The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-03-30


in the profits of the farm this year, and
not only was this painting business an
ungodly amusement, but also waste of
precious time and loss of money. 1t
mnst be stopped.
Cpl put it where it deserves to go,
and where thee will follow unless thee
turns thy steps from the world and its
follies. But the fire that thou wilt
meet will be that which is not quenched,
vnd where the worm dieth not"
With these words, which Friend
Harris spoke slowly and with that
slight chanting intonation which char
acterizes the utterances of the speakers
in meeting, the solemnity of which was
further increased by the use of the
formal "thou" instead of the usual
"thee," he stepped to the kitchen
fireplace, where goodly wood fire was
burning under the crane, and striking
the picture against the corner of the
mantelpiece tore rugged split through
its center and threw the whole into the
flames. In moment it was a shriveled
cinder.
There are certain natures whose in.
herent strength can only be developed
by violent shock. Full of latent power,
their weakness comes from native
humility. They distrust the nselves
through genuine admiration of others.
Such was Richard Harris. But the
necessary shock had come. He gazed
moment at the cinder, his face Grim
soned, but the severe discipline of the
Society and the family exercised the
sway that it usually does even on the
very young among Friends.
Father" he said, in low and even
tone, 81 repeat what have often told
thee; have no light that there is evil
in painting; but as thee thinks there is,
[ shall bid thee and mother farewell
to-day, and seek employment else
where. / shall not ask thee for any
share in thy estate"
Taking his hat from the window-sill
he passed out of the kitchen door, leav-
| ing his father speechless with amaze
ment at this rebellious utterance, and
his mother-a poor weak woman, con-
stantly in misery between carrying out
the severe rule of her husband whom
she feared, and yielding to her tender
ness for her boy whom she loved
wiping her tears without emitting any
sound, either word or sob. As for his
two sisters they sat demure and motion.
less through the whole scene, at heart
rather pleased at it, as they had no
sympathy with their brothers. taste for
forbidden arts, and thought him queer.
wasteful, uncomfortable member of the
household. Moreover, though younger
| than he, they were not too young to
see at once the pecuniary advantage to
.og l., go, L.
Of the estate.
Richard went toward the barn and
took seat in nook OF the.corn fodder
stack that was built along the side OF
the barnyard. He did not feel the cold
raw air OF the early morning. His mind
was too full OF the step he was about to
take and what had led up to it. Now
or never he must quit the farm, re.
ncupce the teachings of the Society.
brow aside tue coat with standing col.
ar and the quaint broad -brimmed black
nat, give up the plain language, rejec;
the counsels of the venerable facers OF
meeting who would surely be appointed
to visit him, and prove a recreant to the
revered precepts of Fox and Barclay
All this was meant by pursuit of his
strong bias for art.
Why was he born with it? Whence
came it? These questions he had often
asked himself. For six generations his
ancestors had never touched brush or
palette; not painting nor statue nor
a musical instrument nor any drama or
work of fiction had been allowed in
their houses. How had he been created
with u passion for color and form, with
q If nd WI al, ~
the dreary farm work nor the colorless
life, nor all the frigid, deadening dis
cipline Ct the Society conld quench?
Going back to his earliest memory
he could recall that when four years
old he was left for few hours at the
house of Mike Wallis, an Irish tenant
on neighboring farm, and that Mikes
wife had kept him in the utmost bliss
by showing him colored print of the
Virgin and the Infant, and telling him
the pathetic history as it had pictured
itself in her warr I,ish heart But what
was the horror of his parents next day
when he toddled into the room when
they were at dinner and called
Mudder, mudder, come see God"
His parents ran to the door to see
what this strange appeal meant, and 10!
there, on the floor of the front porch,
chalked in rude but faithful outlines,
were the Child, with rays of glory
around his head, and the Mother, by
his side, holding a cross. He could
still recall the scowl that came over his
fathers face and his mothers impetu-
Gus rush for a bucket of water and
scrubbing brush. Nor had he forgotten
the violent shake and immediate spank
ing he himself received for his artistic
endeaYor.
His memory leapt till he was q boy
of ten, and to his intense delight at
effecting trade of a Barlow knife for
a box OF paints. Many an hour OF Joy
had they given him, hiding himself in
the garret of the old house, in the back
part of the hay.mow near the dusty
gable window, or in little hut he had
built in the woods. But his prying
little sister betrayed him one day, and
not only was his treasure confscated
but he himself was tied to the bedpost
by his mother and given such a whip
ping as would have discouraged most
youthful artists.
Later in life, when he was too old
for such vigorous measures, many lee.
lures had he received on the frivolity OF
such tastes and the wickedness of min
istering to them.
These scenes passing through his
memory convinced him that it was vain
to battle with such infiexible rules, and
that to be free he must leave the farm