Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-01-22

might. " we had parted with happy
memories. hut II was net SO. Youth
hal been harsh season to Brent If
fate destlnes a man To teach, she COM
pcls him Co learn-bitter lessons, too,
whether he will or no. Brent was n
man ot genius. All experience, there
fore. piled itself upon him. He must
learn the immortal consultations by prob
ing all suffering himself.
Brcnt's story Is a short one or a long
one. II can he told in n page. or in a
years before In the same pew Of Berkeley
College chapel, grammars by or side
and tutors before MS. two well crammed
candidates for the freshman class. Brent
was q delicate. beautiful, dreamy boy.
Ny counterpart. | was plain prose, and
needed the poetic element We became
friends- | was steady; he was erratic.
! was calm; he was passionate. was
reasonably happy: he was totally miser-
able For good cause.
The cause was this; and 1t has broken
weaker hearts than Brent's His heart
was made Of stuff that does not know
how 10 break.
DIR. Swergcr was the cause of Brent's
misery. The Reverend DR.. Swerger was
n brutal man. One who believes that
God Ii vengeance naturally initiates his
God. and does not better his model.
Swerger was Brent's stepfather. Mrs.
Brent was pretty, silly, rich, and a
widow. Swerger wanted his wife pretty,
and not too wise: and that she was rich
balanced. perhaps little more than bal
Anced. the slight objection Of widow
hood.
Swerger naturally hated his stepson.
| One intuition Of Brent's was worth all
the thoughts Of Swerger's lifetime. A
clergyman who starts with believing in
hell. devils. original sin and such crudi-
ties can never he anything in the Nine
tenth century but tyrant or nui-
sancc. II he has any logic, rs fortunately
few ~ such misbelievers have. Swerger
hal logic so had the boy Brent-the
logic ~ n true. pure. loving heart. He
could not stand Swerger's coming into
his dead fathers house and deluding his
mother with black fanaticism.
80 Swerger gave him to understand
that he was a child Of hell. He won his
wife Ia shrink from her son. Between
them they lacerated the boy. He was a
brilliant fellow. quite the king of us all.
but he worked under cloud. He could
not get nj any better religion than Swer-
gers; and perhaps there was none better
-~or much better-to be had at that
time.
One day matters came to quarrel.
Hwerger cursed his stepson; of course not
In the same terms the sailors used on
Long wharf. but with no better spirit.
The mother. cowed by her husband,
backed him and abandoned the boy.
They drove him ont Of the house, to go
where he would. He came to me. gave
han half my quarters and tried to cheer
him. No use. This bitter wrong to his
love 10 God snd TO man almost crushed
him. He brooded and despaired. He
began 30 fancy himself the lost soul
Swerger had called him. l saw that he
would die or 20 mad or, II he had strength
enough TO react, II would be toward q
hapless rebellion against conventional
laws. and 20 make his blight ruin.
hurried him of to Europe for change
% scene. That was ten years ago and
had not seen him since. knew, how
ever, that his mother was visited by COM
punctions; that she wished to be recon
ciled to her son; that Swerger refused
and renewed his anathemas; that he bull
lied the poor little woman to death; that
Brent had 10 wiring the property out of
him by . long lawsuit, which the Swer-
gerites considered an unconstitutional
and devilish proceeding, another proof
~ total depravity. Miserable businessi
II weyt near 10 crush all the innocence,
faith. hope and religion out Of my friends
life.
OF course this experience had ten.
dency 10 drive Brent out OF the common
paths, 10 make him a seer instead Of a
deer. isfortune made him independent.
lie could 90 where he pleased.
This was the man who rode upon the
Iron gray horse. This was the Indian
e-qus SAXON who greeted me. 1t put
color aud poetry into my sulky life to see
him.
"Of, old fellowv" said Brent, pointing
his whip at my traps II can't hear him
squeak. but I'm sure there is pig In that
gunny bag and -four in that sack. Ihope
you're not away for long trip just as
have come TO squat with you"
mo longer than home across the
plains"
"Bravol thsn ven ride together In
stead Of squatting together. Instead OF