The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1913-10-16
A Story With A Moral.


From the Weekly Kansas City starr
Floris, Okla.-when | was about 20
years Of age could swing brushhook
or WELD an ak with the ease and grace
OF an experienced woodsman. Clear
ing land was bat part OF my educa
tion. had fair knowledge OF gen.
| eral farm work and springtime would
find me with horses hitched to the
pillow tearing up the soil in an effort to
raise a crop.
Luckily, | was a single man and il
took but little to keep me. ABOUT this
time aneighboring farmer offered me
about $40 month, board and washing
included. Ten dollars month in
those days was considered a good wage.
stayed year with this farmer and
would have remained longer, but had
heard Of S20.a.month wages paid hired
hands by Northern Illinois farmers.
In vain did the old farmer protest
and even an offer Of 81 a month more
| did not tempt me. Ny mind was made
up, so, packing my grip, drew the
money due me something like s85-
and started for Northern Illinois and
higher wages.
! IS SEARCH or JOB.
hired to farmer near Arthur, H.,
Sl6 a month, board and washing This
seemed to be the prevailing farmland
wage, not as good as l had expected,
but better than l had received.
l soon began to wander from place
to place. The intervals between jobs
was steadily working hole in the
money had saved. was gradually
attaining the usual hired hand stand
ard-drawing breath and pay without
giving an adequate return to the man
who had hired me.
After three years of hired hand eN-
perience | again found myself near the
town Of Arthur Here jovial, half
shot Irishman met me and wanted %.
know il was looking fora job.
assured him that | was, ana he IN
formed M hiatt g o"nr. wa- ditrhing
or tiun-, aud tue pay one dollar and
half per day
LESSON IL TfLGNG.
was plated A dollar aud hat
looked so good to me that | forgot t.
ask about board and washing signed
up M ironh"uud cprtracr 60 work -ll
months for him
Well, found l would have to pay
three and half week for board. Nv
washing and the other little accom-
dations | had received gratis woulC
now have to be paid for in hard cash
saw had made bad bargain.
stayed with the job according t.
contract, failed to lay up any mon.
ey The boss and my fellow workmer
were happy-go lucky set of fellow
who believed it poor policy to Eta do
ar burn hole in your pocket, and
was straightway shown, il expecte,
90 have friends and not be considered
a "tight-wsd" among the boys, ] wou d
have TO loosen up" Much OF tn
money | had saved, in addition to m
earnings, went toward having a good
time"
STARTED on DOWNWARD PATH.
Every night caroussl Of some kind
plenty of whiskey and poFer game.
became, like my fellow workers, loud
in my talk, vicious in my habits-steT
by step | was drifting downward.
A young man came to the boarding
house where | was staying. We grew
rhummy. What he saw in me | have
ever been able 10 figure out. He wa
gentleman ia action and in dres-
shile ! was the opposite. One evening
I invited him out for friendly gam
Of poker and WAS surprised 20 hav,
him turn down my invitation.
81 have a reason for refusing" he
remarked.
Would you mind giving me your
resson?" l inquired.
THE SCALES FILL FROM HIS EYEs.
"Sut NJ sll," he returned. When
uy old gray haired mother was dying
gave her my promise TO live a straighti
upright lie, To let liquor and gamblinr
une, and God helping me will stick
tp hat promise"
Well, IT took my breath, the shaft
struck home. "A promise to a dying
motherw |, with sgrsy haired mother
who had helped me over thousands OF
rough places, who had prayed every
night to the Power that would keeT
me in the right way, and who, without
doubt, was at that moment down OF
her knees praying for my souls saliva
tion.
The scales fell from my eyes, saw
myself in my degradation no more