The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-30
PHRKY'S CROSS.
From Scribner for April.

From Scribner for April.
They did not institute judicial proceed
ings IN scrutiny of the character and an
tecedents of every man who came 10
Kansas in those eouivocal days. Never
theless, it fretted them to feel that they
had man among them whose oddly of
conduct piqued curiosity, while forbid
ding even reasonable conjecture concern
ing that other existence of his, "back In
States" And Perky gave the people Of
Seward Center just that feeling. Perky
was a perple1ity. He was also printer;
and bis employer, the editor of the "CLar-
ion Of Freedom" had carele sly disclosed
the secret that he was the author OF GER
tain Procrustear rhymes in the last
number of that e1cellant family journal,
bearing the caption, "Sadly We Roam"
and having q cut of hearse at the top
of Them. These verses had pleased the
minister very much, and he thought he
detected in their somber monotone tine
warming of a faded soul for rest and joy
of the New Jerusalem" which was a
pretty thing to say, Perky remarked,
when the editor told him OF it. Pubic
opinion was somewhat calmer, but not
harmonized or satisfied by the ministers
pathognomy. There could be no doubt,
they were all agreed, that Perky was not
easy in his mind; but the cause was still
as deep mystery as ever. Various were
the surmises and suggestions-somek kind
w. and some Notwithstanding the
matter as poverty, grief, disease, dis
grace; but perhaps the average sentiment
of the community was best expressed,
after all, by Aunt Naomi Seybold, when,
in answer to some new hint upon the
subject, she said with a solemn earnest
ness that was intended TO be conclusive
and convincing: "He'S jest a-totln' OF a
cross a-totin' OF Il cross"
or course these things came to Perky's
ears now and then; but If they disturbed
him in the least, there was no betrayal of
it in his looks, his speech, or his actions.
Indeed, he might have passed tor thor
oughly contented, if not really happy,
man Us he sat upon the little bench I'm.
der the cotton wood in front of the "CIar-
ion Office that rare June NOR: ing, watch.
ing the white and blue clouds fold and
unfo.d and fold again, like the flags Of
some splendid parade. Behind him rose
the hill of rocks and cedars, and dense
involvement of vines and shadows. which
hid the dreary waste of raw prairie that
beyond; in front OF him, those two fore
most symbols of advaL cling civilization,
the little tin signs of the american BIZ
bic Society" and "Wells, Fargo & Co.'S
Express" flashed back the suns bright
ness from the dull gray of the store door
at the upper end OF 1.-THE avenue" as they
slled the generous e1sggeration of Wa
gyn.road which led through the village
and on to the river out there In the low
belt of elms and sycamores, a mile away.
And the sky above 1t all was very beau
tiful, he thought, as he turned reluctant
Nv from it at last, and glanced curiouSly
shout him, like one in doubt as to the
identity Of his surroundings. Then he
said to himself: PERKY, old fellow, we
don't finger any long primer to-day; well
rest. and have q rambe." A moment
later he was gone.
Perky was resting and rambling con-
siderably now. The weekly publication
OF the Clarion was several times delay
ed by his neglect OF his type-settingi and
once the editor had to humiliate himself
and expose his gaunt subscription list 10
great peril BY sending out haltsheet
.'op'ing," he SAID, "to circumstances over
which we have no control This mis-
hap had the effect of keeping Perky
steadily NJ work for three consecutive
DAYS. 1t also afforded him occas on TO
speak to the editor, in q delicate and con
fideutial way, OF certain grave facts con-
nect,d with the newspaper business.
"For instance" he remarked, Ia paper
should be prompt in its appearance as the
sunrise, Tor if it lsgs, people soon loose
faith in its stability, and cease to pay TOR
it in advance; and the halt-sheet contrl-
vance should never be resorted to- he
continued "for the size of = newspaper
is good deal like the plensry inSplra-
ton, and won't bear trltl!ng with. This
bit of philosophy being kindly received,
he dropped his confidential tone and
manner, and went on, after the bsbit OF
your true printer tho country over, to
give the results Of his varied observations
in other affairs including politics, educa-
ton, religion. and, finally, matrlmopy.
1T is evel v mans duty" he declared with
some warmth, "to get married-and eve
nv woman 5, toe" be quickly added. linen
he stopped, blushed little, and hitting
the Stag that concealed the next word OF
the manuscript on the case before him,
resumed his work. They smiled one to
another in a knowing way, the editor and
the office boy, and urged him to proceed
with his discourse; but he only shook his
head, and answered, trlfe sadly; IN OF
now, not now" The next day, and the
next, be was unusually reticent, and they
noticed that he frequently threw back as
much as half a line of type from his com
posing stick into the boxes, as If he had
). Unconscious. y set up the wrong words.
When he did not appear the following
morning, they knew be must have re-
urned 10 ais resting and his rambling.
Iiproof tad been Immediately reQuir
1 OF the fac that Perky had taken an
cher holiday,it would only have been
necessary to cal Aunt Naomi Seybold as
fitness, for sh had seen him s&unter
pat her front rom window,-the win
y do, where size shays put the cracked
porcelain teapot Sat held her rose ger
aAirn,-and he hS stopped awhile at
: the widow Hainline gate on his way
down the road towsas the woods. A
hat at the Widows gse had Of late be-
ccne regular featured Perkys ram
bl.s. He hsG been kndNn TO tsrry there
on some occasions for fur an hour; and
more than once, it had ,beeApbserved that
be I'D NOS go on over the ASf, as was
his usual custom, but turnetand came
: back. To suppose that these Scumstan-
4 ces attracted no attention and Pyokedno
y comment would be to fancy SeNrd Cen
: ter a community of winged Natures
i with crown. and h.rps, which it not
d The matter had gradually assume an
e interest in the public mind second Wy
!, to that of the pending strife for the COY
= ty seat between the center and the F'V