44 TOM’S. EXPERIENCE 
self in making a home, and our great joy when we 
knew that it was really and truly ours. 
And now it was gone. 
And there stood “'Tom’s Folly,” a constant re- 
minder of the ridiculous pride that caused all this 
trouble. If only that new house were out of sight, 
it seemed to me I could go to work on my tree claim 
with cheerfulness and new courage. 
_ [had certainly paid dearly for the weakness of al-' 
lowing myself to be persuaded to go in debt for a 
fine house. 
A VISITOR FROM ILLINOIS. 
Returning from my work to dinner one day I~ 
found we had avisitor—my old friend Sam. Bright, 
from Illinois—one of those, the reader will remem- 
ber, who thought I had better let well enough alone 
and stay there instead of going to Dakota. He had 
inherited a good farm and some money, was of a 
conservative nature, prudent in business and had 
added considerably to his inherited property, He 
had a heart big enough to contain the whole 
world, and yet a head level enough to prevent the 
heart from running away with it. He was one of the 
most popular men in his county, and deserved it, for 
take him all in all, he was one of the best men I ever 
knew. 
He had not caught the Dakota fever exactly, he 
was too conservative for that, but had come out to 
‘see the country” and if a good investment should 
