Year: 1875

| was then obliged to pay for, and to this
end commenced buying such tools as
thought would come most handy. A
| the end of the first year | found myself
! the owner of thirteen dollars worth of
tools, and it bad all come from the
| money might otherwise have drank up.
I felt stronger and heartier than did the
year before, and felt much happier, for
[ knew that was laying the foundation
for future COED. Time passed on, and
my twenty-five cents week kept COM
ing in. 1t was now SAW, then ham,
mer, then another plane, then a new
anger, then bit-stock and bits, until, in
eleven years, / have not only collected
an excellent variety of tools, but [ have
drawn directly from my grog-fund near
ly hundred dollars in cash besides; but
the value of my tools cannot be esti-
mated in money, as have already shown
you. They are not only source of
great profit, but they are also a source
of an incalculable degree of comfort A
seem triaing thing at first, but it is like
little hole in the bank that confines the
high waters of lake. The almost in
significant stream will be sure to grow
frightfully larger, and unless socn
stopped up the pure waters of the lake
will ele long lose themselves in the
neighboring streams / believe, my
friend, that in giving up my grog [ have
not sacrificed one single comfort. Now
don't you think you would feel full as
we'll without it? Compare the profits of
your grog-money with the products of
NINE"


Mr.. Holmes made no answer, but he
poked deep down into the shavings with
his feet, as though he expected to find
an idea there.


"Thompson," he said at length, II
wish you had explained this to me years
ago."


"I was afraid it might offend you, for
to touch upon mans private affairs is
at best delicate matter"


CT know it-but Nathan Holmes is not
the man to be offended with his friend
for kind admonition and instruction"


"Well" said Thompson with look of
extreme qualification, =" it is not too late
now to commence, and if you have an op-
portunity to take advantage of the
market, and if fifty dollars or SO would
be of any use to you, will lend it to you
with pleasure"


Mr.. Holmes thanked his friend with
moistened eyes, and shortly afterward
he went to his home. The next day he
went to the village, but instead of bring
ing home his little brown jug he brought
home an auger, and he felt really proud
when he found himself at work with one
of his own tools.


The winter passed away, and when
spring came Holmes found himself the
owner of six dollars worth of tools, and
all from the money that he would have
worse than wasted had he not bought
them But this thing operated in many
WAYS for good. Now that he had the
ability to fix up his buildings without
borrowing tools he began to take de-
gree of pride in them that he had never
felt before. He built racks and stands
for his farming utensils, reset his win
dews, fixed up his bee-hives and rooted
them over, tightened his barn, and dur
ing the rainy days he found himself with
plenty of useful and profitable work to
do. His children never wear worthless
shoes now nor do his COWS break through
the barn floor, but he is happy, thriv-
ing, contented farmer. His COWS give as
much milk, his bees make as much
honey, his trees yield as many and as
good apples, his chambers hold as much
grain, and he gets as much money for
his wool as do s his neighbor Thompson,
and all this is because he stopped his
grog and bought his own tools and left
off depending upon his neighbors for
what he ought to do for himself .-Aas-
tim O. Burdack. IN Ohio Farmer.