The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-05-06

turned away, sull scOWllng, ana gong
into the family bedroom he sat down
and began removing his boots making
a. much noise as possible i'm the opera
ton, which was his usual method of
letting his better half know that things
were not going to suit him.
The noise aroused Mrs. Stone, who
had gone to bed some time before and
knew nothing of the scene between
father and son, and she soothingly in
quired
whats the matter now, Hiram ?"
"Nothin' much only Pve bin givin'
the young man upstairs lesson he'll
remember a spell, | reckon" was the
answer. al found him settin' up,
studyin' Latin grammer that he had
bought unbeknown to me, an when |
told him l wasn't going to have him
wastin' his time in that way, he COM
menced talkin' back about going to
college an all that sort of humbug, so
jest lugged the book downstairs an
burnt it up"
"Why, Hiram, how could you do
such a thing? Silas will never get
over 1.-THE thinks so much of his
books"
"Who's askin' him to get over it? i
reckon I'm boss around here yet
awhile, an he's got to do as | say or
get out. He said he'd leave home in
the mornin' if burnt up his book, am
/ told him to go on an never show his
face around here ag'in.
''You ought to be ashamed of your
self if you did, Hiram"
"Well, l ain't," said Hiram, doggedly.
"If he don't know when he is well off
let him go that's all Ive got TO say"
at isn't likely he will leave home,
but Pm very sorry you burned his
book. | should think you might give
i'll and let him go TO college. He's the
only child we have, and you know you
could give him a good education and
not feel the,loss.o the money"
"Mebbe | could, but 1 never had
college education, an 1 don't know
that it's necessary for him TO have one.
Anyhow, there's no use talkin' about
It any more. The matters settled now
AS fur's I'm concerned"
"But Hiram"
II tell We the matters settled ~
And without another word Mr.. Stone
finished undressing and plunged into
bed, where he was soon, to all appear
anees, peacefully slumbering.
There was one of the inmates of the
little farmhouse, however, to whom no
slumber came that night.
Silas heard his father open and shut
the kitchen stove. He knew that his
hard-earned book was destroyed and
bitter were the thoughts that surged
through his brain. He I, if- that there
was only one course left for him to pur-
sue. 1t was impossible to study as he
wished at home through fear of losing
his services his father would not allow
it; his cheek was still tingling from the
blow he had received he could not
longer endure it. He must 90 away.
Whether right or wrong, this was his
resolve.
If he had waited till morning per-
haps things might have straightened
themselves out, but he did not wait
He could not bear to have his mother
see that mark on his face, which was
already swollen and discolored lie
dreaded further interview with his
father; and having made up his mind
to go, he sat down and wrote faIe-
well message TO his mother, giving in
full his reasons for leaving heme,
though dwelling as briefly as possible
on the scene with his father, and max
ing no mention of the blow he had re-
ceived, and ended by saying that ifthe
time ever came when, through misfor-
tune or otherwise, his father really
needed his help, and asked him to re-
turn, he would consider it his duty to
do so.
This note he left on the little table,
and then, gathering in a bundle the
few things he would need for the pres
ent, he crept softly down the stairs, in
the darkness of the night, and with an
aching heart, went forth into tie
world.
When Silas's mother went to his
room to awaken him the next morning,
she found it empty and his farewell
message awaiting her.
When her husband came in to his
breakfast the storm of her grief was
over, and with calm face she placed
the letter before him. He read it
through in silence, and then grimly re-
marked:
"Well, if he waits till ask him TO
come back he'll wait good while
can tell him that"
Hiram" said Mrs. Stone, after a
moments silence, did anything take
place between youand Silas more than
you told me of last night?"
Mr.. Stone kept his eyes on his plate
rs he answered:
"Well, he stepped right in front of
me when l was comm out of the room
with his book, an he didn't GEL out of
my way quick enough when told him
TO, so had toto teach him his place"
Surely you didn't strike him, Hi
ram?"
"Only once, Martha, an | reckon il
wasn't any harder than he deserved.
An now I've heard all care to about
the matter. Don't mention his name
to me ag'in. He's gone an that set
ties it. I've got enough to do without
worryin' over that"
And pushing his chair back from the
table, Hiram Stone got up from his
half-fnished breakfast and left the
room.
Letters came frequently from Silas to
his mother, telling of his whereabouts,
his progress in working his way through
the world and in his studies, but al
though she invariably left the letters
on the sitting-room table beside her
husbands weekly papers, so far as she
knew he never read any of them, and
whenever Mrs. Stone mentioned the
name of the boy, he only settled down