The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1892-12-17
.aS he rode away.

saS he rode away.
Can words picture the burning sense of
wrong and wild desire for revenge that
ragged within my heart! | was but child
scarce ten years old, when that sharp blow
fell upon my face, but | feel it still, as
though the spirit of evil had lurked within
the blow. Mad from disgrace and smart
ing with pain, | sought my mother. Her
quick eye caught the mark, and holding
me in her arms to soothe me, she said.
What is it. my son?'
Her motherly sympathy calmed my
wrath and l wept
Tell Inc ALL my son. she said, with
loving accent in her voice, that is still
sounding in my ears.
AS soon as could speak told her what
I had seen and that had asked father to
help the poor people. She held me still
nearer to her heart, as though to make
amends for fathers cruelty.
Never mind, my son, she said, "when
you are a man you can try and remedy the
evils you have seen and will continue to
see for many years to come.''
20 mother, why are people driven from
hoine?" | cried between the sobs that still
shook my frame.
They are sent away because they can
not pay the rent
What is rents'
the Use of land
But why do people have to pay for the
land they work."
Because few men own the land and
the many must work it,
But they will freeze to DEATH I said
my mind returning to the little children.
bayefooteu and almost naked, in the bitter
cold.
I'VE can DO nothing to help them," said
Any mother. IL have often tried, but it al
ways veXed your father
! was the only son of Lord WaVcrland
who owned q large estate in the south
west part Ui Ireland, near the beautiful
lake Killarney. My father was a cold,
proud man. Who never loved anyone but
himself. Ny mother was an heiresS when
he married her. He soon gained posses
siun Of her wealth. for she was of a loving,
trusting nature, and having made him her
ideal, she was slow to realize that she was
little more to Elm than the lowest servant
in his house.
! remained at home under the direct in
tluence of my mother until | was sixteen
wears OF age She had given to me and my
baby sister all the tender love of her noble
heart. From her | had learned lessons Of
temperance and virtue, and Il holy rever-
ence for the Bible. How pleasant to my
memory are the hours we passed reading
and ta}kn, together of the lessons taught
In the sacred Word, or the troubles of our
people. The scenes that first called my at
tentiOn to their sutTerings had become an
every day occurrence, and from my moth
,er's teachings had learned to feel more
.acutely than ever the injuries done them.
Often from my childish purse had | re-
lieved want and suffering, but | never in
terfered in Lord Waverland's business
again His first cruel blow had left life
long impression
The only way my father had ever cared
for me was in fitting me for Il country gen
tleman. Under his direction | had taken
lessons in shooting until was one of the
best shots for miles around. | could ride
.,is well and fearlessly as any of his noble
guests at the fox hunts. could swim and
dive in the beautiful Killarney as easily as
.Sthe great white swans that had been my
rpiaynates. And | could drive four in
hand with the coachman himself. For all
these things my father would pat me on
the shoulder and eXclaim with pride:
'''Iou do credit to the old family Of Waver-
landr'
was nearly six feet tall with a good
share Of activity and strength, with blue
eyes, a fair. full face and open brow, shad
ed by dark brown hair. My great delight
was in riding. The glad free sense that
came with being i the saddle seemed a
part Of my very nature.
The country around was wild and noun
famous in some directions, III others we
could see the beautiful lake. often rode
Nsyer the moor, which spread away in the
distance without a house or track. nothing
but the tufts Of purple and black heather.
till the mountains far away seemed to roll
up toward the sky in folds and peaks, sHed
by silvery threai-like cataracts, TOO dis
tant to be heard.
My companions were few for I had
loved solitude better than society. But
there was one family with whom we were