The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-11

''Why, certainly it il Look. ID A b Y
not very plain. its true. but there are all the
letters
That's Just ir. Mr. Ford; them amt all the
letters that orter be there I've allowed to write
it ID A b K to save time and ink, but IL
orter read ID A u DI G Y" said Uncle Ben,
with painful distnctness.
''But that spells d'AubigDy."
'It are"
lis that your manner
At reckon"
The master looked at Uncle Ben doubtfully.
Was this only another form OF the Dooell illu-
sioni Was your father FrenchmanP he
asked finally.
Uncle Ben paused IS if TO recall the trifnR
Your grandfatherf
IL reckon not AT least ye couldn't prove it
BY me-
''Was your father or grandfather voyageur
or trapper or Canadisnf
'"Tney were from Pike county, MizZoor."
The master regarded Uncle Ben still dubious
~. But you call yourself Dabney. What
makes YOU think your real name il dAubiRnyP
'Thats the way it ulster TO be writ in letters to
me IN the States. Hold on. I'll show ye,' He
deliberately began to feel in his pockets, finally
extracting his old purse from which be produced
Q erumpled envelope. aud carefully smoothing it
out, compared IL with his signature.
Thar, you see. It's the same-dAubiRny."
The master hesitatsd. After all. il was not
impossible He recalled other instances OF the
singular Transformation OF names In the Cali
fornia emigration Yet he could not help say
ing, Then you concluded dAuoigny was q bet
ter name than DabpeyP
''Do you think it's bettsrF
women might. dare say your wife would
prefer to De called Mrs. dAubigny rather than
Dabuey"
The chance shot told. Uncle Ben suddenly
flushed to his earA
81 didn't think o. that" he said hurriedIy. az
reckoned that the matter o. holdin' property
and passin' in money it would be- better to hsv
your name put on tho square, aud TO sorter go
down to bedrock for il. ehl If wanted to take
hand IN them lots or Ditch shares for
instance, it would be only Law TO hsv it made
out IL the name G. dAubieny."
Mr. Ford listened with a certain impatient
comtsmpt IL was bad enough for Uncle Ben to
have exposed his weakness In inventine fctions
about his early education, but to
vest himself now with contingency
OF capital for the sake of another
ehi'dish vanity, was pitiable as 1t was prepos-
tercus There was no doubt that he had lied
about his school experiences; it was barely
probable that his name was really d'Aubigny,
Rnd it vas quite consistent with all this-even
setting apart the fact that he was perfectly well
known 70 be only poor miner-that he should
lie again. Like most logical reasoners DR. Ford
forgot that humanity might be illogical and in
onsistent without being insincere. he turned
away " tnout speaking as If indicating wish to
Some o these days" said Uncle Ben, with dull
persIstency, "Tll tell ye suthen.'
''pd advise you just now 20 drop it and stick
to your lsssons' said the master sharply.
That's So" said Uncle Ben hurriedy hiding
himself It were IN all encompassiug blush.
'In course lessons first, boys that's the motto. |"
He again took up his pen and assumed his old
laborious attitude. But after a few moments it
became evident that either the masters curt
dismissal OF his subject or his own preoecupation
with 10, had somewhat unsettled him. He
cleaned his pen obtrusively, going to
the window for better light, and whist
ling from time to time with o dem
onstrativs csrelessness and depress-
inggayety. He once broke into a murm uriug.
meditative chant evidently referring to the
previous conversation IN its-"That's so-Ysr
We COLLISIONS the first, boys. Ie, heave o."
The rolliexing marine character Of this refrain.
despite its utter iucongruousness, apparently
struck him favorably. for he repeated it softly,
occasionally elancng behind him at the master
who was coldly absorbed 1T his desk. Present.
ly he arose. carefully put his books away, sym
metrically piling them in q pyramid beside Mr..
Ford's motiOnless elbow. and then lifting his
feet with high but gentle steps went 20 the
peg where his coat aud hat were hang
Ing. As he was about TO put them on he ap-
pearsd suddenly struck with q sense OF indecor-
BUSINESS in dressing himself in the school, and
taking them on his arm to the porch resumed
them outside. Thsu saying. II clean disremem-
bered I'd got to see Q man. So long, till to- NOR
row." hs disappeared v~histing softly.
The old woodland hush fell back upon the
school. 1t seemed very quiet and amply. A
faint sense OF remorss stole over the master.
Yet be remembered that Uncle Ben had accepted
without reproach and good joke
much direct accusations from
Rupert Filgee. and that he himself had
acted from q conscientious sense of duty toward
tne man. But q conscion tious sense of duty to in
fict pain upon fellow mortal Tor his own good
does not always bring perfec. serenity TO the
infiictor-possbly because in the defective ma
chinery of human compensation. pain ia the only
quality that is apt 70 appear in the illustration.
Mr. Ford felt uncomfortable and being so, was
naturally vexed at the innocent cause. Why
should Uncle Ben be offended because he had
simply declined 20 follow his weak fabrications
any furtherl This was his return for having
tolerated il at first! IL would be lesson to him
hencefortn. Nevertheless he got up and went
TO the door.
The figure OF Uncle Ben was already indstiuct
among the leaves, but from the motion of his
shoulders be seemed to be still stepping high
and softly, as If not yet clear or insecure and
sngulfng ground.
The silence still continuing. the master began
mechanically to look over the desks for forgot
ten mislaia articles, aud to rearrange
the pupils books and copies A few hearts
sesse gathered by the devoted Octavia Dean,
neatly tied with a black thread and regularly
left in the inkstand cavity of Rupert's desk,
were still lying on the floor. whore thsy bad
been always hurled with equal regularity by
thar disdainful Adonis. Picking up
slate from under a bench his attention was at
tracsed by a forgotten cartoon on the reverse
side. MIR. Ford st once recognized it as the
work OF that youthful but eminent caricaturist,
Johnny FiIgee Broad in treatment, compre-
heusive in subject, liberal in detsil. and slate
pencil, IL represented Uncle Ben lying the
noor with book in his hand, tyrannized over
by Rupert Fileee snd regarded in strik-
ing profile OF features by Cressy
GcKiustry. The daring realism Of introducing
the names of each character on their legs-per-
haps ideally enlarged tor that purpose-left
doubt of their identity. Equally daring but no
less effective was the rendering OF a limited but
dramatic conversation between two parties by
the aid of emotional balloons attached to their
mouths like visible gulp bearing the respective
legends: 81 luv you,' 20 my" and "You git
The master vas for a moment startled this
unlocked for but graphic testimony to the fac,
that Uncle Ben's visits to the school were not
only known but commented upon. The small
eyes of those youthful observers had been keen
Or than his own. He had again been stupidity
deceived in spite of his efforts. Love, albeis
deficient in features and wearing an improperly
short bell-shsped fyock had boldly re-entered
the peaceful school, and disturbing complica-
tions on abnormal legs were following at its
heels.
tTo BE Continued