The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-12-18
ILL DO IT.
~ VIRGINIA =. TOWNSEND.


The river went On It's way 10 the sea. II
heard the call aiar I'd. and felt the mighty
swinging Of the great tides, hat waited to
receive u in their arms.
The day was in The late summer. brsuti-
FOL in he heavens. rejoicing spon the earth
All this was 10 the feeling, il MT con.
sriousIy in the thought oi Tom Breck ih,t
AFTERNOON. a. he wandered along The banks
ai the tiser, pausing sonetimrs lew mo-
ments on green edge Of shelving bank,
aud dropping his fishing.line inio the "a.
ter, and swinging IL there. but not wsring
long Tor nibble. though he was an expert
a.gltr.
Nothing remarkable in this boy os 6rsl
Glance nor, perhaps. afterwards. A head
that promised veil. surrounded by crop
ai thick, light hair. strongly suggestive Of
siubbie q gait SOMEWHAT slouchins aud
giving = general impression Of q rather
iumplsh. ioosely built figure. though iime
would probsbiy tighten the joinis and add
i~nsi"n TO the mu.cles ,k,n tanned 20 q
srrl af red brick calur eyes oi . bright ha.
xri. the bc.i feature Of the lace; . straw hat
~urmountiug all this. and : brown linuen
suit. Just be6iiing . sch"ul boy Of fourteen
srsrs.
lust here the lite Of Tom Brock was ho.
s.rins. lIe had the faults and virtues II
that stage. With . go"d deal of rough.
nr.s. ,mmaturiiy. aud .b.,Iacy. there vas
a certain dosn-righlsd dness snd sincerity
aboat the boy, which promised sound. ".
.o,uus msnhpvd.
lie hated--ta use his nwn strong, IL mol
elegant English sneak" lie scorned
/. n,.an. trsachrruus act. and yos msy be
cefi,in. IL q boy doss not do ihs:. there Is
-.rfy asss,r. ihst he vili "a 20 sreck ~
his manhood.
]. Fhs DAY lrned an era 10 the DO, . life.
The next he vas 10 leave home for board.
lns school 6fis miles away fram the quiz,
uland village where lie had attended the
s.sdem, fT half dozen years.
The old l,fr was slipping s~sy fIorn him.
aud the new enc cu,nisg 10 him vague,
lstsr. auirtd. and b. p.ntrd With !. bay.
ssger hanging ~ enter apnn oil that was
new, strange. attractive ~ II. Hls vas not
given 20 .rnumrnt ~ any sort. but am,d all
the kesn. esgrr s~sr,ning thoughts of the
Iuiure that awaited fom Breck, something
ei.e made itsell felt. ,one haunting memo
r,es .nd rrgteis ir The aid life Slipping
a-sy, gave ., the familiar stencs--the ri.
yer. aud Tar blue hills. and grren rrzehe>
ef field. q n.~ power and sacrrdne.s.
All these things had brought the hn,
dnwH 20 Tie river this al,rrnonn. III
~"uld hste one marc g.ad time with his
rod and line. beiurc he went away. Bst
the vague res,lr,sness nf his thoughts aud
feelings, impartsd themsslse, to h,s move.
mrnts
lie heard the birds singing arong ihs
groups uf willows and young oaks along
the bank, he listened 10 the loo psalm 81
the waters going do~n 10 the SEE. ne heard
The lisp " w'nds in The branches, and some.
thing tender stirred IN The heart oi Tom
Rrrck. and soiienrd the round, immature
face, intn q ih.uy yhtlulness which i: had ne
vrr worn brinre,
-fa The thoughts n youth ere long. long thaush,s'
wss IL oil over for himi he asked him
self the climbing The cherry trees IN sun.
sner. the nuliings 10 autumn. the r.re cast.
ings and sksiings in winter. the tides an
ths load. ni nrw mo~n hav. from the mes.
dows.'. the grrat. brown barn. the hunt ior
sgairreis. the glorious times in the play
gssund. and all The railing Isn and sport
that had been hi. deligh, ever since he
vauId remember.
Aud then he felt q strange strain and
ache sbout bis heart. What did u OIL
.~esni Tie ,usightened himself up. the
blood glowing under the reddish tau ofhis
cheeks.
At that maInent. Tom Breek caught sight
efs tall, isnk. griIziv headed and be,rdsd
asn. with q ssorehed straw hst, and tr"u
scrs NJ faded blue. slo~ly driving an OF
team down the river road.
The farmer looked !, The boy. then bow