The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-02-07
sun, CECIL COUNTY, FRIDAY FEBR

come back in couple of years, glad to go a.
farminga What harms been done, says
What harms"
"Oh, thank you, father" said Jacob,
huskly; "Im obliged to you"
"Will yer be a-going soona" said Aunt
Kate, presently, accepting the inevitable
with feminine quickness; "'cause yer'll
need some more socks, I'm thinking"
eyes, mother" said Uncle Aaron, smil-
ing, as one humors child; "yes, he'll need
the socks"
''I'll go and see if the yarn be there,' said
Aunt Kate, suddenly all wide-awake and
energetic; 'sif he goes soon they're not
made in day." and she jumped up from her
seat, climbed the ladder and disappeared in
the loft above
Lets go outside" said Uncle Aaron.
They went out and stood side by side under
the big pine trees.
Father" said Jacob at last, ''if you had
rather l didn't, I won't. 1t wouldn't be
worth while, you know, to worry you" All
the sweet smile that came over his face.
Dear lad, l would not keep ye. Go!
4e're young and smart, and I know
yen do well-I know yell do we'll
Why, some of these days it'll be an
honor for me to say yer my lad-and, per-
haps, ye'll be ashamed of yer poor old father
and mother"
"What!" cried the boy, and such look
of indignant love glowed in his face that
his father added, hastily: s'I'm but joking,
lad. know my boy,' and reaching out his
hand he clasped the others close.
"Father, l wish you could go with me-"
eyes, yes" said Uncle Aaron, dreamily
~ wish had been born twenty years later
and different. Sometimes, do yer know,
lad, see another sort of life from this. I
feel as if-as if-if I'd had but the schoolin'
it would have been different. DO yer un-
derstand?" he said, modestly; ~ sound
queer to ye, mebbe?"
"No," said Jacob, earnestly; 'syou don't.
Oh, father father! What puzzle life is,
anyhow" and the young fellow buried his
face in his hands, and with the selfishness
of the young groaned aloud. The greater
soul merely stified its pain and said
'When will ye go, think yea"
II don't know; next week, guess" said
Jacob, looking up. "Will that be too soon?'
NO. answered Uncle Aaron, ''not too
soon-not too SOON"
''Some way, father, can't bear to think
OF settling down here all my life 1t just
chokes me''
Dou liet, lesu uOIl' u IFeC. i understand
yer feelin's, and it makes no differ what
the others say-it makes no differ"
II guess" said Jacob, at last, after they
had stood silent some moments, ~ guess
I'll chop pile of wood before go, to keep
mother agoin'"
"All right" nodded his father.
The boy went about his work, but the
man stood still looking out over the valley
In dumb way he felt penned in, stifled
himself He had felt so often during his
later years, something as of repressed force,
imprisoned power. He was like grand
lion Gagged, restlessly pacing to and fro,
stronger than his keepers, and yet unable
to break the bars by which they bound him.
Those slight and unseen keepers of educa-
tion and worldly knowledgel With them
he could have done wonders in the world
he felt it. Without them he was but big
wistful-eyed brute, that eat it's food and
eat and slept again.
But the boy-that was his one outlet.
Gently he turned. and, smiling, strobe back
towards the house.