Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-08-10

Nor?"
~ ISLE rode to the old corral at
IL the time that Craig had fix
IIIT0iI ed. He found the books. but
60 not his friend, and after wait
ing until hope Of his arrival was past
he turned bis borse's head homeward.
and after that he 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 new and uneXplored field which
possessed strange and unaccountable
fascination for him. Craig Thompson
had selected them with great care. aud
had be known the character Of the mis-
sion work they were TO perform he
could not have exercised better tudg-
ment- They contained nothing that
was calculated TO shock the awakening
faculties of Lisie Maxwelrs emotional
nature, but to his immature percep-
tons 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 be began to
dream and wonder and surmise upon
subjects and theories which never be-
fore had been permitted access TO his
mind. Richard Maxwell could guard
against outward and visible assaults
upon the fortress that he had built up
around his son. but he could not con-
tend with this subtle foe TO his theories,
snd the battle went on under his eyes
without once revealing it's existence.
There was one conversation between
them which rather startled the father.
and possibly IL HAD something to do
with a serious incident which immedi-
ately followed II. Ii is true. however,
that be believed that the invisible for
tress that be had erected about his son
was too nearly imprcgnable for sue
cessful assault.
Father" said Lisle on that occa-
sion. Il will be 10 in June"
YES, Lisle." was the reply. You
are almost n man grown-and still a
child" Richard Maxwell sighed deep
ly, and his mind leaped backward over
the flight OF years.
And still child" echoed Lisle.
will you tell me why ] am still a
childY'
Il mean. my son, that you are still
child 10 your father You will al.
ways be- that. Sons who are loved for.
ever remain as children TO their par.
entS. IL is one OF the elements in i,4r|
economy OF crparina -
l.isle was silent for several moments:
thea. raising his head no snid slowly:
i have in mind several things that
are puzzi'ng 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"
Il think OF three. sir. each one sug-
gested by the replies that you have al
ready made. 1 Will approach them one
by one
''Very we'll The first, then?'
Il am still 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
20 manhood? While 1 was with you
IN the Smoky valley l saw several
young men who We're younger than L
am. There was something about them
that is different from anything have
ever known or experienced. 1t was in
tangible, If you please, but il was new
ertheless real, because l could not dis
cover that il existed between them
individually, only between them, or
any one or them, and me. They were
rougher, brawnier. heavier in voice, in
manner, Ia figure, than l am. Their
features were coarser everything
about them was different. Hair grows
upon their faces, as ii does on yours.
VIII you explain this difference TO
meT
Your training has been different
from theirs, Lisle."
Pardon me, sir. but l cannot under
stand why that should make all the
difference. There were subtle differ
ences which ! have not words to ex-
plain because l do not know how to
define them, but l 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 a 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 and me
or between you and me. Do l make
myself understood? l mean that In
some ways those strangers were more
Ike 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 inexpIicable differ
ence that exists between them and me
could discover also between you a&d