The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-07-07
Jere Black and DR.. Elder.
The Critic.

lie 1EitiC.
The Critic recently heard an excellen,
story about Judge lere Black. the dis
unguished lawyer aud politician. and DR..
William Elder, also promlnen; pennsyl-
vanian. and now an official in the treas
ury department.
Both gentlemen were born in Somerset.
Pa. and were friends from early boyhood.
So;h were excellent story telIers. and
both had wealth OF stories OF their early
lite.
Black vas particularly proud of a de-
scr.piIon OF the way IN which he mrs. read
Don tllixote. and was fond OF relating
|, whenever an appreciative audience
could be secured. The story was tina, in
his fathers garrett at Somerset there
stood an old hair trunk in the earliest
days Of the embryo judges career when
his young mind mad gust begun to feel
the want OF more variedliterary resources
than the standard. dog-eated volumes of
his father limited library afforded. Iere
vas investigating the garrett one rainy
day fer some diversion. when he CHANGED
20 open the old trunk and observed that
i was lined. Is was the old custom. with
leaves of an Of book. Lizzie Tere was
surprised -, sosf.eNha; interested. An
examination proved that the book was
. ioH igiAo;e, a. that almos. all me
pages had been usea ia lining the trunk.
lete seon became interested IL
" Don I4iEote aua rs i4ithtal squire.
and - 1t traced the pages further. he
grew more and more pleased. delighted.
excited and Also. 5ee The opentns
ehapteI VAS found aaacf the I'D ei the
trunk. and ere bean 10 read the won
dreG7 story, and pa.se by page he followed
The winding plot, rivalia5 the exploits OF
The redoubtable Don as he sa, one mo-
ment with his head in tire trunk. then
climbed into the trunk % read What was
posted on the sides. lay on hi, back. with
The iEunk-lid on the top OF nim while he
perused the bottom. stood on his head To
get nearer view OF the obscure corners.
and IN this aerobauc manner mastered
the story, gathered impressions tina,
chung to hun throughout his lie, ana
made everlasting friendships with luck
less oancho ranza and cratic Don
oulxete.
Judge Black told his story well. and il
was well known among his friends. One
evening large gathering of literary and
political people, including Judge Blaek
and Or. E.der, we're taking OF the books
OF their boyhood, and is there were a few
persons present who never heard the
story referred TO. the Judge was abou, 10
'eli II. when Or. Elder began uneNpec,-
cdiy:
VIII never forget the rircumstan5 c
under which first read Lon e,uixo,e.
when | was a hoy. The pages OF The
book were pasted - \ lining IN an old
han trunk IN my fathers garnet. and /
went through more gymnastics in follow
lng on behind the Don's faithful s,eed
through all the sides, angles and ,ravs OF
that old trunk than have ever attempted
since
Judge Black listened speechlessly to the
recital. and those who have heard him
tell the story glanced suspiciously from
doctor to Judge.
Ii was evident that somebody had
stolen the story OF that the doctor had
appropriated /, to quiz the nudge. and the
latter was not only surprised. but A COED
deal ohaSrsned. FOR long time Black
ieli hurt over the theft OF his story. or the
gidieelc oi his friend but. after IN any
months. meeting Dr.. Eldcg on the street
one day he said
: Doctor. do YOU remember our stories
OF Don 9aiNote IN hair trunk. Well.
that mystery has been cleared up. |
have iound that when we both lived n,
Somerset nay father bought tina; old trunk
from your father, and we both read Don
.slNete the same way out of the same
trunk