. Joe wa'
to come to the city the following
spring and begin his business career
The few days visit was spent II
company with Marvin seeing the city
The great buildings, busy downtown
section, stock-yards-all were per
feet wonderland to the farm-bred boy
The third day of his stay they wer'
caught in a crowd while waiting fo
car, and forced into an open build
ing where a "leather-lunged" auc
| tioneer was holding his crowd despit