Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-12-23

mthtM oNppitMtntt hhu HN'NN WOho
apparently capable In themso. es OF
almost any reasonable ambition. That
they were unusual legs Joel Whitney
was not long in discovering, nor long,
with his usual latitude of privilege
and astuteness of instinct in setting
their energies in pursuit of his own
multiplying and profitable affairs.
Still, this was doubtless quite as bene-
fetal to Absalom, passing the ques.
ton of gratitude, as TO Joel, since ia
the end he harvested the priceless les
son Of a well-directcd experience.
CHAPTER v.
During this period, wherein tho
shadow cast by Absalom Heater
heightened and his horizon materially
enlarged, and wherein the little Miss
Popp came without unvarrantcd as
sumption 10 effect the gowns and
graces of maturer maidcnhOod, tho
chemistry that shapes and builds us
cell by cell had % lain torpid in John
Earling and his sunny fellow. Me-
thinks two lnsticr playmates never
gamboled on the grass. or strained
against the leash Of discipline, than
they. Four nimblcr feet than theirs
surely never dashed the purple clover
heads aside, as they went plumming in
the valley, nor eyes more bright and
eager ever pcorcd among the fallen
leaves for winter-grccn. or in the
meadow grass for Strawberries. Up
the little river in the winc-warm
weather the dipping willows often saw
their 1.-THE and silvery bodies part
the clear sweet water, and scarce
grapevine in all the great wood
that spread over the hills TO the west
ward. had not some time in these feet
years been climbed by them and rihed
OF its pluIgent clusters. But time did
not always furnish them with sun
shine, at least the thorns were not few
on which John Earling tore his youth
ful spirit. That Mrs. Whitney, out Of
narrowncss Of heart or from some touch
of acid in her nature, could never, save
with obvious testinesc, admit n level
ground for yielding favors to the or
phan and her own less bright but pret-
tier child. was in John Earrings life
an overwhelming wound. For, though
brave and self-rcliant lad, and in his
later years unyielding in his honest
pride. he yet was quick TO feel and
tcnder-tempered. But few summers
had gone by ere the unfairness of her
attitude began to dawn upon him, and
as time continued he only came mora
and more to feel the bitter uneven
ness Of her hand in dealing with
them. Perhaps the avenue of
mothcr-lovc through which her prct-
ty offspring reached her biased her
vision naturally. and any thing in her
treatment of the orphan boy that did
not go beyond indifference, though that
to some is cruelty enough. should 90
uncensured. At any rate. John Earl
ing early in these years began TO feel
the unutterable injury that death had
done him, the meaSureless lack of nat
ural love, and the sure inhibition Of
such whole-hearted help rs springs OF
parent-feeling. The demand. too. that
springs in every nature to take some
object into the bosom TO lavish love
upon. had not in John Earnings youth
its natural food, but il was there with
all its fine needs ceaselessly asking for
the bread of life. To this end the
boys heart turned with loneliness aud
hunger, and spent itself upon his care
less. buoyant, sunny-tempered fellow.
Whether or not Harry Whitney was
wholly worthy of this attachment,
since necessity admits but few in
qmrics, can not easily be set down.
Perhaps the answer were quickest run
| to cover by tracking the progress OF
events. Clearly, however, his extrin-
| sic merits were many and the graces
Of his nature not to be despised. Very
frank and fair and generous he was at
| all events. and as a comradc well nigh
incompatible. True, he lacked little
in the liner scruples perhaps, but there
John Earling always set the limit, for
no end, however CLOSED with seeming
| gain. could carry him beyond the
bounds of honesty. This was the
strongest current in John Earnings In
clinations; the clear core Of his heart,
| the light, be it fortunate or unfortu-
nate, by which he saw the world, from
| the thousand hideous and distorted
trails of men across the face Of IL,
down to his own minutest deed. Faults
he had, and some unevenness OF nat
ure, but not of honesty, unless indeed
some. seeing darkly, may consider
pure integrity Improbable aud
foolish. Doubtless this virtue
was inherited, at least there
was no eNtraneOus influence swaying
him. Joel Whitney's example was
purely business one. and his idea OF
honor exactly commensurate with that
elastic term. He seldom parieycd with
question, or pulled it up TO examine
its roots that he might be satisfied If it
were virtue or a vice. Quite content
was he with either so it served his pur-
pose. Business was the sea to him, into
which all streams, both small and
great. both foul and cleanly, emptied.
Why should he, successful cruiser on
this fcverish flood, reck Of the streams
that entered it? The son, too, was
very like the father. having a fine skin
and an endless fund OF laughter, and,
like most very good-natured people,
was slightly iniolcnt Neither was the
mothers example aught that could
have swcrvcd John Earnings incllDa-
tions into the cleanly channel that they
followed. The foundation Of his
nature seemingly was laid In
honesty, aud his being 50 cementcd to
the rock that, though the world winds
often beat and bent him about, they
could not draw him from II. In thOss
early years, though Joel Whitney was
not stiniing in his jovial kindness. the
sometime chilly and In the main luke
warm attitude Of Mrs. Whitney op-
pressed the boy. and filled him with a
growing thirst for freedom from de-
pendence. Even while yet child
some vague ideas touching this were
floating in his mind, and many were
the hours when others slept that saw
him sitting upon the floor within his
little room. using his only chair as a
desk, and poriDg oyer books prepared
for older heads. Many were the times.
too, that he fell asleep WITH his check
upon the open page. and dreamed Of