Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-12-02
IN THE MIDDLE WEST.
a Story of Life in the Great
Mississippi. Valley.
BY. ALvA MILTON KERR.
TcorYMGnT, 1885, ny THE A. N. KELLOGG
NEWSPAPER CoMPASY.l
CHAPTER I.

Our lives come to us through mauv a
gradation of bone and blood; coarse
and fine, noble and menial, brave and
craven, and running back and out into
fields of long-forgotten history through
that narrow neck where backward gaz-
ing eyes see the prospective dwindle to
apoint Out from that vast region the
red streams trickle and twine toward
us, infinitely mixed, and moving TO
infinite results. That every mans his
tory lies against and is linked to a
thousand other histories running chain
like back into oblivion, stirs the story
tellers heart indeed. But fortunately,
however much the fires and forces Of
the past be lost or have renewal in our
present, the chronicler, il he be wise,
ventures not over-far to rearward lest
he return unto his friends with other
matter than the truth. The case IN hand
has doubtless measureless train of
long-foreshadowing causes, yet, by
what lanes of love and light, by what
paths Of hate and evil. over what sun
lit heights, or through what sunken
regions, the souls we are TO follow had
come into our Western realm, we find
but dimly indicated. Plainly the elder
John Earling was of tough, honest
Scotch fiber, though a little bleached
and softened, be it said, in the great
bath OF modern life. A touch perhaps
OF me asPerity was there, and some
thing OF the robust love, and hate, and
hardihood, that featured the lusty
SCOTS who laid their claymores about
each others ears in the good old
knightly days. Nevertheless, John
Earring was sterling worthy person:
morally well knit and in the main OF
even temperate life. What he would
have been, removed from the gentle
hne-spirited creature who bore the
yoke OF life with him, is, ofcourse, con-
lectural. Certain we are that his short
life would have been less shapely, being
denied, mayhap, that rounding work of
love Which smooths away so many of
natures angles. Whether or not the
sweet laws of God had ever produced a
goodlier example of womanhood than
his fair Saxon wife never troubled
bluh, square-shouldered Earring. That
her brow was high and her ewes tender
VI light and very deep, he saw. but
considered lightly perhaps beside the
great fact that he lult her unspeakably
sweet. Not so much the soft turn OF
cheek and chin, or the gentle dignity
her carriage, laid him under tr.b-
Ute, as her unfailing love and perfect
purity OF heart. These in Elizabeth
Earring, as, indeed. in all women per,
manently beloved of man. supplement-
cd her fair exterior, and would, with
the inevitable destruction of her charm
Ing outward gloss, have become the
sure and hallowed resting-place Of his
hnection. II were little less than a mar
vel hen, considering the clean and rich
soil were the fruit OF this sweet union
other than of the best and finest text
IRE. Eight years they had lived hap
PLY In the old hillside house, looking
out through its vines upon the Ohio
rivers placid reaches, ere the little be-
ing whose footsteps we are TO follow
into the clouds and clear weather of
this great schooling-plaee, came blind
~ IN at the doorway OF the world
Thereafter the field OF life seemed very
wide and green and grateful to John
ana Elizabeth Earling. Even we who
stand afar of may well-nigh rejoice TO
mark the entrance of this dimpied BIT
OF humanity into our realm Of hazard.
seeing IL so Tapped in love and soft con
ditions. Indeed at that doubtful date.
nccording 10 the ayerment OF old Jade |
Eric, who spent his days in digging
about the fat aeres of the estate and |
easing bis mental garret Of its inter |
minable pblegm, the future lord of |
Earling farm shook his rosy fist full in |
the world cold face, being so finely |
housed and fed. And old Jade |
shook his grizzll9 head again |
and yet again, declaring the |
y0ungster 10 be: "A whole field |
full A perfect heapl'' and other large
Rpostrophes indicative Of his approba- |
lion. Something touching this great /
event did old Jade growl forth good
hnmoredly through half the summer,
when coming home 10 his little house
among the meadows. he met the never
lniling and ever agreeable picture Of |
Grandam Eric, With spectacles on
lorsheaq and pipe IN mouth, awaiting
him AZ the door For john Earline, !
The younger was horn among the n0w.
|rs; his first greeting was with love
md summer; no cold and bitter trick
u Fato could rifle him Of that felicity
n least ov drain bis spirit wholly OF
heir sayor what use Soeger Fortune
pul him -. w N she miid ed dwell. l