The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-09-11
An Obstinate Boy.

and obstinate boy. There could be L
question about that. lie had a GOO
position in the house of q very rich an
u very liberal patron. His duties wei
not oncrous, but such rs they were /
fulfilled them in a most conscientior
manner. The position might hay
been n snap, but Donald did not loo
mt il in that way and all his wakin
hours were gwen TO the dong {
things, required or not, which shoul
make Tor The bcttcrment of the stable
of his employer and all they contained
Donald had not had any education
to speak Of--that ls, any education
living within the realm of books, ant
what training he had came from the
sterling discipline of his good Scotcl
mother.
Anyway it so happened that the
union of his mother and father had no
nroycd most fortunate, and the rugged
Qualities of the material Scotch hac
nccn ncutraliZcd by the indccisive
character of the father with his mix.
turc of French and American blood.
AZ any rate, when tho boy was mere
child, both parents died, and Donald
was placed in scrvitudc with the family
of the wealthy Hobart Waylcr. His
place was in the stables and right faith
Iul work did nc do with the horses and
vehicles. For besides the Scotch blood
IN his veins, which made him faithful
and persistent in his duty, there were
,hr lessons nc had been taught at his
mothers knee, who had instructed
him when a mere baby to be thorough
AND careful in all the efforts OF life.
tie could not help it--no more than
could she; II was The heritage OF the
aces.
50 he ploddrd along, putting up with
the snccrS Of the lackcyS and other cm-
ployrrS, who laughed at his COnsclcn-
nous work. ~ best he could. 1t was
no small comfort to this homeless and
lonesome boy to come in contact with
Ethel, the Godcn-hairch little daughter
OF The house, whose thirteen years
seemed to rive his fourteen something
of u right lN protect and guard over
her. Being a bonnie lad and handy
with the horses, he found him.
self almost always her cOmpanion-or
groom, on the afternoon rides, and
there were rare afternoon rncinga over
The fine country roads and through the
groves. And through ii all Donald waa
exceeding careful and releasing The
high spirit OF the girl IA well az hia
own superior strength and skill with
the horses, he often taxed his ingenuity
to permit her TO WIN, albeit 1t required
the utmost strength and tact with his
own horse, craHcd with the excitement
Of The cuursc---and his own youthful
head not SO cool as it might have been.
For rArlng for IL goal with a fine stccd
under YOU is not so cold blOOGcd o
proposition AZ would naturally permit
the avcraS" boy to regard it AZ a mere
incident.
The days and weeks and months
merged into years, and all the time
Donald became more and more salts.
fled with life especially as he rode
with Miss Ethel by day and dreamed
of her 10y mght. For she was in truth
Il bonnie lass TO look upon, with hel
bright blue laughing eyes, and her
sunny yellow hair, and her rcd lips
and her 1.-the and graceful physique.
She inspired Donald to great thoughts
and filled his sturdy young mind with
lofty purposes, And ~ he grew older
and worked hard O nights in his little
l"'t IN the barn, trying, poor boy, to
Keep pace with his goldcn-haircd in
sr'rallon AZ she travelled along the
pam ol learning with her professors
""o masters, %rcat purpose and a
Srrat inspiration came into his mind
''''' heart. While it was hard and
sometimes dlscouraginS TO him he
came month by month to realize that
i''S hralh was able to solve the prob
!cmS presented by the books and the
h'Sh spirit of independence, which
ever characterized his race, grow in
MS young heart until he whspcrcd
S"'uy to himself; "Why not? Why
am not | ns good M she? Without
masters or teachers am ablo to teach
hcr day by day how TO do her tasks,
why can not 60 out and conuucr Tho
world and como back and" and then
ms dreamy went of into the rosy realm
where ii really il not safe to vouch for
'hr'r accuracy or their sanity.
And then came the crash. Ethel
had arrived at the age of sixteen, and
was about to launch forth as II young
'ahy IN the devious and alluring path,
"l soc'cty, under the skillful tutorshl,
"' hcr mother. And Ethel WAS
"""ng studcnt--and an apt, and tn
horseback rides and tho romps be
t"'he lever and fewer and Donnl,
.t'ued his young spirit soro. But h
WAS patient and faithful and many
umH when sorrly disappointed did h
t"asn t" INC gleam Of kindly sympath
Mom Tho eyes of jennie GRAY. tn
''""s maid who served Ethel.
C limo lass" he said to h;msc,,
,on mn p.ty her for having to sncn
.nr,,;a r. ;,,"e IN tho great house with II
W"r'n ,;r all the trouble and hum;,;,
''on m 10 DC near Ethel all tho ,imc ~
one day after an exhilinra,,n"' -, ,
with Ethel, incident 70 wh,nh s tlo
had been considerable talk Of hn', ,I,e,
and studies, Donald, warmed NV voo' .,
companlonship aud exalted bv h;ss h;s ~, y,
thoughts, fingered at tho doors, s Wv ",
after helping Ethel down, and ds,ol noMa
out his hopes and aspirations
dreams of an academic education .
n -