Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-11-30

yelopments caused me TO recall the
dates OF this correspondence. My first
letter was written upon my sixteenth
birthday anniversary, January /. 1858.
I'm the due and rather slow course Of
the mails Of that time an answer came,
postmarltcd at the address in Missis-
gippi which MIR Bostock had left with
us. | was at that time completing my
first quarter at the academy; was eager
and Jealous Ia my studies. and IL must
be confessed that I was rather taken
nback TO discover that my correspond
cnt was very poor spcllcr But the
matter Of the cpistlc could not have
wished different II was hearty, gen.
erous, sympathetic. lie reiterated all
! had heard from him as TO myself
five years before, and he babe me come
down TO him as soon as my parents
would consent My second letter was
written in 1857, upon the death OF my
father, and advised my correspondent
that both Of my parents were no more
TO this no answer was ever returned
thought strangely Of his silence
II troubled me much, although ] at
tributcd IL TO miscarriage Of the mails.
After the lapse Of few weeks, the de
sire and intention TO write again grew
strong IL so happened that the din.
culties and annoyances Of the situa.
tion in which ! was placed after the
death Of my father caused me 10 defer
this design; so that, when started on
my southern journey In the summer OF
1868. the letter was still unwritten.
My father died soon after became
twenty years Of age. For year after
"A memorable yearl-I was domiciled
In the family Of my guardian. Deacon
llullcck
Shall attempt pcn-picturc OF this
man2 IL II not possible for me to do II
} Justice. lie was something over fifty
long, gaunt and sallow, with high
pitched, squcalting voice that digmolly
raspcd through all better sounds in tho
church choir. Ills face was thin,
peaked and bloodless, hiscycs restless
his hands were always moving about
as II searching for more coin TO add "a
his store. lie was reported to be worth
twenty thousand dollars--a large for.
tune for that day and place. Behind
his back people called him hard pc.
, nurious man; in public he was referred
, to ms our leading citizen, ia model OF
picty," "a pillar of religion"
In common with this mans unhappy
family, I suffered all the severity OF
. patriarchul government, and all the
tormcnts Of religious fanaticism, du-
ring my sojourn in his house. AZ sun
/ set of Saturday, the Sabbath was
deemed to have begun, and di,ci.
plinc harshcr than that of the pcnitcn-
tiary was enforced. The Scriptures
were read and Cypoundcd through
Deacon llallccks nose. Morning and
afternoon the family was marshalcd
forth to the mocting-hou.c on the hill,
barren OF shade. where the people
swcltercd in summer and fro1c In win
ter, as stoves in the latter season
would have been deemed II suggestion
of the adversary, At all times in the
week levity was frowncd upon aud
discouraged. The stray copies of the
Boston papers that had been my de-
light were vigorously coniiscatcd. ~
the deacon had not the time to go
over them with the scissors and clip
out the sinful paragraphs The few
volumes Of history and poetry which
| had accumulated by long and patient
sclf-denial-my precious boDk5!-wcrc
seized and put under lock and key,
until this Cerberus could look them
over and see II any of them were tit
to escape the flames. Meantime pend
ing this decision, | was recommended
to pcruse the volumes OF the dcucon's
small but select library, Of which BaX-
ter's perseverance and Rest Of the
Saints the lurid sermons OF Rev
Jonathan Edwards, and "Fox's Bool,
Of Martyrs" may be cited as speci-
mems.
My existence heretofore had been
one Of toll and poverty; but love and
kindness had lighted IL. To say that |
hated this new existence and its condi-
tions, is very feebly to express my feel
ings,
In the December before my majority
the deacon's barn, situated some dis
lance from the house, caught fire, and
was burned TO the ground. II was
filled with hay, part of the crop from
the owners farm, and some old disuscd
Implements, all of which were con
sumed. The deacon promptly collect
ed the insurance, and IL was cautiously
whispered about that he had succeeded
in getting his loss appraised ut about
double the actual amount But people
were very careful about repeating this
story.
The restraint and discipline to which
| was subjected brought ON an cxplo-
sion that winter II was soon after
my twcnty-hrst birthday had been
5 waiting little for my austere guardian
To inform me that was no longer I'M
, der his direction, when was resolved
, by hook or crook to make my way Ia
Mississippi. In the meantime resolved
: upon II little unwonted personal lib
crty a young peoples sleighride TO n
: tavern up in u gap of the mountains,
3 with supper and n dance, had been
projected. | well knew II would bc
fruitless to ask pcrmission; so re-
! solved to attend by means OF that eX-
pedicnt which the sailors call talking
, French" In other words, | climbed
cut of my chamber window at nine
. o'clock, when the family were asleep.
2 Disaster attended our homcward
l way in the early hours of the morning.
! The harness broke; delay attended its
I repair; IL was long afterdaylight when
we reached the village. know that
my clandestine absence must have
} been discovered, and resolved to put
, abold face on the matter. The deacons
family were at breakfast when