Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-14
CHAPTER II.
half-breed
DAMON TO PYTHIAS.

the Mohawk, and the snow still lay
| upon the ground, in heaps and ridges,
| as it's playfellow, the wind, chose to
| dispose it, and the moon, riding high in
| the starry vault, gave weird effects to
| the ermine carpet below and the black
| and naked giants which flung their
gaunt arms to the SKY in salutation of
| the Queen of Night, and the river with
| its floating masses OF ice moved on with
| majestic rythm like host with glitter
| ing crests, invincible in its might.
To-day the scene is changed, the saw
age grandeur has departed with the red
| race who once inhabited it. The Erie
canal bears the freight of the West to
| the seaboard, the scream of the loco
motive whistle takes the place of the
| war-whoop of the Mohawk brave, and
| the cattle of a hundred hills drink at
the turbulent river.
On this April night in the year 1856
Sir William johnson, sitting beside the
cheerful hearth of his kinSman. Charles
Selwyn, was urging upon that youth
some suggestions, the worldly wisdom
of which could not be doubted, falling
as they did from the lips of a warrior
and statesman whom King George was
- q
baronetcy in reward for a victory which
was saved from disaster by his lieuten-
ant, after his gallant chief had retired
from the field with slight wound,
which was, however, of sufficient impor-
lance to be mentioned in the dispatches
announcing the defeat and capture of
Dieskan at Crown Point. In fact, the
lion skin being too short, the epidermus
of the fox was made available to exc out
the deficiency, with the happiest results
TO the wearer thereof.
Charles Selwyn was about twenty-five,
tall, brown-haired, gray-eyed, with
resolute mouth and thoughtful yet
cheerful expression.
The room was large with no attempt
at adornment, unless the stags' antlers
and other trophies of the chase suspend
ed on the walls could be counted as
such. A few bear skins scattered on the
floor served the purpose of mats and, at
a pinch, beds, when guests were numer-
Gus; and the blazing logs gave all the
ligh that was needed on winter nights.
1t was, in short, the great hall and re-
ception-room of an American manor
house, rude and inelegant to European
eyes, but quite in harmony with the
genius and tee requirements of the
hardy pioneers of a new nation. A table
strewed with books and manuscripts
gave evidence, however, that the light
of eighteenth century intelligence was
not quite excluded by the forest shade.
From this object Sir William glanced at
the face of his nephew.
Dreams, dreams! Charles" he said, !
with an impatient gesture, well enough
in time of peace, but now we have other
matters on which to sharpen our wits
and our swords
SIS it not peaceful in the valley, /
uncle?" asked the youth. ''Methinks
this Arcadian peacefulness is the nurse .
of poetic thcught,sthe cradle of philos- |
ophy."
''Thou art not lacking in the soldier !
blood of thy race, boy, else 1 would not .
be here tonight replied the baronet,
dropping into familiar and confiden-
tial tone, land that which have to say
imports thee much"
''You are right, uncle, but if lay my
books aside must have something to
recompense me for the sacrifice
'sHard blows, lad, hard blows. Turn
thine ambition in another channel
hlnS george IS not n1ggard OF his
favors to those who deserve them. The
laurel on the hero's brow is nobler than
the bay leaf of the poet or the toga of
the sage"
The young man was not as much i'm
pressed by this rhetorical speech as mis-
kinsman supposed. He was not al
together a book-worm, having served
under Sir William in the gallant affair
at Lake George, where the French and
Indians under Baron Dieskan were de-
feated by the provincial troops. Per-
haps the youth knew, better than the
English home government, how small
share Sir William earned of that DAYS
laurelS.
TO BE CONTINUED.
a Good-Natured Man.
In an Omaha church recently Sam Jones
shouted: lis there man present who
never spoke cross word to his wife?'
The silence was becoming oppressive.
People looked here and there. Every
husband present wanted to get up, but
lid not dare to. But the sadness that
had possession of Jones' face vanished
a moment later when round-faced,
rood-natured man rose from his seat
Thank Godi" exclaimed Sam. There
S one man who never spoke cross
rprd RI his wifef's The poo6 N f,,rad |