The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-12-19
SAVED FROM HIMSELF.
By L. K. BLACK

"The race and the very house itself
are cursed" said Ezra Hardy, striking
his AK into log with all The force given
10 muscle by an excess OF feeling
There is no reason why should try u
Dc respectable; everything is against il,
and when God and man are On one eide
there's precious little use in disputing
what they say"
BE WSs s stalwart young fellow in the
checked shirt and blue oveTalls Of 4
farmer; q man who might have been
handsome if an habitusl scowl had not
drawn the heavy eyebrows too low, al d
q neglect of personal app eArance allowed
8 superhuous inch OF cArelessly ,OSsl
hair. ltwSs low, unPaintsd farmhouse
before which he stood, with All orchard
of apple trees on the right, and behind
il thick pine woods, Their tdges fringe
with birch like natures lace work.
The scene would have delighted the
eye of an artist, but like the cOttsaes OF
the English peasSntry its piciuresq uepess
did not answer all practical purposes, for
the walls of the house were rotten under
the wOodbine, and the rain could find
its way thro' the messy roof of the low,
unfinished chambers
wonder what the Lord expects of
q man with three generations OF drunk
ards 10 look back on, and Io chance in
life but to dig potatoes and cut wood
year after year, and every body taking it
for granted he amt fit for anything bet.
terW he went on in this soliloquv. I"
suppose it's true that The world is q
lottery and people only get fair chance
when they hsppen TO hold the right
tickets"
Well, Ezra" laughed a girls voice
50 near his side that he started. care
you calculating how much your pile of
wood is worth, or how many sticks it will
take TO make q cord?'
She was little creature, and remind.
ed you, at first glance, OF q bird q spar
row, with her quick impulsiVe move.
ments, or q startling il you looked at her
jetty hair and eyes There was an
attempt at an artistic effect in her dress,
in q shawl of scarlet plaid thrown care
lessly over her shoulders, evidently more
for show than warmth.
No, not exactly. | suppose you
wouldn't believe ever have thought
beyond such things" he answered, with
8 harshness that was the overflow of bit.
ter thoughts.
The girl opened her eyes widely in
surprise. Why, how cross you are!
of course you may have deep reflections
If you want to. / dare say your mind
was wandering among the heavenly
bodies. But honestly, Ezra, no matter
if you did look doleful Just now, don't
believe you ever have such blue times as
do"
Don't you, Barbara" listening to
her as one would to q child's fancies, an
indulgent smile coming into his eyes"
"What makes you think soT
"Oh, because" with q pettish shrug
of her shoulders. I" The world and
never get along very well together. ]
want 10 enjoy life and make something
of my vOice-ELra, | am sure can sing
and isn't it cruel of fate to keep me
buried ia this stuffy little town."
1t is too bad if you want to 20. But
if you had different life at home" he
did not dare say home of your own
couldn't you be cOntented%
NJ, of course not" abe said impa-
tientIy. "Don't you see, can't bear
the idea OF settling down anywhere7
want TO fly like an eagle, and only stop
TO rest when my wings fail me-"
"Tell me what you would like to do, u
he said, chipping the end of the log
You say you can sing and of course
know that, but what good would it ever
do your
GOOD! Think whatit implies; mon
ey, admiration, crowded theaters, ga
light and flowers, eUtryt.ing! On, Ezra
/ would give ten years of q tame life
like this for five of that. But you don't
you can't understand. You are 30 con
tented with your farm work and goin,
TO the store to smoke in the evening
that you don't realize anybody's wanting
more. wish as little would satisfy
meP She never guessed the cruel stat
she was dealing, and Ezra was too self
controlled to show that he WINGED.
"You are sure / want nothing bu
digging in the ground and my thret
meals q day." he answered slowly, with
an undercurrent of bitterness In hi,
voice which an ear trained by finer sen
sibilities would have detected. Well
what's the use? What has a man lik,
me got to live tori"
"Oh, ! am not blaming YOU" sail
Barbara caIelessly. 81 dare say yol
are good deal happier for not beini
ambitious. If people don't expect to-
much Of the world fhey don't get 8
awfully disappOintedS But mustgo IL
and see your mother. Mrs. HeyWarC
wants me to do some sewing"
Ezra looked after her with pain and
kind of tender admiration strugglin,
together in his face. "She hurts m
more than anybody else could II the,
tried" he said 10 himself. And til
worst of it is she don't do 1t out of an
ill-will but because she cares too ittl
about me to understand me. No matte
what she does can't hate her; onl
love her the more"
When did he not love Barbara Wa
ren2 He remembered her years ago
little creature at school, making hersel
his boyish idol with her tyranical &
quetry, her tossiDgs of the curly rings {
hair and arch chances. In those day
he was q kind Of dumb watchdog, q
ways at hand when she needed hin
never intruding himself when he wa
not welcome, sometimes surly and obst
nate, but always faithful She took
rs q matter of course. Poor old Ezra,
she would have said, che il rather str
pid, but ! am fondlo of him." And Ell
was one of those who, as to their belts
natures, are wholly silent. He had
low self-estimate, and the town verdi,
that the Hsrdys would never rise frol
the ditch into which they had been ca
by inherited vice and weakness kept ali
defiant. Yet he longed, how passionat
ly he only told himself in whom alone |
confded, to be like other men. A ms
with some stay or anchor in the wor
10 keep him steadfast, as q happy HON
wife TO whom he was everything, mig
be. His most religious feelings, becau
deepest and most sacred, spent theI