The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-14
VucerneSS OF
Marcus Miller


Marcus Miller's mother was dead,
but his father was a good man. who
a.ways followed the dictates Of his
conscience.
He believed It TO be bad for his
son to waste more than a month or
two Of the year at the little school
house under the hill Therefore, Mar
Gus Miller reached his fourteenth year
without having retarded his growth
by overstudy.
His father also believed that the
best points IN other peoples souls are
blunted by too much leisure. 30 he
kept him busy. Neither did his par
ent believe In an unnecessary display
Of affection. consequently the boy de-
cided that the people who wrote the
few articles he had read on the joys
Of living were liars
When Marcus Miller was eighteen
years old his father died and went
into everlasting glory-at least so the
minister said-and Marcus shed some
bitter tears at the funeral and wished
that his father bad left a few tender
memories behind him rather than a
big farm. Then he took up the bur
den where the old man had left X.
and went on getting more money and
less happiness as the years went By.
Marcus always hated to hear the
minister say: "The days OF our years
are three score and ten; Ii seemed
such q long time TO live. He often
wondered why a wise Providence
kadIt cut the limit down 10 about
half He was thinking about that one
svening as be sat on the porch gazing
absently at the morningglory vines
that were trembling in the evening
breeze. So absorbed d thought was
he that he started when the gate-chain
ratified and the gate swung open to
admh a dusty bicyclist who politely
inquired II he could procure a meal
In the neighhorhood, A sudden long
ing for companionship prompted
Marcus Miller 10 invite the man in,
and 70 order his servant 10 set the
tabls.
The stranger. who was an amiable
fellow and wanted to make himself
agreeable. poured into the thirsty ears
OF Marcus a stream OF description that
nearly took his breath away. He told
him OF the seas he had crossed, ard
the Alps he had climbed, OF the cities
he had visited and the forests he had
explored: and Marcus Miller sat per
fectly still, listening with every nerve
enraptured as Desdemona must have
been when first she saw the glowing
pictures painted by the words OF
Othello.
The stranger stayed until the moon
rose over the hill, then rode gayly
away. But the world was changed for
the man he left behind leaning on the
little picket gate. Marcus stood IN
the moonlight looking down the road,
the wander fever throbbing through
his veins-the world outside was call
ing him. he wanted to 90. to see, to
feel.
He wanted to be rich In memories |
like the man who had confessed his
poverty Of worldly goods. And for the
frst time In his life Marcus Miller
realized that man with money may
be a pauper. II was soon after this |
night that the people began to notice |
that Marcus Miller was acting queer.
He no longer cared for the village
gossip. and talk OF farm implements
seemed TO bore him. Often when he
sat in the corner grocery down in the |
village. he looked out OF the door |
with eyes that seemed 10 see some /
thing a thousand miles away. And /
one day when an agent came in with /
big gold-framed chromas he paid /
Lhree dollars and a half for a pair Of
pieces. the one being the
-ock coast of almost anywhere, the /
)ther a stately ship sailing over a
Wild, temptestuous sea. And once
when an old friend Of his father CON
graduated him on having such a fine
arm, he suddenly sprang to his feet.
md bursting QUIT hate being an
anchored shipl threw his clay pine
IN the floor and walked out into the
light. The next day the doctor cali
d in casual way-just to look al
he prize cows, and incidently sua.
,ested to Marcus that he ought 10
AXE treatment for HIS liver.
But Marcus displayed no interest In
lis suggestion; he was looking down
he long road, thinking long thoughts.
Soon after this Marcus startled the