The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-09-25
...Ai11ling High.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

could not nave surprised MS mother
moro. But ho stuck to it.
"Yes, mother, that Is the only girl l
will ever marry" he repeated, throw
ing his head back and looking down at
the work-worn little woman with eyes
from which cleaned all the determina-
ton of the sons of the lands of dikes
and Rcmbrandts, "an' Pm going to
marry her some day; there amt no
two ways about that"
Phil, boy, you arc foolish, ," replied
tho woman, who had recovered her COM
posure somewhat, but was still visibly
startled and shocked. She amt one
of our kind. Her people live in fine
house in the city and wear fine clothes
and cat meat three times day. They
arc quality folks. When she grows up
to be q young lady she won't look at a
barcfootcd farmer boy like you, with
rough hands and no schoolin.'"
II don't care for all them things"
replied the lad deiiantly," l will marry
her some day. will not be a bare
footed farmer boy, l will git into their
class somehow"
The mother smiled softly and shook
hor head. She knew enough of the
world and Its ways to appreciate the
position of her big, shock. headed,
barcfooted, unlettered boy.
There had been little of JOY or hope
in the boyhood of Phil Doran, but
plenty of sclf-dcnial and toll. 1t had
been hard struggle for the widowed
mother to keep the family together and
fill the mouths with the plaincst food.
When the father had died just rs he
had begun to get start in tho land Of
his adoption, he had only left the little
not the most fertile--and the worst of
1t was, not entirely paid for. The wife,
recently transplantod from the old
country, was ill-equippcd to cope with
the stuation-al all but for her sturdy
industry, her rigid economy and her
singlc-hcarted purpose. But she had
grapplcd with the problem with all the
patient perseverance OF her race, and
had kept the wolf from the door and
met the payments on the farm, Ithad
been hard ruggle-almost forlorn-
and to keep head above water 1t had
been necessary to keep all the strength
OF Phll's young limbs from the time he
could barely toddle.
Most of their income was derived
from raising garden truck and pcddlng
it in the city, and the days were all too
short to care for the growing of things
and marketing them. Seldom indeed
was young Phil in bed after 2 O'Clock
in the morning and seldom wero the
evening chores done 50 that he could
seek his cot before 8 O'Clock. He had
been faithful and sturdy, and with the
help Of the younger children
she had been able to get along and pay
off the mortgage.
come into Phil's life had been this day
when brown-eyed and brown-halred
little Susan Hunter had come out into
the country to spend the day. The
Hunters were good customers of the
Widow Doran, and while delivering her
wares one day she had seen little
Susan and remarked her pale face and
told her mother that e day N the coun-
try would put new color into her
cheeks. The result was that it was
arranged that Mrs. Hunter should
bring tho girl to the Doran farm for a
days outing in the country air. And
Phil had been detailed to show her all
the mysteries of field and farm and
barn and sty. 1t had been the first
real holiday the boy had ever known
and it had cost the widow a deal of
planning to secure it. But the Hun
tcrs wore pr, litablc customers and the
widow counted the incident of great
advantage.
llcr surpi isc at Phll's calm announce
mcnt that evening that he proposed to
marry the dainty little potriclan can be
imagined. And the boy never waver.
ed in his resolution. 1t became the
dominant motive of his young life.
Ills whole scheme of existence chang
ed. lie began to pick up in some
mysterious way a little learning. He
could barely spell out few words in
print, but on the rides to and from tho
city he now always carried a newsna-
per Generally an old one, } or an alma.
nae, which absorbed all his epero;es
Whenever he had to wait for anvbodv
a moment out from his pocket came a
pamphlet or paper. He had learned
to write his name and q few words
necessary for the transaction of the
simple business. Now he eagerly
grasped every opportunity to use the
little he knew, and to add to his skill
and knowledge. From mere scrawls
his letters became firm and legible. He
sought contact with people IN the city
and absorbed their manner of thought
and action.
1t was not until winter that he made
radical move. Then one day he said
TO his mother:
Byron & King will give me q lob
al $25 q month driving a delivery
wagon. l am going to do it for this
wlnter, anyway. There amt so much
work IN the winter, and John ia old
enough now to do most all nv work.
Cornelia is big enough to help Won.
ana Paul can 10 a lot of things I did
when l was seven. You kin git along fer
the winter and mebby by that time ri
be gittin' enough to make up for nv
not bcin' here. Mr.. Byron said if !
did well they would hire me for .
clerk awhile, and I'D git more wages. I"
The mother expostulated in vain
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