Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-05-28

/
'Well, Windward, now what in the
world are you going to doT'
"Stndy law" said the youth.
give sometimes thought you might
adopt the claim as profession, remark
ed the old fellow, meditatively.
"Now, Tom, don't put that into his
headg' demonstrated Mrs. Bassett, who
was sitting by.
"Why, Fanny" said Uncle Tom, with
the sober air he put on when he was
teasing people, and yet was more than
half in earnest after all, Its our ruin.
Don't disparage our ruin. In this new
country ruins are scarce. They're an
infant industry and need protection,
not attack. Why, just see how carefully
congress preserves them!"
at will be our ruin said Mrs. Bas-
sett, ''if we keep at it. -
''Oh, mother!" shouted Windward.
''Say, Florence, mother has made joke
on the claim"
Uncle Tom smiled at this by-play and
went on, rather grimly:
Foreigners say we have no ruins, but
I could show them some about Washing
ton"
Eyes, it's a dreadful place." broke in
Mrs. Bassett; II hope Windward will
never 90 near it."
Except as a justice, mother, except
as justice" exclaimed the youngster.
mighty little Justice thereI" retort-
ed Mrs. Bassett.
washington" said old Tom, with the
calm confidence of a real estate agent in
his tone, sis rapidly becoming one of the
most beautiful cities in the country, and
wish 1 was there, if it is summer"
peter Stevens is going there, uncle,
for the summer" said Windward. His
member of congress got him clerkship
so that he could lay up little money to
start on in the autumn, when our law
term begins"
Old Toms blue eyes rested on Wind
ward with a curious expression. $50
your friend is going to Washington
temporarily" he said. Then the old
| gentleman fretted moment in his arm
chair and began ON an anecdote. 81 re-
member" he remarked, "when l was in
Washington, in 1853, that a youngster
named McArdle came to the city-tem-
porarily. Well" but just here one of
the young gentlemen who lowered
around Miss Florence came up the path
to the family group, and the converse
ton became general.
''Tn tell you about McArdle some
! other time" said Uncle Tom to Wind
ward quietly. "It's a long story, and a
pretty good one. If you ever do go to
Washington you must be sure and look
him up"
As Windward had said, Stevens spent
the summer months in Washington. And
when the autumn came young Mr.. Bas-
sett learned to his sorrow that his friend
had decided to stay on through the year,
as he could hold his place, which gave
him good salary, and study law in one
of the local colleges in his abundant
leisure. Windward's first impulse was
to go where he could be with his friend,
but Mrs. Bassett would not hear of it,
and, moreover, to Windward's surprise,
Uncle Tom added his veto to the sug-
gestion. So friends were parted.
With the following two years these
chronicles have little to do. Windward
pursued his law studies quietly and well,
with but one notable interruption. One
day that inevitable guest, Death, came
up the path to the family group and laid
his hand of conservation and blessing
kindly and gently, on the white head OF
old Tom Bassett.
His end was easy and peaceful. Wind
ward fortunately reached his bed
side in time to receive his fond and
wise dying messages. "You are going
to see the twentieth century, Wind
ward" he said 81 wish might, and
hope 1 shall, for we read that the gift o.
; God is eternal life. But, candidly, 1 haC
about as lief be citizen of the United
States for fifty years longer as an angel
But have no quarrel with death. HI
! has been very patient. Sometimes
have thought it was the claim. ",
! noticed in others that a claim, like tn,
asthma, often prolongs life" He talkeC
in this cheerful, playful tone constantly
without hooking, however, or frivolity
, and at times he grew very earnest, a.
when he turned to Windward after
long silence and said: Believe in you
country, its justice, its greatness, it
! value. Above all the pettinesses of tn
> scrabble for life rises the grand ideal o
: self government, like the white dome o
J the capitol above the shanties at its base
= If the times look sordid and great mel
= small, think of the noble services, tn
!. splendid sacrifices of these same men i
: the heroic times. They would do tn
> same again. But I wish people woul
live for their country as willingly as the
die for it." "'r
As the end grew nearer he wandere
at times, and in his delirium seemed t
be revisiting the favorite haunts of hi
younger manhood. HE is talking abou
Rufus Choate," whispered Mrs. Basset
to her children; ''they were great friends
He can't last long now, children"
poor uncle!' exclaimed Florenc,
bursting into tears.
81 don't know about that, said Vino
y ward stoutly, though his eyes were film
too.
Just on the horizon the sun bur
through the clouds. He recognized then
kissed and blessed them. Then, after
struggle for breath, he said in his fami
lar, kind tones: 1.-THE bill entitled bi
for the relief of old Tom Bassett hs
been read third time, and is now pI
upon its final passage"
Some inarticulate sentences followet
and then he pressed the hand of his nieC
av5