The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-11-25
The Mountaineer'S
Dream
BY HUGH A. c. WALKER

T HE air OF sleepy quiet which had
brooded over the little valley
town for a year had changed to buzz
OF excitement. Commencement was on
again at Watauga college; the town
was full OF enthusiastic alumni and
visiting friends from every corner Of
the surrounding country.
It was on a different errand that
the two Aryey brothers had come
down from their home on Stump
House in their white-covered wagon.
Only a month before their father had
died, leaving his large family depend
ent upon the two grown-up sons, and
they we're at Watauga for the purpose
Of Strengthening up his small business
affairs and making certain arrange
ments concerning the management Of
their little mountain farm.
This required only a short time,
however, and on Tuesday morning
they found themselves drifting with
the crowd toward the college. wholly
ignorant Of the exercises going on
there. The scene on the inside was
a revelation to both, for never before
had an Avery, from Stump House,
been within a college building. There,
upon the high old rostrum. sat the
young men Of the graduating class,
clothed In their best. the center Of at
traction 10 all the vast assembly be-
low. One by one they stood before
the audience, and with fervent, rustic
eloQuence delivered their graduating
speeches, each Of which called forth
enthusiastic applause, loads Of flow
ers. and crash Of discordant
music from the noisy brass band
in the gallery. Then. when the
speeches were all over, the gayly be-
ribboned diplomas we're handed TO
the graduates by the president, after
which came more applause and an
other rapturous burst Of music from
the gallery. The scene-impressive
10 those who we're most accustomed
TO Watauga commencements-w
one which remained forever fadeless
in the memories of the mountaineer
brothers.
The Arveys' Journey homo that aft
ernoon was an unusually quiet one.
For hour after hour neither spoke;
both sat gazing in a kind Of trance
upon the mountain scenery which had
been familiar to them from childhood.
No sound disturbed the stiffness ex
cept the rumble OF the wagon and
the hoof-strokes OF the little mules
upon the finty mountain road. 1t
was the older brother who broke the
silence.
"Tom," he said. I'm gwine ter
stan on thet same platform some
day an say my speech an git my
paper"
I've sworn the same. Gus" came
the laconic reply; "the Aryeys hey
got ter be heerd frum."
II was doubtless fortunate for the
brothers that they could not compre-
bend the obstacles that lay between
them and the doors OF the college;
both had times Of discouragement,
and It required the strongest deter
mination, combined with frequent
visits to Watauga for fresh inspira-
ton, to keep them faithful. At the
end Of three years, however, by per.
sistent labor and with the aid of the
teacher at Double Springs, himself a
watauga graduate, they had pre-
pared themselves for entrance into
college.
As It was found impossible for both
10 attend at the same time, the
rather delicate situation arose Of
deciding which one should first enjoy
the coveted privilege.
81 s'pose, Gus. bein' the oldest, you
ought to be the first to 60" Tom
suggested, rather reluctantly.
But Tom had not proven a very
successful farmer, and that was prob
ably the reason for the plan proposed
BY Gus
"No, Tom" he explained, III you
20 on now an graduate you can
help me along a sight better. Be
sides, alw'ys seemed to have a
kind O. knack o. runnin' the farm;
you must 90 nrst"
So II was decided. On the first
day Of October Gus carried Tom and
his little handful Of belongings down
to Watauga In the wagon, and after
seeing him properly settled In his
new world. turned his own face again
toward Stump House
II was dark when the wagon rolled
into the yard. After the mules had
been stabbed and fed, Gus stood for a
few moments looking silently across
the mountains as the night slowly
fell around them and blotted them
from view. In the window OF a
cabin across on RoGndtop a red light
fickered, and there came to his ears