Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-05-26

~ can't deny you are my son."
wherein mother yearning and patriotic
sco,n fought q fierce fight for suprem-
acy.
II can't deny that you are my son,
Strong Martin Headstrong oughter
ben your name, for you've took the bit
in your mouth at every important turn
Of your life, maxim me and Eben 3 heart
ache, more'n all the rest Of our brood
put together.
you've been making us fus' proud
of you, and then shamed Of you. ever
sence the day me and Eben brought you
out 10 moetin to this very town You
can sec the steeple Of tho church you
was baptized in with your own eyes
from this identical spot, II It want
for that clump of catalpies And the
governor-blessed old man, fghtin this
very mint for his country, tho Iawd
only knows where-he met Us, say,
ON the road. or passed us ruther. Me
and Eben was in the spring wagon,
driving old Billy Blaze-you remem-
Der old Billy. Seth. sonny7 And the
governor, he passed us with them
spanking grays Of his and when he
saw what me and Eben was up to-you
was layin in white heap In my lap.
Strong-he put his head out the side Of
tho buggy, JUS as friendly as friendly
could be, sayin in that hearty voice Of
his'n, What you goin to name him,
EbenT And Eben, he called back: I'VE
amt made up our minds yet. Becky
and me have turned over just about 800
or 80 of good Christian names, but
somehow nuther they don't none Of
'em seem good enough for this chap
"You see, sonny" turning apologet-
ically toward Seth, "he come right aft
er you. and he was a real handsome
laddie. We hadn't learned then that
handsome Is as handsome does And
then the governor he laughed and said,
Name him for me, Eben, and he will
be sure Of the presidency And we all
laughed. and old Dolbear, he was hold
ing the grays in all this time, let 'em
go, and the governor was out OF sight
In a jiffy. and Eben he turned to me
and said, What do you think Of 1t.
Becky And said, What, Eben2' And
he said: About naming hiR after the
gov v'ner Strong Martin don't sound 30
bad And / said: No, 1t didn't. I
ruther liked the sound Of It, and we
settled ON 1t right there and then, 80
you can't say we didn't give you fair
start in life, Strong Martin, for that
led up to tho gov'ner sendin You of
to school and givin you better chance
than ever your brothers had Ana what
good has it ever done you? It turned
you ag inst your home. 1t turned you
ag inst the gov 'ner's family. It drove
you to settle down at Neck or Nothing
as surly and obstinate as could be, and
finally it's drove you into raising your
hand ag inst your own father and moth
er. Don't say word, Strong Martin,
for all your gold lace and your cringin,
crawlin, Yankee shoulders ont yonder
touchin their hats like plantation mig
ger ev'ry timo they come whar you ara
I'm more ashamed of You at this mint
than l ever thought to be Of anything
that bears the name of Martin. can't
deny you bein my own flesh and blood,
but don't want nothin Of you You've
cast in your lot with the enemies Of
your own people, and couldn't feel no
worse than I do this mint if you was
layin dead in your coffin before me,
stead of standin there 10 brassy and
bold in your Yankee clothes Oh. Strong.
Strong!"
Mamie Colyer. standing by the old
woman. tenderly drew the grief stained
cheeks within her sheltering arms.
"Let us go, Mrs. Martin. Let us 60
home. You will feel better after we get
back to Liza.
No word. no look for him.
"Yes, let us 60 home, child We are
not wanted here any longer"
With the superb oomposure Of an Of
Tended sovereign Mamie was drawing
the wreck of an antebellum veil over
her oomical hat Of plated shucks. the
fingers Of her white cotton mittens hoy
ering about her head like so many white
mice. It was necessary to pass close by
the desk where Strong stood, steadying
his shaken nerves by strong physical
effort. He put out his hand to detain
IL. II. .,l.k