The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-01-15
AGAINST WIND AND TIDE,
BY ANNA SHIELDS,

People in Maysvillc ALWAYS shruoned
'helr shoulders when Mark Lamson was
mentioned, aud usually the expressive
gesture was followed bJ some deprcca-
ting remark.
Comes of bad stock" old Judge Len
noX would say, in his pompous Dictator
ial manner. ''All the Lamsons were
worthless, and Mrs. Lamson was a
hodgc, and everybody knows what they
are
The house in which Mark was born.
and where he scrambled up to manhood,
was large farm house, tumbling to
pieces iuSdc, with a roof always being
patched against leaking, doors without
locks and with shaking hinges, windows
that ratified III every wind, ceilings that
dropped plaster whenever Il heavy foot
shoOk the upper rooms and furniture i'm
the last stage of shabbincSs. Ills father
ana mother were slattcrnly in dress,
shiltless In household management. and
the handsome. bright boy was ove:-in-
dulged and neglected as their own indo-
lencc suggested.
But Mark Lamson inherited mono of
the leading traits of his parents. Prob
II
mixture of energy, resolution and ability
OF which the Maysvillc gossips had never
heard, and for which they certainly ga1e
Mark no credit. 1t was IN vain that the
Principal of the Maysvillc High School
declared that Mark had graduated with
the best record he had ever given in the
school. 1t was useless for the ad hlm-
sell TO keep his life free from blame, aud
earnestly cndcavor to do his duty.
Maysvll!c could not forget that he was
Lamson, and his mother was Hodge
-"bad stock"
AS he passed from boyhood to man
hood, Mark began the unequal struggle
against late and circumstances, that was
dictated only by his own energy. His
father had been able 60 get bread from
me larm by lazy tilla%e that gave the
bare necessities for the table; his mother
had very small income that gave the
three clothing of tic poorest description,
and both were in open mOuthcd wonder
that Mark was not content, as they had
been, - dawdle through life and "make
OUT with what they had
And Mark, struggling to attain better
things, with only Il VAGUE, undi,cipliucd
longing lUr Improvement, met no en-
couragcmcnt ut home or abroad. He
tricd to obtain situation, but employers
were shy about living work to a Lamson;
he met but cool reception at the Mays
vile social gatherings, having no knowl-
edge OF how to repair his own linen or
Keep his poor clothing even tidy. Boy
like, he imagined II new suit aud cav
necktie were all.suiiicent for party,
and did not heed the fraycd cuffs and
broken collars at which the Maysvillc
bellies turned up their noses.
But, IN spite Of his fathers lazy COM
mentS, his mothers frctful rcmons.ra ices,
Mark Lamson, finding no employment
outside, determined to sec if the farm
would not find him in work.
"OA, yes; do rs you please" his
father sad. "But there is no money
for new tangled tiXings, and the land
Is about worn out. Plenty of ic, to be
sure, but 'tain't worth Shucks."
SO, single handed, Mark undertook the
work OF bringing up the old farm EARLY
and late he tolIcd, repairing fences, weed
ing, picklnS stones, roofing out dead
stump, preparing his land, without one
hand stretched cut to help him, one voice
10 Wish him success. Thomas, the only
maN h'S father employed. gave n surly re.
tuSal lp aid, upon the ground that his
regular routine of shiftlcss farmin" took
all his ti"c, and Mark patiently sub.
mitted
lie was twenty one years old, when
Int" his dull.monotonouS life came "A new
Stiin"Ius--a hope bright rs vision and
almost as basee,s. He fell in love! He
dId not walk in cautiously, counting his
steps aud weighing hIs chlnces but he
fell IN plump, suddenly, hopclcssly.
There had been warm discussion at
the Judges about inviting Mlrk to the
party that WIS to celebrate Essie's
eighteenth birthday arl her final return
from boarding school. Bat the pet of
the house hal Il will of her own and n
lively recollection of Mork's handsome
lace ahd bJyISh giI!alJricS, AM Insistc
upon his being invited. Mark, CARVING
in ms memory only pretty little girl,
lounl himself confronted by an ,nIcn.
able beauty; face to win HOMAGE in far
more prctcntiOuS circles than Mpysyillc
boastcd, and II gentle grac, OF manner
none OF the girls Of his acquaintance had
ever extended to him.
The touch OF the soft little hand
offered TO greet him riveted the chains
Essic's face had cast about Marks heart.
and made him her slave then and there.
he had starved all his life for sympathy.
and his first half-hour with Essie filed
his longing heart with content. She re.
mcmbered all his boyish aspirations; she
entered into all his hopes and ambitions.
The party was the beginning Of an inter
course that stimulate anew every good
resolution, gave a new vigor to every
hope of Mark s life.
The village was essentially democratic,
and the fact that hssic was the onIy
child and hclrCss Of the richest, most in
fuential man i'll the place did not prevent
her from visiting Mrs. Lamson upon
terms OF perfect equality. She was fond
Of the weak, amiable woman, strongly as
she censured, in her youthful strength,