The Red Cloud chief., 1878-12-05
.wmAr n IN BECOME or sAMr

was generally supposed that Sam
wns what IL termed deficient ~ Ia
his own family. they were sure ri II; nj
all events. they treated him M II he
were ~. Not that they were unkind W
him; on the contrary, they we're NIL
very fond III poor old SAM hut II
seemed 10 be- taken for granted that
whatever he said was not worth noti-
cling. and that almost everything he did
WAS to bc made fun ~ more or less. Hc
was. In fact. the family butt. though
the shafts were. ms q rule. ~ tipped
with good nature M not 10 hurt his fecl-
ings.
~ course, there were som patent reA.
sons Tor all this. To begin with. there
wM something mnnifestly peculiar or
backward In his mental development,
lie ncvcr could learn like other boys.
and nj. masters had shakcn their heads
nj him. Then there WAS u heavy com.
icality In his face and mn Awkwardncss
In his gait, together with u stuntcd
growth, all II which b~c,okcncd mn nh.
normal condition of nature. and furn.
ishcd some excuse ~ his brothers and
sisters for regarding him ~ an oddly
In their midst. Attic same time u was
vet more cxcusablc In Sam himself. and
Gar moro accountable. that. being thus
accustomed from his childhood (and hc
was o about ninctccn) To be treated
M II he were little better than n fool. he
settled down more and more to being
ono. Hardly ever did he attempt Ia say
or do anything In serious earnest, sine,
almost everything he did or said was
treated ~ n sort III Joke.
There was one exception to this.
Mothers always know best how to dcal
with the weak In the flock. and Sam.
mother never laughed q, him, and ncy,,
dcspAircd Of him.
What Ii tn become of SAM his fathc,
would say. he'll never carn his owu
liwing;' and his mother would quictl,
answer. Walt n bit, my dear; there 1,
more In him, perhaps. than We think
hut Il lnts 10 be- drawn out, aud
doubt II W. nrc acting wisely In laugh
ing NJ him ~ We do She said we,
good soul. but that was only her dis
cree, way II putting H.
Now. Sam had n sister. Mary. u
whom he was especially fond. rerhap,
~ " ~ VNNNu>V NV ~ Nut ptSttI u@NI
est Ia him In age, hut II was more like
ly because she placed n little moro con
tidence In him than the others did; |
wasn't much. but II was moro than h,
got from any IL the rest, lie would 4,
anything Tor Mary. and whcn n certain
Mr.. ST. Lcgor In tho ncighborhood tool
q fancy IA her II Was amusing Ia se
how Sam resented the engagement
This MI. ~. Lcycr had lately com
Into the ncighborhood. no ono knc,
where from; but he had plenty 81 mon
ey and very agreeable manners. an
was n general ~favorlte with the Frcr
family. Sam, however. never like
him from the first, aud when at lcngt
he became Mary frcrc's accepted sui
or. Sans aversion Ia him became II
tense. II must he owned that MIR. \
Leger toek no pains to win him over ,
n more friendly state Of mind, He ha
fallen ut n @ Into the habit III maxim
light Of the poor fellow. which. as "
have seen, was the family custom, an
when hcsaw how Sam shrank from hin
no had certainly gone eut of his WAY
poke fun at him, Il was an amuscmel
and quite In accordance with the gcl
erA practice.
The day WAS fixed for the wcddin,
and the Sunday had arrived when,
Difference 10 MAry's particular wis
though very much against Mr., ST. l.
gers inclination. the bAnns wcrc 10
published In church.
The Frcrcs were each In their place
great square pew In front Of the pulp
The names were read out In due cours
Mary WA recovering from the elcctr
shock Of hearing them; the villAg,
were interchanging chances. some ev,
cautiously raising . little To peep In
tho square pew, when u voice W
heard all over the church, saying
the most emphatic way, i forbid I
banns.'
Surprise WAS on every face, but
quickly gave way 10 . sense Of the
dicrous rs Sam was cen standing
In the middle Of the pew. looking
clergyman steadily In the face, as mu
~ 10 say. There now; get v thA,
you cam The clergyman was
amused that he had to rush on with I