Year: 1860

"Still achieving, still pursuing.


Learn to labor and to wait


LoxGFELLow


At the age of eighteen, James Ford was
dreamer. Visions of brilliant future, when
honors should be forced upon him and wealth
come for the asking, were continually before
him, and his mind busted it3elf with scheming
the different ways in which this coveted era
was to be brought about. So long was this
course persevered i'll, that his actions became
conformed to his way of thinking, and were
dream-lke. As the care of supporting the
family fell chiefly upon his father and elder
brothers, he had plenty of time to indulge in
his faneies, and he took good care TO improve


it. Fishing on pleasant days was his favorite
amusement, and the air-castles he built while
gazing upon the water were of gigantic
height, any of slippery foundation. When
the weather would not permit of his being out
of DOORS he found some book which fed his
passion for reverie, and in a secluded nook
read and dreamed. The youth of the neigh
borhood he neglected, for they did not appre-
ciate his chimeras, and thought their own ways
better than his So he grew more secluded
and hermit-like, and cared.ess for the outside
world. About this time his fancy was snit-
ten with the looks of young lady, and his
thoughts were diverted into another channel :;
his dreams continued, but their aim was chang
ed and the personal results, to which he had
| heretofore arrived contained another to share
| the effects. About this time, too, they began
| to find vent in words, and from that into
rhymes, and he became poet. Some of his
writings found their way into the public press.
ho cfip niafa NV fn cfil fI1rf fhnr
efforts. His efforts partook of his character,
and were dreamy in their nature, too much SO
to be appreciated by the general reader.


| At twenty, James Ford was vastly different
from what he was two years before. There
were several causes which had led to this
| The first was the departure Of the elder broth


ers. few months previous, for other fields OF


labor, thus throwing more care upon him.
To the surprise of all he took hold manfully,
and day by day strove to shake off the habits
of his early days. 1t was, however, great
task for him TO do so and the outside world
saw but little Of the struggle. But there was
another reason for this transition in his habits
which was sacredly kept within himself The
maiden, who had first gained his affections in
a fit of jealous anger had seen tit to address
him in terms he could not overlook. and the
liking was changed to dislike, as he saw her
in her true colors. The tendrils thus ruthless
y swept from their support, naturally sought
another object on which TO cling, and fortu-
nately found worthy one in young. lady


whose example as well as precept was of the
right kind to draw james from bis former
lethargy. He worked to render himself wor-
thy of her, and the encouraging smile nerved
him to his toll. So he, day by day, became
reconciled to the stern realities Of life, and al
) though the real was far from his ideal in the


pursuit of wealth and honors, yet be was ma
king it congenal to himself. Sad to James
Ford the dreamer would have been the dltlicnl-
ties of that day but to the worker they were
| a stimulus to greater exertions, and he could
smile at the thoughts he had indulged in the
days of castle-building, so shortly gone by


To-day, James Ford is one of the most en-
ergetic business men in the place where he
lives, and stands at the head of his branch OF
business. The help-meet Of his liie the girl
! who done so much to make him what he is,
| and to whom he often ascribes his present po-
sition, lis the same earnest worker as OF yore-