The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-04-07
BOYHOOD DAYS
By BENNETT +. Harris.

neer. He took the glass from the
tray as he spoke, held it critically 10
the light and then set it down on the
table beside him.
..What is it?'' Intercepted the SASH
factory owner, anxiously, with refer
ence to the glass; IF there's any
thing wrong with it have him take II
back
.sNothing at all; it's all right. I've
rot in the habit of looking in that
way at any liquid I'm about to turn
into myself, in much the same way
as some women are said to look under
a bed before they trust themselves
in IT, l don't expect to find anything.
It's q mere form, but invariably do
Il. Maybe it's the esthetic pleasure
derived from the Utilization of the col
or sense"
Seems to me that's pretty Steep
remarked the satisfactory owner
ut isn't anything to some get on,
said the civil engineer. "Say, don't
you remember the joy of looking
through piece of colored glass when
YOU were a kid? had a prism from
a chandelier when l was about ten
wears old, and that was about the only
thing they could never get me to
trade. We had little greenhouse IN
the back yard that had door with a
large red center pane and little blue
corner panes, and I'd spend hours in
there Just looking at the landscape
through the red glass-taking rose
colored view of life. / was walking
along Clark street the other day and
saw a window with red glass. 1t was
in a saloon, but for q minute rseemed
to smell rose geraniums and warm leaf
mold, and 1 was back again in the
little old greenhouse scraping the
paint blisters from that door with
piece of broken flower pot"
'sThose were happy days, it we only
knew it." observed the satisfactory
owner, pensively; "the happiest in our
lives, If we only knew it. We were in
nocent then, unspoiled and unspotted
by the sordid passions of later years,
uncalloused by the unremitting strife
of a-well, you catch my meaning,
anyway"
81 guess 1 do, but at the same time
/ don't agree with you, said the civil
engineer. 'sThis is probably the hap
piest period in our lives, if we only
knew it. Looking back, and taking
dispassionate view in SO doing
"A view undimmed by the soft
pearly haze of fond remembrance, "
suggested the satisfactory owner.
.Iguess so--or words to that effect, "
said the civil engineer, impatiently. Il
what was saying when you inter-
rupted me? Oh, yes. say, looking
back, / can see that my days were full
Of grief. / had brother two years
older than was, and had to wear his
clothes when he grew out of them
and he could lick me, and he didn't
overlook that circumstance. / had to
work like a mailer for any money
got, Just the same as l do now, only
more So and / never could come any
where as near getting what l wanted
for what had as l can now. remem
Der saving up for two months to buy
me pair of skates and the first time
went down to the ice with them they
broke. Do you think I'd feel half al
bad if I was sold up tomorrow ant
had to begin over again? Not much
wouldn't If get broke know how
can make raise, but didn't know
where / could get another pair o
skates. Same way when I playe'
hockey two days and they kept me a
home the day the circus was in town
There isn't any sort of pearly haze tina
is going to dim the recollection of m,
emotions when heard the band pla
and couldn't as much as get glimps
of the procession from my bedroom
window. Can't feel my eyes swolle
now and the lump in my throat an
the fever in my face and the snuffies i
my nose? 1t isn't the cares of to-da
that is bringing the gray hairs an
the anxious wrinkles. It's the hal.
forgotten SORROWS of childhood, tn
pain and the blank despair of thos
golden days just getting in the
work"
ut seems to me that you are lookin
at the seamy side" said the sash-fa.
tory owner as the civil enginet
paused to look through the gla!
again. Il suppose you saw the ci
Gus some time or other. You ha
some fun, didn't your
II never had good time that / ca
remember that / didn't get an al
fred whaling for it," replied the ci,
engineer. 1.-The better the time, Il
worse the lambasting"
II wouldn't wonder if your idea
. good time was to perpetrate son
meanness a boy can be guilty Of"
you are right enough there. L