Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-10
CHAPTER /.
The EtOn Boy.

events ~ lie. that becomes fate which
at e ; Nas merely choice: but rather
to s,ow how. by remarkable COM
bination o. circumstances Ito great
oXte-t beyond ny own cOntrOl. | was
Involved in d series ut perils and per-
egrinati0Gs. such Us rarely fall to the
lot even % those who have the most
restless Of dispositions.
That my temperament was and Il
still, something Of this nature. | must
confess; and the reading OF my leisure
hours-bou;Ss OF Wild adventure by field
and food Il have deyOurad them AL
from the volumes ~ dear old Daniel
Defoe, to those of the Railway Ii
brary filled my miud with yague
lOngings and airv fancies for greater
achievements than orr periodical re-
gatts- or the ranks of our Tton Ride
VolUEteec Corps we're likely to aTorI.
although ! deemed myself by no means
an u.dis -inSdished member OF the lat
ter.
"Existence. says a certain writer
appears to me scarcely existence,
without its struggles and its successes.
j sEoul3 eyer like to have some great
end before Tie. for the striving to az
tain amid q crowd OF competitor,
would make mo feel all the glory o.
life"
With such vague ideas floating be-
fore me, I returned from Elton last
year. and found myself at my fathers
house, the old and secluded rectory OF
Erlesmere. III very undecided frame
fessiou J should adopt.
Ny father. a. before urged King
College as proper preparation for am
profession.
Ny mother limited that our name had
shore III the nav. and east Il glance
at large portrait which hung i'll The
dining room. 1t represented George
Lord Rodney, The castigator OF the
Spaniards, in a full bOb-wig and white
satin brooches. boarding the leading
ship Of the Caracca feet amid a whiTl-
wind OF torn rigging. smoke and can
non balls, forming = background by no
means hilarious.
But my father pooh poohed this.
was already far too Old for the time ut
which the navy is entered -to-wij. the
mature years OF thirteen.
Then my Aunt ETY.. who still curled
her fair in the fashion OF thirty years
ago, recommended the army with 4
pensive air; for she had been engaged
to a young sub. who was killed at
must not say where. FOR it was great
many years ago, and Aunt Etty is I'M
married still: but her views. though
warmly seconded by sisters Dot and
Sybii twhO saw military balls and pie
MICS in perspective). did not accord
with mine. for / had spent two years
or more in our EtOn rifle corps. and
the monosOny OF the drill especially
that boring curriculum of Hythe posi-
ton IL went through the musketry
class worried me. as l wilful,y deem
ed myself able 10 sight my weapon and
bring down either F'renchman or a
pheasant without it.
At Aunt Etty's suggestion. my faith
CT would shake his white head and say.
quoting the author of Ecclesiasticus:
my heart TO see: Il man Of war that
suffereth from nOverty, and men of
understanding that are not set by The
sword, ETY., is hut a poor Inheritance
better send Dick to the counting house
Of his uncle, Rodney & Co., in Lon
dom"
But trembled at this suggestion. as
it did not accord with my own brilliant
views in any way. and SO months
passed idly away.
l missed the manly amuse mentS of
Elton and the hilarity OF M ciass-fe,-
lows; and though loving we'll my homo
and family, when the novelty of my re-
turn and of perfect freedom passed.
away, I longed for a change CT scene
a stirring occupation active en-
ployment.
Is destiny stronger than intention?
1 should hope not; yet for time |
was almost inclined to think so, after
the terrible episode by which | was
suddenly torn from my home and cast
upon that world which hitherto. | mad
viewed through the sunny medium of
my NaJ ui'i dlOut.
Two miles from the Rectory is the
village or small seaport Of ErIesmere.
One of the leading features in the
fisher-yillage OF Eriesmere is a little
public house, at the ivy-coiored porch
OF which q group OF burly weather
beaten fellows in long boots. striped
shirts, and red nightcaps. and con
stantly smoking, drinking and TAX
ing squints to seward" through an
old battered telescope, served" round
with spun yarn. Near it is small
dock yard, where their boats are built,
tarred and painted. and where a pass
ing coaster may have a trivial repair
effected. and occasionally be hove
down
1t happened, only last year, that a
small Dutch schooner Of some fifty
tons was laid down on the gridirOn al
ETlesmere dock for the purpose OF be-
ing repaired. This was an event OF
some Importance, and the whole maui
teal population cheerfully lent Il hand
IN unloading her. and securing the car
go, which consisted OF apples and Ter