The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-24
(By De Lyslc Ferrec Cass.)


When Tom left the farm to go to the
city to make his fortune he did it contrary
to the ominous headshaking and prophe-
cies of disaster of all the neighbors. Even
his father and mother, with past years Of
toll rapidly beginning to tell upon them,
were pcssimistic of his chances of success,
nor could they resist expressing their
forebodings.
The old folks loved their boy too we'll
to reproach him for his desertion now in
the first flush of his young manhood, but
their hearts did ache at thought of the
separation.
~ You'll soon get tired of all that hurry
hurIy there in the city, Tom his old
father told him. And when YOU do, l
want you always to remember that we've
still got q place for you back here at the
old homestead 1t mayn't be as fine and
snowy a, lots you'll see there in the city.
but it's more the sort that the good Lord
intended for you. Ma and L are hoping
the best for you. son. but-When you d.
find out that your fortunes not away off
thcrc-iu%t pocket your pride and come
back here to us who love YOU
So young Tom left the farm with shin
ing eyes and a high heart and adventured
into the great. far-away city in quest of
fame and fortune.
How he Jared there and all the sorry
disappUntmcnts that repeatedly overlook
him during that year of absence would be
a long and narrowing story to tell. lie
chased his rainbow to its end vet found
the tabled pot Of gold not there as he had
50 confidently and blatantly expected.
Tom made applications for all sorts of
office positions only to find himself quickly
rejected because Of his lack of experience
in those specific lines.
We'll, anyway, I'm young and husky,
and used to hard manual labor" Tom con
solcd himself. Il can at least get a job
with a contracting gang, as a painter, or
plumbers assistant, or teamSter. That
Will suffice to keep me going for a while
until the sort Of position l want turns
up
But even in those lines of work the
green country boy found himself suddenly
brought up short against Il blank wall
He had no references as to past city en-
poyment and nobody would hire him after
one" finding cut that he had no union
card.
- IIuddlcd in HIS shabby ovcrcoat on a
street corner in the SquaId section Of the
city-thc icy wind whistlng around him
and biting through his threadbare gar
EcntS-poor Tom stood on the evening be
ItGre christmas, wondering where he might
find a shelter in which to sleep that night
without freezing.
just how long he had stood there. shiv-
Cring in the chill wind ON the street cor
ncr-bitterneSs against the great uufecl-
ing city ranking in his heart-Tom did
not know lie was startled from his
moody reveric by hearing a hoarse.
wheeling voice at his very elbow. saying
what was intended as confidential tone :
How'd y'like a nice hot feed and some
coin to jingle in yer pants, DO? Amt
hungry, are va
WhirEng about, Tom saw that his ac-
c0stcr was an understood. burly fellow
with tough. trucuent viSage and hands
showed deep into the side pockets of his
coat. He wore battered cap with the
visor pulled low down over his eyes and
&pat inadvertently upon the sidewalk each
time before he spoke
How'd y'Ike the idea. huh?' he rcit-
Grated in his raucous, grating voice, sid
ling closer as he spoke and casting a wary
eye up and down the nearly deserted.
gloomy, wind swept street.
Tom regarded him with distaste and
undisguiScd miStrust. He looked like a
typical thug But misery cannot be tOo
faStidious about the company it keeps
Finally Tom scowled blackly and an
SWPred:
whats that to you. anyway?'
We'll. you're Outta luck. amt cha. pal
Yer on yer Uppers. stony broke and may
he with an empty belly. too. huh, boz
Well, l guessed that much. l amt blind
vet, | amt. Well l need a pal for &
little job tonight and we both can make
lotta jack out of it, seeT
'NOu-you- mean-burglary? Ton
muttered hesitantly, with an involuntary
contraction Of his heart
"IIumph. Not anything like safe
cracking or breaking into house. | don't
Foo many people siaying UP with the kid,
over c19rfsrmas trets t6n1ght faint kcer
on takin fool chances like that, I'm teliin