The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-05-05
How Father Conquered Us.

How Father Conquered Us.
We wera minister's children, Jamie
u, slight, straight as an arrow, with the
peculiar golden light in the gray eyes
that betokens hot temper and brilliant
intellect, and masses of fine black hair
pushed back from a high, white tore
head. Bright, handsome Jamie, how /
loved ham, with an unquestioning devo-
ton that taught me early to yield my
wishes and desires TO his imperious will.
and to shield him ii all things, right or
wrong, from the severe judgments of our
father. | look back now with a feeling
OF admiration for the homely little Dot.
only 7, with her long, tawny braids aud
great eager eyes, 50 true to her boy
hero.
OF course the familiar expression that
minister's children are worse than any
other had oft been repeated before us.
and as people evidently expected Us TO
be little heathens we tied hard not to
Gisapnoint any one. Lessons on the to-
tai depravity of ministers children in
general, and we two in particular. were
gs daily fool TO us. We knew that we
were very bad, but we managed to be
quite comfortable for such terrible sin
ueEs.
Among fathers few worldly goods was
g beautiful horse, feet as the wind and
the pride Of his heart. Jamie had often
taken me with him to the pasture to lead
"Ehghty backward and forward And
on rare occasions, when we had gained
permission to drive short distances for
father We lad grown bold and length.
caed our drive, always receiving pun
lshuclt f0r our b0lduess, but count
ing /. we'll worth a whipping to hold the
reias and feel the air rush against orr
faces rs tiighty sped down the street.
One summer morning, that shone out
clear rs crystal, father spoke OF the dav
rs we'll fitted fCr shopping ii Cleveland,
few miles distant, and as he smoke OF
train-tne to mother announced his in
teutlOa Of going by rail Oh the winks.
and mods, and ely motions that told the
story 80 plainly to NE, and how helpful
we grew; OF their comfort how solicitous
IT last, with terrible warning of wrath
70 be visited upon Us il we veutured to
disobey any of fathers commands, we
watched them aboard the train, aud saw
1t sweep eft down the track, with the
tuttenng pernOns Of smoke reckoning
gayly to rs. R8cing back through the
grassy lanes, tossing books and states
into ierce corner. with my pink sun
bonnet top Of the pile, Jamie clowned
my tawny bralIs with his sailor hat, and,
calling me Jolly tar, helped me to pack
our lunch. Before kind sister H., who
would come and get dinner, and mount
guard over the parsonage, could reach
there, we had packed our basket, har-
messed our beautiful Flighty to the car
rage, and we've off for day in the
Wood9. Oh the dinner in the Old
fIalds Kitchen, a cave to be found on
the banks Of the Cuyalo2a River, ia
nous now as the Switzerland Of America.
The long drive down the road that
stretched a8ay ii the distance like a
silver wire. The depths of cool living
green, that Icy like a shadow IN barren
land. The moss, the vIolets, the new
sounds We heard, the new visions We
saw. The delicious GOODNESS of the
spring We discovered The dreams we
dreamed q the future. Oh ! that sum
laer day, As it waned we collected our
treasures, and uofasteniug Eighty from
the tree where she had been made safe
ing our burdens we drove gayIy home
ward. kgnaways we we've, but philoso-
plers as vel, for we put the fact Of our
awaiting punishment as far from our
thought rs possible. We expected to
be whipped, but did not intend to suffer
the sling twice. once in dreading aud
talking about It. and again in actual
pam. J S we sped along through the
summer evening we decided that lie was
worth The living" the game well worth
the candle.
Did We feel a presentiment that our
placid enjoyment Of this d.liobtful
wIckedness was soon to end, that We fin
Ished our otherwise quiet sort of disc
bedlence by racing through the village
streets, huzzalng like young Indians,
and passing every team with a challenge
to follow If they could. Eighty was q
thoroughbred and perfectly trained.
She kept her head beautifully, or my
story might have had another ending.
AS we drove up to the gate with grand
flourish the whistle of the train In the
distance warned us that our hour OF
reckoning was close st hand After tea
l was invited TO the study and ques-
toned as to the days wickedness. ]
answered respectfully, and, after being
reprlmanded, was banished to my room.
Soon after | heard fathers heavy foot in
the hall and Jamie's light footballs fol-
lowing. Leaning far ont of nv gable
window, | watched them enter the barn.
1t was glorious star-lit night. aud the
sllvery Wilderness of the moonlight
wrapped the world in It's spell. Once ]
thought | heard the pleading voice of nv
brother. could bear no more. and.
slipping out into the ball, stole down
stairs and out to the barn. The lantern
was hardly needed for both front and
rear doors being open, the moonlight
lay IN great bars, white and translucent.
giving weird brilliauce to the space OF
floor, and leaving the corners in shadow.
Creeping through the rear door l stood
motlonless, watching with wondering
eyes the scene painted on nv memory
as clearly as If years had not dimmed
the fire of those luminous ewes. or bowed
with weight of care the proud uphfted
mead. Father was standing where the
light from the lantern. suspended from
the beam above, fell full Oh the hair lust
tnged with gray and brought into relief
the massive forehead and stern blue eve
HIS mouth was quiveriug strangely.
and the hama that held the carriage
whip seemed shaking with icresolution.
For tine first time in my remembrance
father hesitatedto 10 what he considered
his duty and met the fearless glance of
ms only son with such yearning tender
ness on his strong old face as [ had
never seen there.