The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-12-08
IN THE MIDDLE WEST.
A Story of Life in the Great
Mississippi Valley.
BY ALVA MILTON KERR.
ICopYRIGnT, 1856, BY TIE A. N. KELLOGG
NEWSPAPER CoMPANY.1
CHAPTER xyu-Cosr1suEn.


had always held that to acquire even
thousand times more than he could
ever personally use, fencing vast
quantities away from his needy fellows,
drawing with his finger about large
parts OF natures common gift the
flaming sacred circle of ownership,
and making it forbidden ground for
common feet and milestone about
his own neck, was thing to invite the
energies of manhood and fulfill the OBJ
ject of creation. 1t is a curious world,
and perhaps he had encompassed the
truth, or at least, the seemingly nat
ural outcome of our condition, and
perhaps he had put his arms about q
shadow, or even an able-bodied lie.
At any rate, his big house was fin
ishcd, his head was bald and gray, and
he had a deal of property, but his I'M
happy eye often dwelt longingly upon
picture of a big-domed building, that
ornamented the corner of map upon
his inner office wall, with something
of the expression that one might have
who looked upon the gates of Paradise.
He often caught himself wondering in
what bright particular part OF that
stupendous pile the halls of Congress
lay, and once he called the still book
keeper, and under cover of an inquiry
as to the Capitol building dimensions,
asked him in which wing of the editice
our great Assembly sat. The still
book-keeper snapped one of his black
eyes at the columns of figures he re-
turned to, after satisfying Joel, and
the corners c. his thin mouth twitchcd.
Joel thereafter seldom entered his
inner office without dropping his
eye caressingly against the pict-
ure upon the map. Sometimes,
too, he would stand before it when
alone and try to fancy time when he
should ascend the great marble flight
of steps into the great structure with
the great men of the Nation, and
again, when closcted with politician,
he would sometimes cast his eye up at
the picture and forget their planning
for moment as he felt himself in
fancy coming down the massive steps
with some great man on his arm. But
he astutely said nothing touching this;
he was always helping others; guiding.
directing, advising, providing, shaping,
serving and protesting against receiv-
ing any thing in return beyond good
will and fellowship. Indeed, he was
very generous there, Enthusiastically a
good fellow. Then he went to church
oftener than in other years, and, per
haps, little oftener touched a hurried
glass against some other in the liquor
ing halls of Openstone.
Now Harry was coming home from
college, and that event, coupled with
the completion of the big Whitney
house, was to be hit off in a crushing
social event. 1t would not be truthful
to pretend that Joel suggested to Mrs.
Whitney the making OF big party
purely for display or entertainment OF
an offering to society; for, while he Sc
cretly gloated at having his large pos
sessions stuck well into the world
eye, he yet had kind of horror of the
light and finery and perfumery of an
evenings social show. 1t was so per-
sonal. so open, so near upon one, that
out of necessity nothing could be said
in earnest; a sort of meaningless play
ing of tag with the tongue in the midst
of display and inspection. He some
how never liked it. But in this case il
seemed fitting; besides-and with joe
it was the main incentiye-if the polit-
ical map of the district was ere long
changed, with himself stuck solidly in
its center like golden pin, some lit
tic social illumination about his person
might hasten the wandering moth Of
fortune. OF would at least assist the
cyesight of his fellows. To this end
he wished that the selection of their
guests might be very impartial,
leaving no strata of respectable
Openstone unrepresented. But here
he collided violently with Mrs. Whit
ney's desires, for Mrs. Whitney cared
very much indeed who were and who
were not invited, while Joel cared only
that the selection comprised every
body, or at least as much of every
body as the house would hold. In the
end ne had his way, but with the pro-
vision that the first party being gen
eral in its compass, should be followed
by Mrs. Whitney giving other parties
as she chose, and of quite as elegantly
swollen character as she desired.
Mrs. Whitney insisted that the finer
portion at least of the furniture should
be purchased in Chicago, but Joel, with
an eye on the political armament,
wisely insisted on buying every thing
in Openstone. In this he had his way,
as he did in most things touching this
single secret ambition of his, but in
not much else. For Mrs. Whitney, as
her eyes and nose indicated, was we'll
nigh infinitely fertile in ways for the
pleasing of her own heart, and usually
succeeded in firing the ponderous Joe
into acquiesccnce.
At length the day dawned-a pleas
ant one in September-which should
bring Har- Whitney with it from the
East In NOR of the event Joel sar
rayed Eir7s. If in clean linen, though nc
occasion CO lid be conceived of suffi
Gent magnitude to make him dress
we'll, or ,aivest him of certain inerad
icable horror of fine clothes, while Mrs
Whitney lid herself up in her lates
finery. But Joel was imperativel.
called into the country by something
that occurred upon one of his farms
and Mrs. Whitney drove alone ant
with a fluttering pulse to meet the trail
that should bring her son into Open
stone. As she neared the depot, anon!
a good many other people, she noticed
John EARRING walking up and dow
one end of the platform with his hand
behind him, and exchanging an occa
sional word with Absalom Heat
er who in his mealY mill