Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-22

"a mothers were delighted to SEQ %
4vinr marbles together; but he could
}ways knuckle down better than could.
Renlayed ct turnpike-gate with our hoops !;
and somehow he always trundle1 his be-
tween the pebbles which constituted, to
snr Young imaginations, the pike, man In
anon. toll bar, and all-while / scattered
fhem and lost the game. When we first
came together we were both schOolbOys
on the same form. His lessons were my
lessons day. after day; but, then, If there
was IN advantage in the progress it was
generally on my side. Somehow he got
al the credit
Lewis was born under extraordinary cir
eumstances His family were wild, am
bitious, and, have often heard my mother
say, INSCRIPTIONS set. At the period of
his birth they were in the height of their
splendour. It was impossible to approach
them in those days. They had the biggest
house in their neighborhood by far.
Their horses and stables were the envy of
everybody. They gave parties that block
cd up the place with the equipages of the
guests The greatest people in the land
went to see them; and even people of dis
tinction from abroad on arriving in the
country would take the earliest Opportu-
nitv of paving their respects to the Lew
ises. Mr.. Lewis himself was gloomy, mo-
rose. unpopular man but his wife, when she
WAS Young. was one of the loveliest women,
"a nv father often declared to my mothers
Identification, upon whom the sun ever
.hone II seems that she was as brilliant
in mind and as courageous in spirit as she
was in person lovely. Mr.. and Mrs.
Lewis were called, among the local trades
men, the beauty and the beast While he
never had a gracious word or look, she
was always wreathed in smiles She had
kind word and ready hand for the poor,
If she disliked her lord, she loved her
children, and they were always with her
in the carriage. Two boys that were the
envy of all other boys who saw them !;
who wore the loveliest feathers in their
hats, trundled hoops with padded sticks !;
played with marbles every one of which
was an agate; and spun tops of satin-wood
with silken cords, were the idols of their
beautiful parent, and were very seldom
permitted to range beyond her sight
There was an uncle in the family-who
had married, believe, the mother of Mrs.
Lewis, after her fathers death, and whom
Mrs. Lewis loved as well as the most de-
voted daughter can adore the most in
dulgent of parents. He was her Mentor,
her guide in all things. His word was
her law; and she was never tired OF telling
her friends about his wisdom and the great
position he held in the world. Gosjps
said that the only fact which made the
married life of Mrs. Lewis bearable was,
that her husband was related closely to
her step-father.
It was very natural in Mrs. Lewis to make
much of her step father. He was the
parsonage to whom she looked for the ad-
vancement of her darling boys in life. Her
influence appeared to be boundless-and he
knew 1t, as my mother, who often saw
him frowning out of his chariot window on
his way to see bis beautiful step-daughter,
would tell me in after years.
The elder boy was sickly, and was kept
at home; but the second was sent to
school; and, as have said, 1t was at school
I first met him.
The new boy made sensation. 1t was
whispered along the forms that his name
was Lewis. and that he had come in a
barOuche with a servant in livery to carry
his books. We crowded round him in the
playground, and found that his pockets
were full Of money; that he had knife
with one blade more than that Of the cock
of the school; and that a most imposing
coat of arms was engraved on the heaviest
of silver spoons and forks; which were
brought for his use at table. The master
fawned on him, and gave him easy lessons,
and put him at the desk nearest to the
stove. We hated him for this-boys are
only little men.
Out of school, Lewis, must say, gave
himself no airs. His plentiful pocket
money was lavishly scattered when the
apple woman came into the playground.
He would buy shilling's worth of Bona
parties ribs, and give every boy in the
school one. He would propose scram-
BILE for apples, or whole quartof Spanish
nuts. / have known him come with half a
dozen cocoa nuts, and give one each to the
fellows who had played at horses with
him. Playing at horses was his passion.
A boy must be great favorite, or be able
to dispense favors, who wants to drive a
team in tho playground. Lewis was
amiable enough, we thought, then, and was
ready to give everything he had-provided
we would DO his nags. We made him
pay-and he drove us. He was ready
fellow with his fists, admit. He would
give-but he would have no takings. got
on very we'll with him, and was often his
off-sider, because made my bargain open
", and he liked that. l carried off heaps of
things, till my mother at home was quite
alarmed sAWEhhcrr did you get that
splendid top, Bob.' said mother. Lewis"
was my answer. "That kite must have
cost five shillings, Bob" "Lewis," l
replied. "Your fathers knife is not worth
that" my maternal parent observed.
Lewis" was my response. But | never
liked him.
We played truant together, and he got
me off the punishment, and the school
cheered him in the playground for it. l
thought they made much Of it-but must
say Lewis himself didn't; and he behaved
we'll in asking me home to his mothers
great house to dine and spend Saturday
afternoon with him. Mrs. Lewis step
father was there, and everything gave way
to him. He pinched my ear playfully, and
tipped me when went off to school in
the evening-loaded with fruit and cakes
for the boys Of our form, which Mrs. Lewis
packed up with her own white hands,
while her step-father stood by looking at
her, and joking very affably for 80 great q
man.
When the holidays came-being an Or
phan, and my guardians being resident in
EIorpnco-T awia nprsuaded his mother tn