The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-05-19
THE QUAKER ARTIST.
ny d. q. nRINroN.

ny d. q. nRISroS.
tT tell thee now, Richard, that theo'll never
got cont of my money II thee kesps on with
this dovil's work"
The speaker was Friend Joseph Harris. and
ho held at arms length small picture In wa
ter eoloFs, the features Of which wero hardly
discerniblo in tho gloom of tho winter morn
ing. Friend Joseph had been at tho barp, a.
was hs custom, 10 fodder tho cattle aud feed
the horses before breakfast, and had discov-
ered this humble bit of art Ia u nook In the
granary. He did not have 10 be told that IL
was his son Richards work. whose inclination
to such ungodly pursuits had bcen the distress
Of his parents liyes.
Full Of suppressed wrath. Joseph burst into
the kitchen where the family wero waiting
breakfast. and without preface addressed his
son with the threat which no considered the
most dreadful be could use-t that Of dis!s-
heritaneo. II meant something too, for In
spite Of his plain surroundings, Joseph Har-
ris owned nearly two. hundred acres Of land
worth easily hundred and fity dollars an
acre. aud his visits 10 the hecounly town on the
tirst OF April each year were not 10 par in-
terest, but TO receive It.. tall. straight fig-
nre, he was nearing sixty years of age, but as
vigorous as youth, with quick motions and
sharp. black eyes. indicating violent nature
chained for life by the strict discipline Of the
society of Friends.
His son Richard, now turued twenty-five.
was Of 4 different mould. short and asoully
built. His face at fFst sight seemed heavy
and vacant. but this was In fact the abstrae-
ton Of the dreamer. His soft. brown eyes,
and hair elus tering In thick curls over his low
but broad forehead, made amends for his
somewhat commonplace features.
The moment his father entered tho Kitchen
Richard felt that hia secret labor had been dis
covered. bat his anxiety Vas more for IL than
for himself. he rarely dared face hiu fathers
anger. for Joseph Harris, like many Of his sex
made up In severity at hons for the smooth
and passionless exterior he maintained sbroad.
''Will thee give IL Ia mo. iatbeT7" said Rich
ard. advancing toward the outstrctched hand
which held tho sketch. while tho hands ownor
contemplated 10 with unspcakAbio disgust.
Poor little p4iuting' II was fragment OF
an autumn afternooI 4. during which Richard
had been husking corn in ''the Hill ield" aud
which had abidnd ia his memory. clothed with
the halo of hundred day-dreanls. There was
= corner Of = woods, the foliage hAli-grecn.
half-shAdtng into tints of brown aud red A
rivulet leaving piece 81 meadow still gay
with antamn flowers and green It'll late grass.
flowed ripping and sparkling out Of the snu-
light into ths shade Uf tho dying leaves.
What courage and hopo 10 must have! Rich
ard followed ia thought It's wAtsrH ~ they
flowed on 20 Chester cTo6k and then 10 the
stately Delaware river. and far out till they
met the mighty ocean which washes the shores
Of all the world.
4
knife into the shueks and turned on the golden
ears. one after The other, be humbly took this
lesson 20 hinsetf. "a was hts wont and said.
Il. too. must have mora courage. hrmar hope.
Why should not 90 forward Ia my study II
art with greater faith5 must. will" And
20 fastsn the vow be hsd painted two Etndies
Of this little pteca Of meadow = constant ro-
fninder. snz ,rhing ,he time on First days and
Fifth days. wheu.hb father aud mother we're
at meeting. aud be aud Mosa Riddle, she coll
oTed man. sere left 90 look after the stock
One copy he had sent ou venture 10 com.
mission house Ia New York. the other he had
hidden In the barn.
II had acquired kind Of sanetily TO him,
and each treo had become symbol Of some re-
bnh or danger he was fatSd % encounter in
hts future life. He had. moreover. described IL
20 Sibbiila Vernon. and had promised this sole
eonfidsnte Of hi< aspirations that he would
bring Ii over some time aud let her nee It. But
Stbbiila lived two miles away, and ~ her par
ents were also strict members Of meeting, who
regarded every work Of art as profanity. this
would have % DO managed with due canton
Richards fTsi impulse. therefore. was to
secure the picture. Bat his father had 4
double canse OF dlspleasuro aud his anger vas
| deep. He had agreed 10 give Richard fourth
share in the profits Of the farm this year and
| not only was this painting business uugodiy
amusement but also waste Of precious time
and loss Of money. IL mu.t be stopped.
"I'il put il whore 10 deserves 70 go aud
| where thee will follow unless thee turns thy
| steps from the world and IT. folliea. Bus the
| fire that thou wilt meet will bo that which ID
| not auenciled, and where the worm dieth not "
When those words. whica Friend Harris
spoke slowly and with sli;,6t chanting intona-
ton which chAraeterizes the utterance of the
speakers in meeting. the aolemnity Of which
| was farther increased by the use Of the formal
| thou instead Of the usual "thee." he stepped
| 20 the kitchen fireplace. where q goodly wood
| fire was burning under the crane. aud striking
| the picture against the corner of the manteI.
piece tore q rugged split through Its cntre and
/ threw the whole into the flames. In q moment
| IL was q shriveled cinder.
There arc natures whose incoherent strength
can only be Developed by violent shock. Fri
/ of latent power, their weakness comes from .
native humility. They diatrust themselves
/ through a genuine admirat ton Of others. SucI
/ was Richard Harris. But the necessary shocl
| his face crimsoned, but the severe discipline
OF the society and the family exercised tht
sway that 1t usually does even on the very
/ young among Friends.
/ Father" he said in low and oven tone, j
repeat what have often told thee; hav,
no light that there Is evil in painting; but n
thee thinks there Is, shall bid thee ant
mother farewell to-day, and seek emp'oymen
elsewhere. shall not ask thee for any shar,
| in thy es tate"
Taking his hat from the window-sill he passed
out of the kitchen door leaving his father
speechless with amazement at this robelliou
utterance, and his mothers poor weak WON
an, constantly in misery between carrying ou
the severe rule Of the husband, whom sh,
feared, and yielding to her tenderness for he
boy whom she loyed-wiping her tears withou
emitting any sound, either word or sob. Al
for his two sisters, they sat demure and mo
tionless through the whole scene, at heart rath
er pleased at ii, as they had no sympathy will
their brothers forbidden arts, and thongh
him queer, wasteful, uncomfortable membe
Of the household. Moreover, though younge
than he, they were not too yonng to see at ono
the pecuniary advantage TO them of his ehar
of the estate.
Richard went toward the barn and took
seat In a nook of the corn-fodder stack tha
was built along the side of the barn-yard. H
did not feel the cold raw air of the early morn
ing. His mind was too full of the step he wa
about to take and what had led mp to Il. No,
or never he must quit the farm, reuounce th
teachings OF the society, throw aside the Goa