The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-09-23

panion. what IL was never knew, Dut
they both looked at me an instant, and
then heard him say something about
presumption and impudence, and
guessed what it was. It was hard to be
thus tortared simply for no other reason
not control it's impulses. and when |
look back on that time it seems to me
like some terrible dream.
Misfortunes, they say, never come
singly, anu they always come, too, when |
we least expect them. My mother sud-
denly sickened and died, and ISwas thus
left alone q wretched outcast on the
earth. As I stood over her grave it |
seemed to me that I had buried every |
hope. determined to leave that spot |
where / had seen so much misery, / |
cared very little where I went. Any |
where far away from there. General Lin I
ton paid me what little he owed me, and |
I struck out for the far West. Railroads |
and steamboats, were not half so numer-
GUS then as they are now, and even if |
they had been I was too poor to avail |
myself of their advantages. walked,
therefore many weary mile, until after
several days of travel found myself at
the outskirts of growing city. Here I
stopped because thought / had gone
far enough, and for the best of all reasons
because my money had given out. [ had
TO do something. A large mansion with
beautiful grounds stood before me. /
applied to the owner for labor. He said
he was very much in need of gardener.
| but did not like to employ me without
| references.
After hesitating for while, however,
he concluded to engage me for month.
and if he liked me he would then engage
me permanently, he said. found out
| in short time that he was lawyer of
extensive practice, immensely wealthy,
and lived at his ease. followed out the
rule had adopted through life to be
honest and Industrious under all circum-
stances, and at the end of the month my
employer, whose name was Parker, sent
for me, he said. to pay me my months
wages. He then surprised me by asking
me if could read and write. told him
could, thanks to the indefatigable
energy and perseverance at the little
cabin on General Unions farm, during
the long winter evenings when the labors
of the day were over. / had acquired
the rudiments of first-rate English edu-
cation. Ny employer then told me that
during the past month he had observed
me closely, and that he believed me to be
an honest man. 81 will tell you some
thing more" said ne, s.that / have dis
covered. You are young man of extra
ordinary intelligence. Gardening is not
your proper avocation. | am doing an
extensive practice of the law, and need
some one to stay in my office. Iknow of
no one who is better suited than you.
With your application and industry,
within one year from now you, may be
admitted to the bar. You must consent
to become my student.
didn't know exactly how it was, but
suddenly Judge Parker and the table
seemed to become inverted, and the room
went whirling around and around, and
then we all seemed flying off through the
air like Aladin's castle, and the next
thing knew I was sobbing, with my
head upon the table.
He didn't say anything until I had re-
gained my composure, aud then l told
him all. What hard time / had had
through life, and how this had been the
only light that had ever shone on my
dark pathway. Tears sprang into the
old mans eyes as I told him, but he
said I must never despair, and he wars
certain | would come out victorious.
I went into Judge Parker's Office, and
| l. oIuu1NI dIlo dt tu0 CAu oA I1O
year, as he predicted, ] obtained my
license to practice law. He then asked
me what intended doing. I told him
that intended to go off to some rising
place and grow up with it, "and
if ever do anything" said I, ''remem-
Der that you are the man that made me. J"
He said that I should do no such
thing. He was getting old, he said. and
was unable to attend properly to great
deal of his business, and he wanted me
to stay and assist him. "You must be
my partner" said he, with share of
the profits.
Again the room seemed turning around
and around, but this time managed to
retain my feelings, and only said:
.tMay heaven thank you, for I can't. "
Well, it wasn't long before the people
seemed to take an interest in me, and
they elected me to the State Legislature
and then, after while, to Congress, land
always continued the same honest, in
dustrious course until they had made
me their Governor.
/ had heard but very little in all that
time from Linton Hall. heard that Gen.
Linton had died, and Arthur st. John
, and Helen had married, and that the
old place had been sold and that was all.
AS for my part, I was still a bachelor.
Many a time, amid the thunders of ap-
plause that had surrounded me, fair
hands had thrown me beautiful flowers,
and ruby lips had smiled, and bright
eyes had glistened when was near; but
thought of cold, cruel, naughty Ellen
Linton, and had judged them all alike
and had turned away.
One winter evening, shortly after had
been elected Governor, when the wind
was bowling outside, and was enjoying
the comforts of my room within, and
wondering if any houseless wretch were
out in the storm, to my great astonish-
ment the servant ushered in lady. It
was something unusual; but I spoke to
her as politely as could and offered her
seat, when the light fell upon her fea
lures, and notwithstanding the sunken
eye and hollow cheeks, to my consterna-
tion I recognized the face of Helen
Linton.
To my relief, however, found that
she had failed to recognize me. No, she
would as soon have looked for a form
from tue tomb as have looked for me at
that place.
She had come. she said, on painful
business. Her father had been very