The Republican journal., 1899-06-15
Against Wind and Tide.

1nelr shoulders Wnen MARK LamSOn was
mentioned, and usually the expressive
gesture was followed by some deprecating
remark.
Come of bad stock" old Judge len
nox would say, in his pompous, dictate
rial manner. IAN the Lamsons were
worthless, and Mrs. Lamson was Hodge,
and everybody knows what they are
The house in which Mark was born and
where he scrambled up to manhood was
large farmhouse, tumbling to pieces in
side, with a roof always being patched
against leaking, doors without locks, and
with shaking hinges, windows that rat
tied in every wind, ceilings that dropped
whenever heavy wind shook the upper
rooms, and furniture in the last stage of
shabbiness. His father and mother were
slatte1Lly in dress, shiftless in household
management, and the handsome, bright
boy was over INDUCED and neglected as
their own Incidence suggested.
But Mark Lamson inherited none of the
leading traits of his parents. Probably in
some remote ancestor there was mixture
of energy, resolution and ability, OF which
the May sville gossips had never heard
and tor which they gave Mark no credit
1t was in vain that the principal of the
May High school declared that Mark
had graduated with the best record he
had ever given in the school. 1t was use
less for the lad himself to keep his life
free from blame, and earnestly endeavor
to do his duty. NIaysville could not for
get that he was a Lamson, and his mother
was Hodge-"baG stockn'
As he passed from boyhood to man.
hood, Mark hegan the unequal struggle
against tate and circumstances that was
dictated 10y his own energy. His father
i.n,, |, IL /
farm by lazy tillage that gave the bare
necessities for the table, his mother had
very small income that gave the three
clothing of the poorest description, and
both We're in open -mouthed wonder that
Mark was not content as they had been,
to dawdle through life, and make OUT
with Nhat they had.
And. Marx, struggling to attain better
things, with only vague, undisciplined
longing for Improvement, met no en-
cOuragement at home or abroad. He tried
to obtain situation, but employers were
shy about giving work to a Jamson; he
met bat a cool reception at the Maysville
social gatherings, having no knowledge of
how to repair his own linen or keep his
poor clothing even tidy. Boy-like he i'm
agined new suit and gay neckties We're
all sufficient for party, and did not heed
which the Maysville bellies turned up
their noses.
But, in spite of his father lazy COM
ments, his mothers fretful remonstrances,
Marx Lamson, finding no employment
outside, determined to see if the farm
would not find him work
''Oh, yes, do as you please" his father
said. But there is no money for new
tangled tixings, and the land is about
worn out. Plenty of it, to be snIe, but
faint worth shucks.'
SO, single handed Mark undertook the
work OF bringing up the old farm. Early
and late he toiled, repairing fences, weed
ing, picking stones, roofing out dead
stumps preparing his land, without one
hand stretched out to help him. one voice
to wish him success. Thomas, the only
man his father employed, gave surly re
fusal to aid, upon the ground that his
regular routine of shittless farming took
all his time, and Mark patiently submit
ted.
lie was twenty-one years old when into
his dull monotonuus life came a new
stimulus-a hope, bright as d vision and
almost is oaseless. He fell i'll love, He
did not walk in cautiously, counting his
steps and weighing his chances, but fell
IL plump, suddenly, hopelessly.
There had been a warm discussion at
tie Judge about inviting Mark to the
party that was to celebrate ESTES eigh-
teentb birthday and her final return from
boarding school. But the pet of the
house lad will of her own and lively
recollection OF Mark S handsome face and
boyish gallantries, and insisted upon his
being invited. Mark, carrying in his
memory only a pretty little girl found
NV l. 10
beauty; a face to win homage in far more
pretentious circles than Maysville boast
ed and gentle grace of manner nat
none OF the girls of his acquaintance had
ever extended TO him.
70 touch the soft little hand offered to
greet him Iiveted the chains Essie's face
had cast about Mark S heart, and made him
her slave then and there. He had starved
all his life for sympathy, and his first half
hour with Essie filled his longing heart
with content. She remembered all his
boyish aspirations; she entered into all his
hopes and ambitions. The party was the
beginning OF an intercourse that stimu-
lated anew every good resolution, gave
new vigor to every new hope of Marks
life.
There are women who carry in their
own hearts an overlooking fund # SYM
pdlny, VINO can SINK self utterly the
presence of another person interest, and
throw their own power into their neigh
boris work without otficiousness or
offence. Essie Lennox was such a wo-
man, young as she was. She could give
her whole mind to every detail which she
had carried to her, from the cutting of
aprons for neighbours child to the gentle
soothing of an invalids terror of death;
from her mothers preserving kettle to
the comforting of a newly bereaved widow
or orphan. Nothing was too deep or
solemn, nothing too transient or trivial,
for that tender ever active interest and
sympathy that made her the idol of Mays
vile as well as the comfort of her home.
An hour with Essie sent him back to
his uphill work full of new hope, every
energy stimulated, every hope frightened.
He had not dared to set before him in
plain words the hope of one day winning
her heart to answer his own, for there
was all the humility of true passion in
that young, ardent heart, but he realized
new force, new spur of ambition.
Essie never sneered at him as the neigh
bors had become accustomed to doing;
Esse never threw cold water over his
nlanS for imnroviny the land EScia woo