100 TOM’S EXPERIENCE 
died after a longillness. So, with loss of time, heavy 
doctors’ bills and all that, James Hardy made no 
headway. ; 
DISCOURAGED. 
1 met him a few days after my return to Illinois, 
and he had a sad, discouraged look, the very opposite 
of the bright, buoyant-hearted boy and hopeful 
young man I remembered so well. He greeted me cor- 
dially, but in a subdued, almost melancholy tone that 
of itself was an index to a heart heavy and discour- 
aged by ill-suceess in life. 
“T am glad to see you, Tom,” he said, “ and glad to 
hear that you have done sv well in Dakota. Like 
most of your friends here, | thought you were mak- 
ing a mistake when you went there, but it is clear now 
that we were all wrong and you were right. I only 
wish that I had gone when you did.” 
“T am very glad to meet you again, Jim,” I 
answered. “They tell me you have had a rather rough 
time of it, and I am sorry to hear it, for | know you 
have worked hard and deserved to prosper.” 
“T’ve done my best,” he said, and his voice had 
tears in it if his eyes had not; “ but everything 
seems to go against me, and I am almost discouraged. 
It hardly seems worth while to try any more.” 
‘You must not allow yourself to be discouraged, 
Jim,” I replied. “It is always worth while to try 
again. You are honest, industrious and ‘chock full of 
days’ works,’ and there ure-better times ahead for you, 
I feel sure.” | 
