The news & observer., 1896-12-27

l1e was scasccly eight wheE II WAS be
aieve0 that he enuid have REASONABLY iald
claim % the abaNye title. But he never did.
He was as SMALL boy. intensely freckied
to the roots Of his tawny hair, with even
a suspicion OF il in his aimon shaped bus
somewhat full eyer, which were tue green-
ish hue of = ripe gooseberry. AL this
was very unlike his parents. from whom
he iiverepd in resemblance ia that fash
ion 90 often seen in the Southwest OF
America, as If the yosth OF the bouaaless
West had struck new note of inde-
pendence and originality, overriding all
conservative and esta blished rules OF
heredity. Something Of this was also
shown in 4 Singular and remarkable re-
ticence and Hrmness of purpose, quite
unlike his family OF schoGsfellows. His
mother was the wife OF tgamster, who
had apparently once dumped" his fam-
lily, consisting of boy and tgo girls, on
the roadside at BErnt Spring, with the
canvas roof OF his wagon to cover them,
while he proceeded to deliver other freight
not so exclusively his own at other sta
tons along the road, returning to them on
distant and separate occasions With
slight additions TO their stock, habita-
ton, and furniture. In this way the can
vas roof was finally shingled and the hut
enlarged, and, under the quickening OF q
smiling California sky and the forcing
Of teeming California soil, the chance
sown seed took root and became known
as MedIiker's Ranch, or "Medliker's," !"
with It's bursting garden patch and its
three sheds or ''lean-to's.'
The girls helped their mother in a
childish initiative way; the boy, John
Bunyan, after more desultory and orr
ginal fashion--when he was going to-
or ostensibly coming from" school, for
he was seldom actually there. Some
thing OF this fear was in the mind 81 Mrs
Medliker one morning as she looked up
from the kettle she scrubbing, with pre-
monition OF more worriting," to behold
the Rev. MIR. Staples, the local minister,
haul John Bunyan Medliker into the
shanty with one hand. Letting Johnny
so, he placed his back against the door
and wiped his face with a red handler
chief. Johnny dropped into a chair, fur
lively glancing at the arm By which Mr..
Staples had dragged him, and feeling 1t
with tbs other hand to see if it was
really longer.
I've been requested by the school
master" said the Rev. MIR. Staples, put
ting his handkerchief back into his broad
felt hat with gasping smile, ito bring
our young friend before you for matter
of.counsel and discipline. have done
so. Sister Medliker, with some difficulty"
-he looked down at John Bunyan, who
again felt OF his arm and was satisfied
that it was ionger-"but we must do our
dooty even with difficulty to ourselves,
and, perhaps, to others. Our young
fr;apI Jol Ja L.
height-on slippery places, and" con-
tinued Mr.. Staples, with lofty disre-
gard to consecutive metaphor. ..his feet
are taking fast hold OF destruction" !"
Here the child drew breath of relief,
possibly at the prospect of being ON firm
; ground OF any kind at last; ;sbut Sister
Medliker, to whom the Staples style OF
exordium had only Sabbath signifi-
cance, turned to her offspring abruptly.
And what's these yer doin's now,
John, and me savin' TO send ye to
school?"
Thus appealed to, Johnny looked for a
reply at his feet, ut his arm, and at the
kettle. Then he said: II amt done nothin'
but he'-indicating Staples -''hez been
nighonter pullin' off my armr
Its nov almost a week ago." contin-
ued Mr.. Staples, waving aside the inter-
ruption with a smile of painful christian
tolerance, ''or perhaps ten days-I won't
be too sure-that the schoolmaster dis
covered thst Johnny had in his possession
two or three fakes OF fine gold, each OF
the value Of half dollar, or perhaps
GA cents. On being questioned wehre
he got them he refused to say; although
subsequently he alleged that he had
found them. 1t being a single instance.
he was given the benefit Of the doubt,
and nothing more was said about it. But
few days after he was found trying to
pass OF, at Mr.. Smiths store, two other
makes or different size and a small mug
get OF the value of four or five dollars.
At this point / was called in; he repeated
TO me, grieve to say, the same untruth-
fulness, and when | suggested to him the
obvious fact that he had taken it from
one or the miners Sluice boxes and COM
mltted the grievous sin OF theft he wick
edly denied it-so that we are prevented
from carrying out the christian command
OF restoring it even one fold, instead OF
four or Ave fold, as the Mosaic law might
have required We were, alas. unable
to ascertain anything from the miners
themselves, though / grieve to say they
one and all agreed that heir take that
week was not at all what they had ex-
pected. even went so far as to admit
the possibility of his own statement, and
besought him at least to show me where
he had found it. He at first refused with
great stubbornness of temper, but later
consented to accompany me privately this
afternoon to the spot" Mr.. Staples
paused, and, sinking his voice, gloomily,
and with his eyes fixed upon Johnny, CON
tinued slowly:
When | state that, after several times
trying to evade me on the way, he finally
led me to the top OF Bald Hill, where
there is not a scrap of soil and not the
slightest indication, and still persisted
that he found it there, you will under
stand, Sister Medliker, the incorrigibiIity
OF his conduct, and how he has added
the sin OF false witness to his brea king
OF the Eighth Commandment. But I
leave him to your christian discipline!
Let us hope that IT, through his stiff