The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-12-16
Abide in the Swamp
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BY S. RHEU ROMAN

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THE result Is what counts, AID
l the fnality striyen for by every
one is contentment, If not happiness.
A sacrifice OF personal ambition. in
pursuit Of some imperious call. which
gives Us eventually the. content We
crave for, is, therefore. the height OF
human wisdom.
This was my conclusion. reached
while riding slowly along the planta-
ton road which runs through The
center Of the canefelds, while was
abstractedly watching the gangs OF la
borers at work.
When Jack died leaving Susan and
her baby girl practically penniless, il
was plain 70 me that | must give UP
my law practice and take hold Of poor
old Jacks tangled affairs. and. bring
ing order out OF chaos. get back his
ieopardized sugar place into prosper
GUS condition for those two.
Belley.ew is a glorious country
home. for behind the stately old colo
NAL house stretch 5000 acres Of fine
cane and pasture lands. cut of By
rim Of thick forest and swamp. where
splendid timber has been growing for
centuries.
With reckless improvidence Jack
had heavily mortgaged the old place
against my advice.
SO. as III our school and college
days. Jack and | had been more like
brothers than cousins. l felt I must
come forward and save his widow and
child from bankruptcy.
There was d fascination about Jack
Travers which | for one could never
resist
He had certain dash and daring
aud gay light-heartedness. and for all
he was impulsively heads'rong. yet |
could not remember anyone failing TO
fan under h!s influence. be quite ready
10 condone his follies and declare his
mistakes and blunders unkind cuts
OF fate.
Poor ola Jack, Vera Is very much
like him. bat IL possible even hand
s0mer.
Jack was certainly the handsomest
man I ever saw.
II is now 10 years since closed NJ
my law Office. packed away my books
and refused TO run fos the attorney
eneralship. although | knew ! wa
practically elected.
But there was something else.
knew. II was that unless | devote,
my entire attention and time and en-
orgy to the task OF redeeming Belle
view. Jacks noble property would g
under the auctioneer's hammer.
Results have proved | was right
Each grinding season has Melted
handsome amount. have Ions sine
cleared OF the mortgage. and on
year will see 1000 acres planted 4
cane. besides diversified crops.
The sawmill put up as venture
in tho heart OF the swamp is bringin
in biz returns. and when Vera wi
reach her majority IN few month
time she may lay claim TO being
wealthy young woman in her ow
right. Then will turn over my stew
ardship and 90 back TO my law book
grown musty from disuse-like the
weather-beaten and taciturn maste
II means an arduous life TO supe
wise. as have done. an embarrasss
estate. redeem Il and make its bros
fields Justify and answer 10 the ca
made upon them, and to bring veal
out Of ruin. But Il has its rewards.
One grows 10 love the rich. bla'
lands. the glorious growth Of the lol
stretch Of cane, the straight run OF Z
plow through the burrows. the SIM
Of the upturned earth. the sight
cattle in the pasture, and the song
the laborers going home when thu
days work is done.
And when the last slanting ra
Of the sun have loft the fields TO d
shades OF purple. green and gray. VIII
gliding the crest OF the forest, a
the ka'ydids and nesting birds 81
their last sweet calls, the hour Is pl
pitious for self-communing
drop the rein on my sorrels nc
and let him crop a tuft of grass alo
the edge Of the ditch. as we 20 SLOW
tlong. and count mp the cost OF
ambition sacrificed to Vera's hap
ness and find the debt is in my fay
Poor Jacks baby ~girl crept into
heart that first night when took
In my arms and sobbngly she went
sleep. her tangled nut-brown GU
close TO my cheek, wi lie explain
10 her mother that would provide
care for Jacks widow and child "
tireless devotion.
Vera. In those early years, was
constant companion. she would v