The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-09-05
Blasted
Ambition


with drowsiness. Colonel Harper, who
had come into town and left his mule
hitched in front OF the postoffice, came
along on his way to the drug store
and halted to say:
"That yo', Abef declar' to good
ness but 1 didn't know yo' at first
sight. Powerful hot day in town."
"Bless me, kurnel, bless mel" ex-
claimed Abe in reply, as he slowly
lowered his legs to give the colonel
the benefit Of the barrel. 'T was jest
a-thinkin about yo', kurnel-iest a.
thinkin' and a-pondering. How's con
a-getting on this weather."
Ought to be little mo- rain, meb-
be, but con isn't looking tall bad"
"And nevis hold their own, reck-
on to considers"
"Jest about hold their own, Abe;
jest about"
"That's good, kurnel. If can't hold
my own I'm still glad to see other
folks do It,. Things are looking up a
bit for me, however. These yere
Pike county scandalizers seem to have
jumping on my head, and mebbe I'll
get chance to draw a long breath.
Dawg-gone folks who amt willing for
other folks to get along!"
"Scandalize ain't right" said the
colonel as he moved his hat to mop
his forehead.
"Of co'se 1t amt; of co'se not. Can't
make man better by scandalizing
him-can't possibly do 1t. Can't put
ambition into a mans soul by throw
ing him down every week or two, He's
got to be encouraged II yo' want him
to do his best. Have I been encour-
aged in this town, kurnel? Has Pike
county ever extended her hand to help
me climb up?"
Reckon not, Abe"
mo, sub; no, sub, 'cept by one soil
tary human being, whose name Is Kur-
mel Harper. You run to con and
nevis, and yo' work % men on yor
plantation the year round, but that
don't prevent you from seeing and
realizing all sorts Of situations. First
ly, went into the late wah as pri-
vate soldier. l came out the same
thing. Drat their pesky hides, but
they were making captains and ma
iahs and kurnels, while / was pouring
out my blood for love of country-that
is, I was willing to pour, which is
The same thing, take It."
"'Bout the same, Abe" paternally
replied the colonel, except that the
bullets don't hit yo'."
when the wah ended I run for Of
Gee, same as ell the rest. They owed
me an Office for having laid down my
life for my country, but what was my
reward? Kurnel Harper. reckon yo'
can remember that was knocked out
-h'isted 20 feet high-snowed under
iii ", couldn't see the top of my hat
That's the way Pike county encour-
aged me to grab hold with both hands
ind climb to the top!"s
Eyes, I remember about that"
nused the colonel, as he watched a
'og rolling over and over in the dusty
street.
"Then I turned to law" continued
Abe as he hitched the chair over to
get brace for his feet on a post Of
he veranda. 'Kurnel Harper, nobody
On the face Of this big earth will ever
know how pinched and saved and
starved and worked TO get that law
business down to a fine point. Did
anybody encourage me? Not critter.
Not pesky varmint had kind word
FOR me, If I'd known yo' during them
struggling times yo'd have been the
man to open yo'r wallet and hand me
out $50 or SO, and tell me to pay 1t
back in my own good time. Yes, that
would have been yo, kurnel."
'Yes, mebbe," doubtfully replied the
colonel.
wall, got to be lawyer. Then
what? I wanted practice. I finally
Tot case and went into court with
Il, but the pesky Jury was lying in am
bush to throw me down. Yes, suh-
had the purtiest, incest. cleanest case
yo- ever heard tell of, and that jury
was bound by law and evidence to
bring in verdict for me. but got the
cold flop instead. They brought my
client in guilty Of stealing hawg
when he was 80 miles away at the
time, at the bedside of his dying
mother. Do yo' call that encouraging
a young man, kurnel? Was that CIV
ing me show to climb up?
Cant skassIy call 1t that. Abe. but
u remember right, they found fresh
pork in yo'r clients house"
"They found meat there, Of co'se
but was 1t the meat Of that yere haws
or some other2 They never stopped
to consider, kurnel-jest throwed the
verdict agin me In order to crush me
out. Same way in the second case
and the third and fo'th. No matter
how many witnesses I had or how
plain made my case. no Pike county
Jury would find for me. How many
times have yo' to flop young man
Kurnel Harper. to kill of his ambl
ton and take the fight out of hin? ?"
"'Bout TO- times. reckon"