The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-02-17
CECIL COUNTY. FRIDAY FEBRUARY

don't seem to be anything coming to
me but the same poverty and the same
labor that you have always had"
He looked at me-a serious. plying
glance it was-and sat down on a gram
ite bowlder. He leaned his head on
his hand and sighed.
my boy, I've often thought of this.
Your poor mother and | have laid
awake nights talking about it; but
never thought it had troubled you any.
What do you want?"
"To go to the academy-maybe to
college-and by and by to get out into
the world, try to make man of my
self, like the men read of, and to see
something besides these hills and these
people. I'd like to get rich, and come
back and build n big house for you and
mother over on the lake. Yes, I'd like
to do anything rather than live here
all my life"
He smiled at my youthful enthusiasm;
but his look OF painful reflection quick
ly returned,
"Dorr, | had just such dreams my
self, when was young, and | presume
that my father before me had them.
wanted an education, and couldn't
have it. Poverty, hard toll and en-
barrassment seem to be the lot of
those who cleave to this soil. God
knows, | wish things might be shaped
as you wish them; but how to contrive
it do not know"
His hoe dropped from his hand, and
his eyes sought the ground. CHANGED
10 l. nr1 1,o ,.t1
and | saw man in buggy stop at
our gate. A woman, my mother, of
course, as there was none other about
the house, came to the door. There
was a brief parley; then the man got
out, hitched the horse, climbed the
fence and strobe over the upland to-
ward us.
Perhaps my frame of mind just then
inclined me toward a presentiment.
Perhaps the reader will say that it is
always easy to predict after the fact.
No matter; the fact remains the same
that sudden and decided conviction
was forced upon me that this stranger
was to have a positive influence upon
my life, and that his presence here at
this time was of itself Il promise of
great results for me.
He walked rapidly, removing his
-brimmed palm-leaf hat and wip-
ing his brow with large red handller-
chief as he came. He was tall, power
full of frame and horid of face; and l
observed uthat there was something
about this color, hardly tan, that at
once attributed to the sun of another
L. l., Il tos1 - L.
person and dress took in at once; my
attention was certainly sharpened by
the presentiment | have mentioned. I
judged him to be at least fifty years
old, though his face was plump and
unwrinkled. His features were bold
and handsome; there was a twinkle to
his eye and an ever-recurring smile
upon his face that made him seem the
most charming of men. Short curls of
chestnut hair ran all over his head.
His dress was rich in material and
fashionable in cut; diamonds were in
his shirt-front, and an immense soli-
taire sparkled on one of his little fin
gers.
He came up within few feet of me,
and paused. My father had thus far
not seen him at all; he was absorbed
in his revery. The stranger looked
from me to him, and spoke in round,
hearty voice:
"Well. here we are. My lad, what's
your name?"
"Dorr Jewett, sir"
SIS that your fathcr?"
Eyes, sir
4 70, ,1N.%,, ~ lrir.
and bestowed such hearty thwack