Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-01-05
KIRBY'S GOALS OF FIRE.

considering IL SIMPLY as an excursion,
George Scott thought, leaning over the
side of the canal boat and looking at the
shadow of the hills in the water, his plan
for spending his summer vacation might
be success, but he WAS not so sure about
his opportunities for studying human
nature under the worst conditions. 1t was
true that the conditions were bad enough,
but SO were the results, and George vas
not in search of logical sequences. He
had been in the habit of saying that moth.
ing interested him as much rs the study
of his fellows; and that he was in earnest
was proved by the fact that even his col
lege experiences had not yet disheartened
him, although they had cost him not u
few neskties and coats, and sometimes
too many Of his dollars. But George had
higher aspirations and was not disposed
to be satisfied with the opportunities pre-
scented by crude collegians or even learned
professors, and so meant to 90 out among
men. When he was younger-a year or
two betore--he had dreamed of mission
among the Indians, timcying hat he would
reach original principle among them: but
the Modocs and Captain Jack had low
cred his faith, while the Rev DR.. Bucks
story of how the younger savages had
been taughtto make beds and clean knives,
until they preferred these civilized occu-
patons to their old habit of scampering
through the woods, had dispelled more of
the glitter, and he had resolved to contine
his labors to his white brethren. Heidi not
mean to seek his opportunities among the
rich, nor among the monotonously- dreary
poor of the city, but in a fresher field.
Like most theological students, he was
wellread in current literature, and he had
learned how often the noblest virtues are
found among the toughest classes. 1t
was true they were sometimes SO latent
that. like the jewel in the toad's head,
they bad the added grace of unexpected
ness, but that did not interfere with the
fact of their existence. He had read of
California gamblers who had rushed from
tables where they had sat with bowie
knives between their teeth, to warn com
ing train of broken rails, and when picked
up, manned and dying, had simply asked il
the children were saved, and then, con-
tent, had turned aside and died. He
knew the story of the Mississippi engi-
neer who, going home with Il long sought
fortune to claim his waiting bride, had
saved his boat from wreck by supplying the
want of fuel by hat, coat, boots, wedding
clothes, gloves fayors, and finally his bag
of greenbacks and \ orthern Pacific bonds,
then returning to his duty saas money,
.sdns wife, but plus honor and rewarding
conscience. When men are capable of
such heroisn, George would say, arguing
from these and similar stories, they are
open TO true reformation. all that is nee
essary being some exercises OF an intiu-
.ence that shall make such impulses con-
slant instead of spasmodc.
About noon he had not been quite so
sanguine regarding his mission, and had
almost resolved that when they reached
Springfield he would return East and
join some of his class who We're going
to the kaatskill. The sun was then
pouring down directly on the boat, the
cabin was sitting, the horses crept slug
gishiy along, the men were rude and
brutal, and around him was an at
mosphere of frying fish and boiling
cabbage The cabbage was perhaps the
GROWING evil /, for while he found il pos
sible To force his ear and eye to be deaf
and blind to thc disagreeable, he hal no
amount of will that could conquer the
sense of smes. There seemed to be lit
tie he thought. with some contempt for
his expectations, 10 reward his quest or
maintain bis theory that every one had
at least one story 70 tell. II was not
necessarily ones own story, he had SAID,
but lives the most barren in incident
come into contact with those more vehe.
ment, and have the chance Of looking
into tragedies, into moral victories and
fierce conflicts, through other mems
eyes. He had limited something OF this
to Joe Iskin early ia the morning, when
the mist was rising of the hills. when
the air was fresh and keen, and the sun
Was. making the long Zines OF oil upon
the river glitter like so many brilliant
snakes. Joe was the LATEST and toughest
'oi the men On the boat, but lie sometimes