Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-11-23


Scribed in my first chapter were not
witnessed by me. But had seen and
known one Of the chief actors long be-
fore that memorable morning. | had
seen and known him under circum-
stances that make IL necessary TO due
comprehension Of the narrative to state
where, when and how.
II was five years before. To be cx-
act, II was the spring Of 1913. was
planting corn with my father, on one Of
the almost sterile hillsidcs of the New
Lampshirc farm. The humble roof
under which ! was born was visible
down near the river. The Mcrrimac
wound along two sides OF our little
homestead, furnishing the only cheer
ful feature of the scene. IIills-ster-
tic hills-cncOmpasscd us. Twenty
mica away could see the granite top
OF Mount Kearsarge soaring 10 the
clouds.
was boy OF eleven, rather prcco-
cious for my years | attended the
public school four months in the year,
and laborcd with my father the bal
ancc of the time among these rocks. |
went to meeting" on Sundays in the
Old cdifcc ON top Of high hill, on the
stccple OF which vccring wooden
Goldfish denoted the direction Of the
wind, and saved the people from the
PROCLAMATION which cross In that
place would have caused listened
TO the choir, elevated to fearful
height In the rear gallery, as they
Numbered forth rcsouyding anthems
and fugues. heard the dolcful-visagcd
and drawling- minister pray
forty minutes ut n stretch, and preach
ninety, frequently dcvoting nine.
tenths of the whole race to exquisite
and eternal torment. had thirst
for knowledge that the public school
could not supply. A stray copy Of the
Boston Daily journal, coming like an
enchanter from the outside world,
sometimes stimulated this thirst. |
was generally regarded as "a green
boy" ian odd stick" etc; and once
heard OF Deacon llallccS telling my
father that boy with such out
laudish notions as Dorr ought to be
whipped regularly twice u week.
Doubtless | should have been, had the
deacon been given the ordering of me
earlier than he was; but my father, al
though reared in all the vigor of Puri-
tanism, was by nature kind and ten.
dcr-hcarted, and religious fanaticism
could not change him. To my own
puzzled youthful mind, IL often seemed
as though n grave mistake had been
made In my allotment. | seemed to
have been set down in the wrong cor.
ncr of the world, among u people will.
whom had no affinity,
Twas still n mere boy. learned a,
grew older, and long before babe
farewell to my northern home, to re.
spect the intelligence, the force, the
sturdy honesty OF this people, whose
very "failings leaned 10 virtues side. +"
Still, thought then, as think now,
that should always have been dwarfed
and cramped among them.
Returning to the bleak hillside
where my father and were striving to
plant corn ON that afternoon, record
how suddenly stopped work, leaned
on my hoe, and contemplated my
father lie was in his shirt-slceves;
his grazing hair and refined but
wrinlSlcd face were turned to me as he
bent over his toll. A sudden inspira.
ton seized me.
Father! Do you suppose that when
get to be as old as you are, shall be
planting corn in these rocls?"
lie stopped and looked up in sur
prise.
81 hope not, Dorr-I hope you won't
But what put such question into your
head just now2"
Its in my head all the time. The
way things are going on here. there
don't seem TO be anything coming to
me but the same poverty aud the same
labor that you have always had"
He looked at me-a serious, plying
glance II was-and sat down on gran.
lite bowlder, lie leaned his head on
his hand and sighed.
"My boy, I've often thought of this
Your poor mother and have laid
awake nights talking about IT, but
never thought II had troubled you any
What do you want2"
ITO go TO the academy-maybe Ia
college-and by and by TO get out into
the world, try to make man OF my
self, like the men read of, and TO see
something besides these hills and these
people. I'd like to get rich, and come
back and build big house for you and
mother over ON the lake. Yes, I'd like
to do anything rather than live here
all my life"
lie smiled Mt my youthful enthusiasm
but his look Of painful reflection quick
ly returned.
"Dorr, had just such dreams my
self when was young, and presume
that my father before me had them.
wanted an education, and couldn't
have It, Poverty, hard toll and EN-
barrassment seem to be the lot o,
those who cleave to this soil.s Coz
knows, | wish things might be SHAPED
rs you wish them; but how to contriv,
II | do not know"
His hoe dropped from his hand, aut
his eyes sought the ground. chaneeC
10 look down toward the river roaS
and saw man In buggy stop a
our gate A woman, my mother, o
course, as there was none other abou
the house, came TO tho door. Thor,
was brief porleyi then the man 60
OUT hitched tho horse, climbed tn,
fence and Atssds ever Ne upland "