The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-01-22

He had an unconquerabIe habit of
Keeping his own affairs to himself.
He enjoyed remarkably good fortune,
including a notable immunity from ILL
ness and injury. In which connection
may record tie fact that he never had
one OF the so called diseases of child.
hood.
in other respects he was the typical
American boy. He played as much as
possible, and studied when his con-
science or his elders compelled him to
do 30. He had his friendships and hIs
childish loves. He romped gayly in
the long summer evenings and COM
mitted clever and amusing mischief
once in awhile, In regard to which I
think that even hestrecording angel
always waited for Donald's confess
sion and never attempted to know the
facts In advance of 1T.
At the age OF sixteen he was ready
for college. He was then six feet in
height md weighed ITO pounds. He
resembled both his parents, but was
generally called bis mothers boy, for
he bad. her red gold ,hair, and hright,
tepss eaefp asss s. asIl I'M faetes ssSFFlaata sF
most plainly in moments of excitement,
md ut such times. even during his
childhood young Donald would exhibit
the solemn, superficial calm and eX-
treine precision of speech which had al-
ways characterized the "deacon" when
IN a. high state of nervous tension.
:, If he had during his youth such
psychiese&periences as are not the conf
mon iot of humanity, l was not able
to observe them. A few vague hints
of no more importance than the school
nirrs, remark which I have quoted
would have been the best evidence
that 4 could have adduced previous to
the month of June in the year 1899.
We We're expecting him home from
college in q week or two when we were
surprised by receiving this telegram:
Last exam. today Leave Immediately.
You viii see me tomorrow.
We knew that he had intended to
stay, beyond class day and that the
varsity baseball nine. Of which he was
member, had not closed its season, so
the message puzzled US and gave rise
to considerable anxiety. His mother
telesraphcd for an explanation. but no
answer came. On the morrow. how
ever, came Donald himself, hale and
happy, and handsome beyond the
dreams Of romance. When we assailed
him with questions, he stared at us.
"Why, there's no particular reason
for my coming" said he. IL merely
felt like II: that's al"
Then after q pause he added:
81 wonder why the dickens ! did
come? l can't think, unless 1t was be-
cause wanted to see my very best
girl"
Whereupon he put his arm across
his mothers shoulders and kissed heI
tenderly upon the forehead and hair
To all appearances Dorothy might In
deed have been his "very best girl oI
perhaps his sister, but surely not his
mother. She had preserved her youth
{ full looks to degree that is beyond the
2 eredence Of the reader. so that / shall
e not attempt to state the truth about 1t
E1beu she was thirty, the Tunbridg'
,'1e0pie ie spoke Of her with wonder. ant
3 she looks younger now than she die
; st1Ien.s
Donaldson, upon the other hand, ha
; aged greatly. He Is worrying man
I am afraid, and must always be sc
Moreover. he received peculiar In
Jury some years ago, when an old fac
tory building which we bought from
the Strobel estate collapsed while
dozen Of our workmen were inspect
ing It with a view to ascertaining 1t
needs. Donaldson was the first to pei
ceive the peril, and 1t is said that h
sustained mass Of falling timbers 1
the posture Of Atlas long enoug
to permit several Of his companions
crawl out to safety who would othel
wise have been shut in. A maze q
tradition has grown up around this ii
eident, but It really involved nothln