Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-16
IN THE MIDDLE WEST.
A Story of Life in the Great
 Mississippi Valley.

upon. had not in John Earrings youth it's natural food. but it was there with all it's fine needs ceaSclcSSlv asking for the bread of life To this end the lO\'s heart turned with loneliness and hunger, and spent itself upon his care less, buoyant, Sunny-tcmpcred fellow. Whether or not Harry Whitney was wholly worthy of this attachment. since necessity admits but few in- qulriCs, can not easily be set down. Perhaps the answer were quickest run to cover by tracking the progress of events. Clearly, however, his eNtrin- sic merits were many and the graccS of his nature not to be deSpised. Very frank and fair and generous he was at all events, and as a cOmrade well nigh incomparable. True. he lacked a little in the finer scruplcs perhaps, but there John Earling always set the limit. for no end. however gloSscd with seeming gain, could carry him beyond the bounds of honesty. This was the strongest current in John Earlings in- clinationS; the clear core of his hear!, the light be it fortunate or unfortu- nate, by which he saw the world, from the thousand hidcous and distorted trails of men across the face of it, down to his own minutest deed. Faults he had, and some unevennCss ot nat
 Ire. but not of honesty, unless indeed
 come. seeing darkly, may consider
 'urr integrity unprotitable and :oolish. Doubtless this virtue was inherited, at least there was no cAtraneous influence swaying him. Joel Whitnry's example was purely business one, and his idea of honor exactly commensurate with that II ir thr In Il question, or pulled it up to examine its roots that he might be satisfied if it were virtue or vice. Quite content was he with either it served his pur- pose. Business was the sea to him, into which all streams. both small and great. both foul and clranly, cmpticd. Why should he, successful cruiser on this frvCriSh flood, rcck of the streams that entered it? The son, too, was very like the father. having a fine skin and an endless fund of laughter, and, | like most very m0od-naturrd people, l was tightly in iolcnt. Neither was the l m"thrrs example aught that could have Swcrvrd John Earrings inclina- tiunS into the clCanly channel that they followed. The foundation of his nature seemingly was laid in honesty, and his being SO c"mcntcd to the rock that. though the worlds winds often beat and bent him about, they could not draw him from it. In those carly wears, though Joel Whitney was not stinting in his jovial kindness, the sometime chilly and in the main luke warm attitude of Mrs. Whitney op- pressed the boy. and filled him with growing thirst for freedom from de- l pcndrnrc. Even while vet child some vague ideas touching this were floating in his mind, and many were | the hours when others slept that saw l him sitting upon the floor within his | little room. using his only chair as a | desk. and boring over books prepared for older heads. Many were the times. 1 too. that he fell asleep with his cheek upon the open page. and dreamed of faces faint and iilmv as the NiSagCs of spirits. seeming far away in some land | he could not quite remember. and would awake in tears and creep into bed feel ing weary and lonely and old. But l wien the morrow came and the sweet sunshine broke over him on the green. no foot Was tlrrtrr and the blood of none danced mrrrier with tue keen delights of life. Yet when he entered the house little chll was there, a sense of unwelcomc. which, as time I the boys expanding pride. He did not ever. but kept il in his bosom unknown to others. unless indeed it were vaguely felt by Mrs. Whitney, who al"no inspired it.
 That the hearty Joel took account of it was scarcely probable, and the easy nuturrd Harry, slnc' any diScrimina- tiun in ones own favor iS seldom pain fully vivid, only now and then mildly
 protested against his mothers too obvious unfairncss. But beyond this
 one moro loved than Harry Whitney.
 Every thing that they possessed
 was shared in common. though
 this dlvls,on, with an eye to its
 pcrpCtuity. was much guarded from
 the frrrrt-like eyes of Mrs Whitney.
 That lady, in the presence of the mas
 ter of the house, was ever patronizing-
 ly pleasant to their youthful pcnsioncr,
 but lest John Earling should pass her
 idol on the path of life, or out of selfish
 hatred that this haplesS child should
 live upon their substance, she laid upon
 him many grievuus rules. One per
 haps moro krcnly like a lash than any
 other. since John Earrings thirst fol
 reading seemed boundless from the
 first, was that he should not share his , comrades books beyond the common 3 lesson of the day. This deprivation too. was doubled by the fact that Mrs Whitney purchased for her son book: in season and out of season. books , suited to his years and books bryont his comprehension. books that he likrC | and books hc would not read. which, il
 the end, swcrved from her cvidcn
 ambition to fatten her own sor
 mentally while leaving his com
 rade lean; for the generous Harry
 would not have it so. and in this on'
 regard, feeling so acutcly its injustice 4 John Earling accepted them at his in
 siStrncc. and fed upon their content,
 while others slept. or in the wood > land under some protecting tree haC many an enchanted hour. But how
 II Il.