Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-09-11

that that poem has heen great comfort
70 me. q very great comfort Icut il tfrom
9 newspaper : few years ago. and l
have read il over and over again until
know II BY heart love 20 repeat It
70 myself when I am living awake
nights and listening to the rain on the
root I"
Her eyes glistened as she spoke.
was deeply touched: the thought Of
having written q few words which had
afforded solsce to this lonely creature
made me huFibly grateful My vanity
was not in the least moved, and can
relate the circumstance without vanity
now; for. alas. my little piece was
pasted on = page with Others which she
seemed TO regard as equally precious.
although they were not literature. any
more than the sentimental prints on
the wall we're art Il was evident that
she viewed poems and pictures. not
with 3 cultivated or critical eye. but
wholly from 4 spiritual and sympatt tlet-
&c attitude of mind; prizing what ap-
pcaled 70 her emotional and especially
to her religious nature, without being
much disturbed BY weak lines. ba |
rhymes and other imperfectionS. How
some Of my aesthetic friends would have
scorned to see their verses included in
snch q scrap-bO0k, But. after al. there
is something in life better than culture;
and l would not for anything have said
: word 70 lessen the satisfartion old
Aunt Abby found in the feeblest OF that
trash
Nv own little piece had given me 4
i 1. - - - f~rr~.N -
easy TO lead her to speak of her early
life.
II hare heard something Of your
history" said. and il makes me Won
der II You have never regretted the very
great sacrifices you once made
Her large, gray eyes besmed upon
me mistilT- 81 have asked myself the
same question many times. For il was
4 sacrifcer' she said, tremblingly.
..Bu: the answer deep down in nv
heart is always no. We must live ac-
couding to our light 1 lived-aeosniIng
n r.ine. I could not do differently
then, I couldn't do differently now. II
the thing was TO do over"
u hear that he was. in many re-
spccts. : worthy man. said, "to lead
fher or And tell me frankly. Aunt Alb
By. were you not very strongly attached
- each 0ther?"
There was oalF one thing IN heaven
and earth that loved better than
loved Aaron Deems she answered.
with emotion. But there were other
things that he loved better than he
owed me Too many. too many
What were theyP' asked
His ease and his pride and his
worldly possessions Yet. IS you say.
he was \ worthy man Few people
blamed him, but great many blamed
ne That was wbaf made il 50 hard
for me 10 DO as did Nv friends called
me foolish and OverscrupulOus; while
he acted rs 50 many other men would
have acted in his place"
She wiped her eyes and resumed. in
answer 70 nv questions: We were
engaged, and were 10 be married IN 4
few weeks. and believe there never
was young couple with happier pros
poets. until he came 10 me one evening
and told me of an exciting event he
had rsch uncle who was known TO
have acquirei much Of his property
! dishonesty; he hal died sud senly,
leaving everything TO Aaron. and
/ Aaron seemed quite set up by his good
fortune.
.. But. Aaron I said. .how can Il
be 4 goo fortune 10 y9u. ssn>e il is a
Rad fortune. got in = bal way. as l
have heard yon szy yourself? All that
property, or a:1east n large part of il.
belongs to the family Of his dead part
ner; the widow and children he de-
franded. after he got the business into
his hands
- don't know how much there is
IN al that sad Aaron. Stories get
exaggerated. and unc,e hal his enc
mics
% But Won were not his enemy.'
said; and have had TIE story from
y0ur own lips Ycu always condemned
that transaction; and 1 never heard
voa speak OF him with anv respect. I
nope sad /. you are not going 10
let the fact that be has made you his
heir change your ideas of right and
wrong.'
..Iie laughed in a way I couldn'i
Ike. L have no ideas on the subject.
ne said -zlf know is. the property
/ = mine now
But You can't take it and enjoy
it said.
Why nOtr Was his answer, in 4
tone that astonIshcc and grieved me.
L never heard that my uncle did any
thing ilisgsli the property is lawfully
mine
q Why. Asronr l demonstrated, 4
have heard you say yourself that be
was sbrewd enough 10 keep clear ol
the law. but does thai make his wicked
ness any less wickeds And what If the
prope q ! lawfully yours. II It is no;
yours by absolute right, can you aeeep;
itr
What said disturbed him: and I
coa,d sec that dark shadow was CON-
ing between us-the first that had ever
crossed our path He argued that Il
wasn't for Us 10 inquire too closely into
his moral right n the proT erty. since
nobody could say that his hands had
been stained in the getting Of it. while
l maintained that it was his duty 10
fird out just how far the widow and or
phans had been wronged. and make
restitution ont Of his uncle's wealth.
- 4iOOd- heavens, AbiJr.' said he.
according TO -~tat folks say, il would
take the bulk OF the estate
s'.Let i take the bulk Of Il, said;
'ict Il take every cent, You don't want
I dollar Of money, no matter how you
+ come by Il, that belongs IN anybody
slse.'
~-No.' he said. II It's n claim any,
.'cdy czn prove; but / guess If every
one was 20 lc as particular rs 20 the
way their estate. resi- and personal. was
come by, from generation TO generation.
T few would ke-P what they've got very
/ ,onE. I honor your principles. Abby;
but tan't you sHcs CARED out as you
would hare them, they are utterly alb
-surds'
j ton's see it. replied on the
+ contrary. / believe there Is a rule OF
bso.ain right. and we ought TO live