The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-16

it was my secret opinion that he did not
know a gentleman from a boor,
l began about this time to cultivate
certain tastes which | considered gentle
manly, especially a taste for cards and
liquor. Doddridge and l hired a room in
the attic of the Platof House, called it a
~club-room, and furnished it with books,
a card-table, and a case of wine, which it
took our earnings for a year to buy. No
whisky. We were going to "wine"
genteelly.
Two weeks after the "club" was
started, my father called me to him. He
was feeding the pigs. How could aman
versed in Caesar and the Book of
Modern Etiquette" pay any respect to
a man who spent so much of his time
in feeding pigs?
George" he said gently, az hear
an unpleasant report of a certain party
of young fellows that frequent the
tavern"
made no answer.
"They tell me you are one of them"
"Well sir,-and if 1 amp
"Only this, my son,"-after a mo-
ment's pause,-"I have tried to make
a man of you. You know at what cost,
for | am not rich. I am"-his voice
broke here, but he turned it into a
laugh. "Fm not so young as l was, and
l thought that in time you would take
your place by my side-givet the old man
your arm down the hill,-eh, Georgy"
And he eyed me ~anxiously.
"My name is George, sir. / dislike
those childish authorizations. And for
the rest
went on in a louder voice, though a
queer, choking came in my throat at the
sight of the thin old face. alt is time
l asserted my independence" said, at
last, and there 1 stopped.
Independence! Why, you are but a
lad yeti"
az am a man! And a man with diff
ferent tastes and wants from yours, or
the-the farmers hereabouts. / have a
right to crafty them. If l am inter-
fered with, this village is not the world!
1 can leave it"
"Leave it? Leave your mother and
me?n
He turned and looked at me. 1 could
not bear the look. 1t told me of the
time when 1 was his little Georgy,"
trotting by his side all the day long.
l know now hat my father never
showed the hard common sense which
made him a leading man in the county,
in the training of his boy. HI. led me
with silken cords, when 1 needed a curb
of steel.
He made no effort then to control me.
| Wy --1l--I IL l. IL --4 u.11--I-
he stopped, and laid his hand on nv
arm.
az might argy it out with other boys,
but l can't argy with you. You know
that club-room means-ruin! Don't 90
back to it, George, don't go back to it!''
1 pushed his hand down, but 1 stood
irresolute. In my heart, l loved him as
when | was a bow. But NV heart was
crusted over with conceit and pride.
| turned into the road leaving him
standing there. 7 did NOT oo home te
sunner that evening. 7 met Doddridge
and we determined to "make a NIGHT ot
it.n
"And MANY more NIGHTS PU have ot
this same sort" I said loudly. "Pm
going to cut loose from this miserable
Village. This kind of life isn't fit for ;
man who has anv ambition
"E We "I were na' str n nun the straet an5
had reached the tavern door. The stor,
of the club-room had gone about tn,
village and the Ionngers al tbe ba,
LAUGHED significantly as we stopped.
s hand touched NV arm, and turn
ing, saw nv father.
"For nv sake, George!" he said.
The white hair was blown back from
his face as he leaned forward. 7 saw
ali the age. the dis%appointment in If.
hesitated. Doddridge was behind me.
eGoing to let the old man put a yok,
on YOU chi he sneered in A whisper.
again shook off the hand that wa.
upon nv arm. "Let me alonep,
growled, and sprang up the stairs. IdiC
not look back. l did notdare to-.
Once seated atour cards and wine, m,
courage revived. The evening passed
quickly. We drank hard,-so hare
that we were stupefied, and ~scarcel,
heard the tumult of voices which rosl
into shrieks on the street below. w,
were reused from our drunken stupo
by a knocking at the door.
George! George! 1t is 1. Open tn,
doorr"
cts the-the Governor" hiccoughec
Doddridge. keep the old fellow out
| lsay"
: George it's your father! The hous
is on fire! Open the door! Open tn
; door as you value your hfeI"
l sat still, laughing stolidly, so far in
toxicated as not to realize or care for tn
peril.
From below came shrill cries. "Com
back! Let the drunken brutes alone
Bring the old man down."
l But nobody could bring him down
With n laundering blow, he drove i
the door, and, rushing in, he picked m
up as if l had been a child.
In through the open door poured
cloud of smoke. The tavern was on fire
l and we were the only living beings LEI
in it.
My father was a powerful man eve
in his old age. / was weaker than h
| even when sober. He carried me to tn