The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-12
VI.
A RELUCTANT SAMARITAN.

Robert Protheroe was not the man to
let good resolution warp in the cool
ing. He was self-made, in the sense
that he owed his parents little beyond
the fact of existence; and the world,
after it's wont with waits, human or
otherwise, had tempered him in a salt
ish bath of adversely and sharpened
him upon the grindstonc of experience.
Having made shift to- climb some in
considerable distance up the slippery
hill Of knowledge by his own unaided
eXertions, he fell easily into the habit
Of thinking himself more capable than
other men. The demonstration was
simple and conclusive. He had proved
his ability to wiring a measure of sue
cess out of adverse circumstances where
others, with all the advantages of pre-
paratory training, had failed. He was
too kind-hearted to be cynical, but he
could not help making comparisons;
and they were usually unfavorable to
those who inspired them.
In the short conversation on the no.
tel veranda, ProtheToe had taken
Thorndyke's measure with a consider
able degree of accuracy, and but for
the enlistment of his sympathies he
might have been inclined to look upon
the New Yorker as a person who would
probably serve, upon better acquaint-
ance, to point the moral of another
comparison. AS it was, however. crit
lcism was swallowed up in charity,
and 10 minutes after leaving Thorn
dykes room Protheroe was galloping
out one of the prospective streets,
which, turning abruptly around the
shoulder of Johns mountain, became
country road leading up the valley
of the Little Chiwassee. His destina-
ton was a small farm-the home of
the Duncans-lying six miles up the
valley; and his object was to- prevail
upon his friends to open their doors
to the sick man.
There was small romance at the bot
tom of the Scotchman's settlement in
Alabama. Duncan had been a school
master in Lanarkshire, and Martha Kin
ross was first his pupil and later his
sweetheart. Martha was the laird's
daughter, and the laird, having a lust
regard for worldly gear, objected to
the penniless pedagogue. For once in
way, Duncan put his hereditary eau
ton under foot, gave up the school,
married the girl, and together they ran
away from the ladrd's wrath and from
the old world. Once over seas, the win
tiers OF Quebec became a sufficient nre-
text for farther wanderings, and these,
being almless, ended as we'll in Alabama
as elsewhere. They had bought the
wom-out farm in the Little Chiwassee
valley before Elsie was born, and the
chief motive in its selection was one
which neither Duncan nor his wife
would have acknowledged. The mar
row valley was Scottish glen; the sur
rounding mountains were the hills of
Lannrk magnified somewhat by the
kindly perspective of time and distance;
and 1T was within the compass of a mere
" practical imagination to transform
the small river into Scottish burn.
Not to be outdone in matter of
sentiment, the valley had repaid the
parents in kind by giving what mild
climate and inspiring scenery may give
Toward the endowment of the daughter.
Elsie Duncan was eomely and passing
lair to look upon, as the native-boqm
daughters OF aliens are wont to be;
moreover, she was simple and true
hearted, thinking that there were no
mountains like her own mountains and