Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-09-04
CHAPTER vi.
IT AN NOT LIKE OTHER MEN. WHY AN I
NOTY'


NoTY"
ISLE rode to the old corral at
Ill the time that Craig had fix
E@ ed. He found the books. but
a not his friend. and after wait
ing until hope Of his arrival was past
he turned his horse's head homeward.
and after that lie spent much Of his
time while In the house perusing his
new treasures. They were simply good,
wholesome stories and biographies
which dealt with the noblest types OF
women. and to the youth they opened
up a new and unexplored field which
possessed a strange and unaccountable
fascination for him. Craig Thompson
had selected them with great care, and
had he known the character Of the mis-
sion work they were to perform he
could not have exercised better judg-
ment They contained nothing that
was calculated to shock the awakening
faculties Of Lisle Maxwells emotional
nature, but to his immature percep-
tions they were filed with unthinkable
revelations as beautiful and profound
as they were mysterious. They did
what nothing else had ever done-they
set him thinking - and he began to
dream and wonder and surmise upon
subjects and theories which never be-
fore had been permitted access to bis
mind. Richard Maxwell could guard
against outward and visible assaults
upon the fortress that he had built up
around his son. but be could not con-
tend with this subtle foe to bis theories.
and the battle went on under his eyes
without once revealing Its existence.
There was one conversation between
them which rather startled the father,
and possibly 1t had something to do
with a serious incident which immedi-
ately followed 1t. 1t Is true, however,
that he believed that the Invisible for
tress that be had erected about bis son
was too nearly impregnable for sue
cessful assault
"Father." said Lisle on that occa.
sion, 81 will be 10 In June"
"Yes. Lisle." was the reply. "You
are almost a man grown-and still q
child" Richard Maxwell sighed deep
ly. and his mind leaped backward over
the flight Of years.
land still q child" echoed Lisle.
"Will you tell me why l am still a
child"
IL mean. my son. that you are still
a child to your father. You will al
ways be that. Sons who are loved for
ever remain as children to their par.
ents. 1t is one of the elements In the
economy Of creation"
I.isle was silent for several moments;
then. raising his head. he said slowly:
81 have in mind several things that
are puzzling me. wish that you
would discuss them with me now."
"Tell me what they are. You know
that | am always anxious to reason
upon perplexities with you."
II think Of three. sir. each one sug-
gested by the replies that you have al
ready made. will approach them one
by one."
"very we'll. The first, then?"
81 am still q child: not In the sense
to which you refer-that Is. not solely
In that respect-but In every way.
Why have / not matured more nearly
to manhood? While I was with you
in the Smoky valley saw several
young men who were younger than
am. There was something about them
that is different from anything have
ever known or experienced. 1t was in-
tangible. If you please. but it was new
ertheless real. because l could not dis
cover that 1t existed between them
individually. only between them. or
any one Of them. and HE. They were
rougher. brawnier. heavier in voice. In
manner. in figure. than am. Their
features were cOarSer - everything
about them was different. Hair grows
upon their faces. as 1t does OH yours.
Will you explain this difference to
me%
"Your training has been different
from theirs. Lisle."
Pardon me. sir. but | cannot under
stand why that should make all the
difference There were subtle differ
enceS which | have not words to eX-
plain because | do not know how to
define them. but could feel them.
One day, while we were sorting our
cattle. two Of them sat upon their
horses close beside you. studied
them, and | studied you. Afterward
] rode up and took Il place beside
you myself. and then | studied over
them again. The same difference did
not manifest itself between them and
you as it did between them und me
or between you and me. DO ! make
myself understood? | mean that in
some ways those strangers were more
like you than |. who am your son. am
like YOU. The same subtle something
which distinguishes those young men
from me does not separate them from
you. and the same inrXplicable differ
ence that exists between them and me
| could discover also between you and
me. am not like other men. Why
am nOtT'
"Sm like other men whom you
know, Lisle? Am like Craig Thomp'
SOM" asked Richard Maxwell.
eyes. you are in the sense to which
l rcfer-in that subtle sense which |
cannot define. 1t Is in the air you
breathe. in the way you breathe it. in
the unspoken understanding between
YOU and other men. or. since you have
mentioned n name. between you and
Craig ThomDSOn-an UNDERSTANDING 10