Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-07-15
HE HELPED
THE DEAD
By OUNCE BLAKE

Father" said Dorothy Ulcers, II
have more confidence In your judy
ment than my own or that Of any one
else, and l am going to submit case
to you. John and Edgar Walcott have
both been making love to me, and each
wishes me to be his sweetheart. Mel
Their has yet accomplished anything
toward founding home, and mar
rage with either for some time to
come is not to be considered But both
are young and believe will in time
take their places among fairly success
full men. am willing to engage my
self to one Of them. confess, because.
living In this quiet place, may not
have better opportunity. John Is the
more liable to win success. He Is, I
admit, rather selfish and prone to look
put for his own interest Edgar. l fear.
may not get on He Is kindly and gen.
eroua. You know. dear father. that l
am a very practical girl, and it seems
to me that generosity and success are
Incompatible Nevertheless like Ed
gar better than John. Now, what do
you adviser
II would not think of advising you,
my child" replied the father, ''but
will make some statements bearing on
the case. Success comes in different
ways. Probably the man who looks
out for his own interest and boards Is
the most likely to get rich. But kind
hearted, generous man will make
friends, and friends are valuable.
why not send these two young men
out into the world. promising that they
may return, say, In FIVE years, and
take the one who has achieved the
greater success? 1t will be fine st1m-
illus for them and may be the means
Of making career for both. Besides.
1t will give Us an opportunity to test
the two Observation-Disclosures and gen.
crosby"
Dorothy acted on her fathers ad-
vice and told the young men, who were
brothers. to go out into the world and
return on that day FIVE years hence.
when she would betroth herself to the
one who had been more successful. On
the surface, at least, the fact that they
both wanted the same girl had made
no difference in their brotherly love,
and they agreed to go together. 1t
was at a time when gold was being
discovered in Colorado, and the broth
ers concluded that they would go there
and seek for the wherewithal to en-
able one Of them to marry Dorothy.
IF we make strike" said John, I'VE
can return without waiting for the
five years to pass and claim the prize"
They entered the gold country. and
with pick and shovel began to dig.
Whenever they got discouraged they
heard Of some lucky stumbler who had
made fortune in hole in the ground,
and they would go on digging. There
was but one trouble between them.
They had been given certain amount
Of money by their father to hold In
common while they were prospecting.
Whenever they met any one out at the
elbow or hungry or otherwise fmpov-
erished. Edgar would insist on giving
colhGlLlhS lioIh llCli blCdooAys AZ
this John objected, but as Edgar kept
ON insisting on helping every one he
met John at last made a division OF
what was left and told his brother
that If he wished to ruin himself he
might do SO; he Uohn) washed bis
hands of the matter
They continued to dig, hoping every
day to strike something that would at
least add to their fund. which was get
ting low. Edgar's share was 30 re-
duced that there were but few silver
pieces left
One afternoon. having abandoned
hole in which they had been digging
and with their tools on their shoulders
they were walking toward another To-
cation where they had heard gold had
been found, they came to the dead
body Of man who, judging from the
pick and shovel beside him. had been
a prospector. He was very much
emaciated. and as he had no marks
of violence on him 1t appeared that he
had sunk from exhaustion.
"Poor fellowT' exclaimed Edgar.
Every likely" said John. ''he died
of starvation. He should be warn
ing to you, Edgar, not to be wasting
your money on every beggar who
comes along"
Lets bury him." said Edgar.
BURY him! Why should we waste
our time at that?" said John impatient
ly. Come onP'
"He' may have wife, a mother, a
sister, possibly sweetheart. who some
day will be glad to know that he re-
ceived decent sepulcher."
Edgar" cried John angrily. you're
fool! I'm worn out with you Stay
here If you like and bury the man
I'm going on"
He walked away, expecting his
brother would follow him. But be
did not Edgar began to dig a grave,
aud John passed out of sight That
was the last time they met until the