Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-01-28

ally himself, crowned with all the hon
ors that q grateful. respecting local
community could bestow. Unquestion-
ing assumption of the probability. or
even the possibility. OF future social or
political preferment for his son, was
proof positive that no such distinction
was likely TO bessaccorded him, the ar
gument in the matter being, in effect,
that nothing bnt the most dishearten-
ing of native plodders could come of
such combination of dullness and I'M
reasoning hope. Had John Dorn's
ambition taken definite form and sought
by such means as lay within the narrow
circle OF the life along shore TO carve
out the way to the coming mans en-
noblcment, there might have been
strong grounds for hope. and willing
hands from the great city whose dusky
confines lay but little beyond the dis
tant view OF earth and sky might have
stretched out to help the instinctless
wayfarer over unknown paths that lead
to the goal Of his ambition; but at its
best John Dorn's ambition was as
formless as the night and as discourage
ing as his wifc's inferiority. In such
rayless gloom, what hope for lightp
Who but purposeless enthusiast would
see the flower Of genius in such track
less waste.
All the tendencies of nature were
against John Dorm, but Yet, working
blithely on the wide marshes, he sang q
song that filed his soul with JOY. The
chances in life were against John
Dorm s ambition, and yet he hoped. In
simple truth it must be said that this
ambition, never wholly stationary or
definite, changed rs often as the wind.
Sometimes his much-Ioved son guided q
stately ship to distant seas; oftener he
sang chcer;ly in fishing boat in the
Great South Bay, and once in n rare
while he stood within the torchlight's
glare to discuss the burning issues of
tho hour Always it was the goal, and
not the painful, weary means, that this
ambition touched upon; always results,
never the process OF attainment. The
vivisectionist is right, though cold and
unsympathetic, there was little hope for
either John Dorm or his son.
CLAIMS were plentiful that day, and
John Dorn's broad, flat feet churned
thcm out of the thick mud with more
than usual rapidity and ease. Again
anil again the wicker basket returned
to the waiting boat, piled high with
captured shells, until, when the tide
ceased to run out and the western sun
dipped angrily toward the hazy west,
John Dorm drew his brown arm across
his heated brow and said that he had
done enough. Smiling contentedly Mt
the sleepy little girl, he said that no
would go home with the new tide. To
go home? To whom7 To the baby;
to his sonp Perhaps by this time his
wife, remembering previous converse
tons on the sub Jet, had named him.
And would he answer to the plain, old
fashioned name "John?' Perhaps so.
II was old-fashioncd, no doubt, to have
the paternal name descend through
many generations, but it was 3 good
honest way, and to one honest, plod-
ding woman in the little house among
the trees it would give deep satisfac-
ton.
Waiting for his boat to float, John
Dorm spattered the advancing tide
merrily with his bare feet and played
-and-go-seek with his little girl.
All resentment over tho birth OF n
daughter had vanished now, and the
father was happy and proud in having
both daughter and son. 1t made
things even, he thought, and who could
tell what the future would bringp
Then, as he stood there aimlessly
swinging his foot to and fro in the cool
water, an idea seemed to enter into and
take possession of his mind. A vague
desire to do something for the young
son who was to bless his life
had. in some unaccountable way, for
mulated itself into tangible idea, and
he tried, unsuccessfully for time, to
| give it practical form. He realized,
awkwardly enough, it must be con-
fcsscd, that on this day he ought to
carry an offering to the cradle of his
| that moment, il Is true, his patient,
hard working wife was almost forgot
ten, and his first-born son filled his
newly-awakened Imagination with a
radiance like the glow in the western
sky. This seeming neglect of his wife
appeared to him cxcusable, for the
hard-headcd reason that it was through
tho fundamentally of his son, and not
his wife, that his dosultory ambition
was to be realized. And besides his
wife has been with him many years,
and had not been accustomed to such
honors at his hands. Wonld it be reason
able, therefore. to begin now? He
thought not.
An offering from the sea surely was
not hard to find, and yet he hesitated.
Shells were thrown in prodigal profu-
sion, and shells always have been con-
sidered the time-honored trophies Of
the sea. uhells were good enough in
their way, and suitable Tor all occasions
of ordinary interest; but rs the birth Of
the first son seemed 20 be an occurrence
of more than usual Importance John
Dorn's ambition demanded something
more. just what to select as an addi-
tional offering puzzled John Dorm for
some time. At length his wrinkled
face beamed with satisfaction. He had
| it now. 1t was flowers!
"Be q good girl, Patty, an keep the
sloop till come back" said he.
strengthening the kinks out of his BODY
and turning his face toward the mead
ows. Don't be afraid, Patty; I won't
be long"
Then he went across the marshes
alone, turning back his head from time
to time to see that little Patty came to
no harm. Soon he forgot Patty, how
ever, and walked on, looking neither TO
the right nor to the left. His prcoccu-
pied manner, his answering course to-
ward cluster of bright flowers on q
neighboring bank told, as plainly as tho
day, his sudden and narrow devotion to
one all-absorbing oil. ect. Under ordi-
nary conditions Of mind he would have
zigzagged from bank to bank, avoiding
the rough places and following, as
closely as possible, the paths laid out
by nature. As it was, no kept straigh.
course, in utter disregard Of pools of
water, bitches of mud or punches Of
seawced. Between him and the clustor
OF wild flowers was Dead Mans Creek.
At low tide 1t was n oozy bed OF soft
mud, with tiny stream Of water trick
ling down its center; at high tide q
schooner might have floated In it in
perfect safety. 1t got its name from
the fact that n man was drowned there