The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-12-26

severe. He began mature life as q hatboao
captain, and finished his training as sheriff Of
an Indiana county. A born ruler, at 80 years
Of age he knew absolutely nothing of any
methods save stern command and force ready
for instant application To this he added q
habit of perpetual fault finding.
He had been going over the hoary harangue,
with which some old people have insulted
young ones since the days of Homer, about
the good boys and the industrious young men
of his early life aud the degenerate sons Of
these days, when Alberts satirical humor
rose.
"Youre mighty little account now," said
the father. "What'n you be at my age7"
"T suppose" said Albert, unconsciously
initiating his fathers sneer, 'Irl do like other
old men-sit and tell lies about the big things
did when was q boy"
1t was one of those insults which some men
consider "the first blow, ;" and the second fell
promptly Raising his broad, right hand,
and foaming with rage, the father brought 1t
down fat across the sons mouth The blood
few from Albert's nose as he staggered back.
| He rallied, gazed an instant on the father,
| then turned away with clinched teeth and
| set purpose.
He sought his confdant, Sam McCorkle,
| the drunken shoemaker's boy near by. who
WIS VI lilo suAuc ueC dS AAAOA 1AO AAoV
| hfty times as much Of the tricks and devices
| Of the oppressed. At 10 years Sam was an
| expert In evasive tricks; at IL he was simply
prodigy.
These two had met and conferred often
the sad, cynical skeptic, whose father was
among the well-to-do farmers Of the commu-
| nifty, and the finished trickster, whose father
1 was the outcast; they often laid out wonder
| full plans Of life In distant regions; but soon
| a fair young face rose before Albert Merritt's
| eyes, and he could not make up his mind to
90. It was the face Of Helen Blake, only a
| few years before his schoolmate. But now
| Albert was resolved. II Helen thought Of
| fim as often as he did Of her, she would wait
| for him to return, and II she were worth the
winning she would respect him more for
leaving the discomforts Of his present life.
| Thus he reasoned.
Late that night two lads with small bun
| dies might have been seen, but took care not
| to be, on the river road, and 1t was soon
known to all the community that the. had
| left the place
OF farewells the boys had scid none.
Albert had indeed written q brief note 10
his mother, in which be had hidden her q
good-by full Of clumsily worded tenderness,
| and another to Helen, which he had formally
| begur. "Miss Helen Blake" and in which be
bad as formally expressed the hope that,
though absent perhaps for years, he would
1
not be fs gotten. These epistles lie TOOK with
him in Ns fight, and day or two later en-.
trusted them to Sam McCorkle to post, but
that individual, fearful that the route OF de-
| parture would be guessed by the postmark
calmly destroyed them, although he solemn
| " declared to Albert that he had deposited
them In the postoflce Of a considerable tow
through which they journeyed- And 30 ths
| two boys were quite cut off from the old
| world OF semi-servitude.
! That father should be sorry for the fighi
Hk son q but natural; that he should. Thilt