The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16
OUR STORY TELLER.
MY CONFESSION.
BY REBEccA HARDING DAVIS.
youths Companion.l

BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.
youths Companion.l
1t is thirty odd years since the Incl
dent happened which l am about to re-
late, but it is still as vivid in my
memory as though it had occurred
yesterday.
One winter morning, Jack Doddridge
burst into the senior classroom of the
academy in great excitement. "Boys,"
cried he, "Clay is comingl-comes to-
morrow He will take dinner at the
{ Platoff House. and the stage does not
go out until night. He will be here at
least five hoursi"
Every boy of us started to his feet.
It was the time when "Harry Of the
West" was the idol Of Virginia and
Ohio.
az tell you, men," 1 said, zoe must
receive him. There's nobody else to do,
it. Henry Clay is used to the society of
gentlemen and classical scholars"
None of us said-what we all thought
that our fathers-plain mechanics and
farmers-were neither gentleman nor
scholars. The academy had been in
operation about five years, and it had
made, of some of us at least, prigs and
snobs, to a degree which 1 hope may
seem incredible to the manlier boys of
these times.
1t was arranged hat we should meet
Mr.. Clay with a formal address of well
come, which l was deputed to deliver.
l went home in a fever of excitement.
"Aren't you coming to dinner,
George" said my father.
"No, sir; I've business to attend to-"
He was in his green flannel jacket,
and was scraping his boots with a stick,
having just conn in from the b%arn-yard.
l passed him with a sniff of disgust at
the faded coat and foul smell. had no
eyes for the white hair or the worn old
face.
My mother would have sent up to
make me come down.
"Don't disturb the boy" l heard my
father say. ale is studying no doubt,
Put something away for him, Nancy"
Ny father had a very quiet, gentle
voice for a laboring man. My disgust
was heightened by his using the word
{" boy" Boy, indeedl
The fumes of the dinner reached me
the regular farmers hour,-but 1 had
heard that people dined at six in the
cities.
when 1 take matters in hand in
this house, Tll %civilize it." l thought.
The speech of welcome was easily pre-
pared. Part of it was from Burke, part
from Cicero's orations, with a phrase or
two from Elegant Extracts" l COM
mitted it to memory, practiced before
the glass, shaved Ia fruitless toil),
dressed in my Sunday suit, and set off
just as the academy bell began to ring
furiously.
The great man had arrived. The
village "band," consisting of a drum,
fife, and cornet, paraded up and down
the streets. All the women were at the
windows, the men were all gathering in
front of the little tavern.
Doddridge and Smith, and all the
Z" men," as we styled ourselves, were in
full dress, andfull of importance.
"What possessed this rabble to come
out ?"'s said Doddridge. "What will
Mr.. Clay think of the placer"
One of the rabble, passing us at the
moment, was my father, in his cowskin
boots and flannel warmus, just as he had
left the pillow. He was jogging slowly
along, his hands claspedbehind him.
"Where can you be going, sir%"
asked CURLY. "Suppose the great Henry
should find out" 1 thought, "that this
shabby old plowman is my father?"
Cup to the Platoff House, George"
was the mild reply. "Why, youhave on
your new suit, my sonp
81 am to address Mr.. Clay on behalf
of the academy" l said loftily.
"Ohln and a quizzieal smile passed
over his face. "Imust be there to hear,
then"
1 trust to be forgiven, but my humilia.
ton and anger were SO great that 1 could
almost have struck my father at that
moment.
hurried past him. We marched uI
the rickety tavern-steps. Mr.. Clay, 8
gaunt, high-featured man, with a grand
freedom of gesture and bearing, and
singularly brilliant keen eyes, stepped
out upon the porch at the moment.
/ came forward, accompanied by the
delegation of students, and hurled my
Grafton full at him. was in a burning
heat, The sky, and trees, and tavern
porch waved u~nsteadily: but, through
it all, | thought how amazed he would
be to find such eloquence, such profound
thought, in an obsure village. He might
see the necessity of taking me to Wash
ington. He would at least be able tt
understand how my talent was buried
here.
1 could scarcely command myself t.
listen to his reply, which was given with
a pleasant laugh and outstretched hand
"Thank you for your welcome, my
dear boys!"
That was all. It was quite evident
too, that he regarded us as mere boys
eager to air our little learning.
| stepped back, mortified and trem
bling, when 1 saw Mr.. Clay's eyes sud
denly brighten, and he hurried eagerly
down.the steps.
cha, John! Pve been watching 70,
you, old fellow I~arranged to stay her,
till evening so that we could have an old
fashioned talk"
''That was we'll thought of, Henry
Come down to the house."
"JOhn" was my father. After a few
moments of hand-shaking and pleasan
talk with the towns people, Mr.. Ola,
walked with him down the shady it'll
street, surrounded by farmers and work