The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-12-21
CHAPTER L,

there Is community where, 1t Is said,
q mans honor is worth more than his
gold. OF course this is not true unless
as possibly might have been the case
"a man must have had a small amount
of gold and an enormous degree of
honor. But it is fact that in this
community man placed a very high
estimate upon his own word. And It
may naturally be inferred that the
code fourished as fever that followed
the chilly observance of trivial though
rigid rules of social conduct. The
code did flourish, and 1t hourished so
luxuriantly that every man In the COM
munity became so expert a shot that q
duel meant almost certain death for
both parties.
In this community there lived two
young men who had grown up In
rivalry, not in the nature of love
affair, but had early learned to de-
spise each others good points. Bill
ings acknowledged one day that he
really did not know why he hated
Podsley. "But do you really hate him2"
some one asked.
"Hate him! Why ,hydrophobia
never hated pure blood as l hate that
fellow" He hesitated a moment and
then added: Rather an odd COM
parison, gentlemen, admit, but when
! think Of that man have a mania--a
feeling that ] have been bitten by a
mad dog. And yet, stand here ready
to commend him, acknowledging him
to be man Of good manners, of good
family and good graces. But hate him
and he hates me-"
"lts strange that you've never come
together" u man remarked.
"Yes, 1t is rather strange, and vet
not SO strange either, when you con-
slider the fact that neither OF US has
ever given the other cause to take
active offense. j hated him at school
and have hated him everywhere; and
what is strange to me is that instead
of my hate wearing out as the years of
judgment come on, it seems to become
deeper, as the roots of a poisonous vine
that push their way further and fur
ther into the earth. l suppose we'll
come together some day"
Billings had been waiting for the
blacksmith TO shoe his horse, and as
the work was now done he mounted
and rode away. He had not been gone
long when Podsley rode up. He did
not dismount, but turning sidewise in
his saddle he began in his easy and
half-drawling way to harangue the
party of men sitting about the door.
81 have just seen the new circuit
- ha ha t,11 k1,,4
he expected to do great work in this
neighborhood. ] informed him that
there was plenty of material lying
around, and that as soon as got
through with my own particular har-
vest l would help him with his. Oh,
think that can swing cradle in the
tangled wheat and tares of sin. But
don't think that the preacher took my
offer In good part. he asked me II
were a professor, and had to tell hin.
that there still remained several de-
grees of sanctity that / had not taken.
Thereupon, fellow-citizens, he rebuked
me-"
sand he served you right" said the
blacksmith, who stood in the door,
wiping his hands on his sheep-sldn
apron.
81 suppose you're right, Tobe," Pods
ley replied, "but 1t does rather chafe
me to see a young fellow just from
school, just from an ambitious exam
3nation into which his earthly pride
urged him by promising him prize-I.
say it chafes me to hear that young
Fellow talk TO older men about the sin
of the world and Of the great work
which he himself Is expected to per-
form. And yet, II 1t hadn't been for a
certain man in this community sup
pose that should have been preach
er. 1t was my mothers prayer and my
own intention, but as the time drew
near / found that my heart was too
full of hate to preach the gospel of
love"
"But couldn't you let the love for the
many overcome the hate Of the one?"
the blacksmith asked.
''No, / threw personal inclination
and a mothers yearning on the side of
love of the many, but there stood the
hate, defying everything"
''We all know who tho object of hate
hs," said the blacksmith,
] "oh, suppose you do, for there has
never been any concealment of It. All
bis friends and all my friends know II.
And yet, to tell you the truth, don't
know why hate him. 1t has been q
hnystery to me nearly ell my life. But I
remember that about the first lhcid
thonght / eYer had Waa the idea that