The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-09-22
A Shattered Idol:
....,. So =
By
GEORGE .SHEDD =
-
:: Copyright. 1903, by Daily storyPubcoa


by gum l WON'T and the young
man brought his foot down With bang
and tossed the book he was reading
into corner. I'm going to the CITY;
where things happen and people live
I'm not goin'. to rust my life away in
this no-account hole. I'm big enough
and strong enough and I've got learn
in enough to get along in the city,;
judgin' by the people I've seen who do
get along there, and PM just goin' to
try: =. :: - = = .
= Having made up; HIS mind and set
his jaw Homer -Dillman proceeded: to
carry out his plan. He was the likeli-
est lad in all the Countryside about
Kaneville. A good-loohing fellow,
chuck full Of energy, ready and arx-
ious to work and he had but one draw
back, in the eyes of his father He was
a persistent and omniverous reader
and his taste ran to tales of the great
city-and particularly of that mysteri-
Gus corner known as Bohemia.
ITS all due to that cussed readin',"
grOwled Dillman, Sr., when the boy
announced his determination. 81 allus
said no good 'ud come of it. Come
now, Homer. lad, you're dom right
well; you're the high card at the sing
In school and spellin' bees and the par
ties; you're gettin' plenty O. spendin'
money. and when you get ready to set:
tie down I'll make over that west sixty
to You clean an clear. There amt
nothin' in this city life; yer nothin'
but slave and We don't git any good.
eatfn' I'm decent air. Better stay by
the farm. lad"
No dad replied the boy, 81 reckon
I'll have my fling. I've got a hundred
and fifty in the bank and l reckon
that'll last me till I get something to
do. 1 don't want to leave you. dad,
and I'll miss the old place and all that,
but it just seems that I've got to
stretch my wings"
So away he went with a brave face
and light heart-albeit the tears were
near the surface as he kissed the kind
mother and wrung the hand of his
sturdy father at the gate and made
his-.May. TO- e-little- wooden depot at
the.XlHage. :: - a---=,-
There had been another farewell the
night before.-A fresh-faced girl at the
village: parsonage had heard the news
OF his going from his lips and the roses
In her cheeks. had paled.. He had tried
to comfort her with a show of light
heartedness and some gay references
TO fame and fortune and reunion in
the future, but he was careful not to
compromise himself. He wanted no
entangling alliances in the country with
the city and Bohemia, with all it's mys-
ferrous and productive possibilities, d.
rectly before him. Bessie was brave
and quiet. but her heart was turned to
stone She felt that he was passing
out of her life and that he wanted no
bonds to connect him with the past.
Homer was dazz1ed with the music
and life of the city. He was a youth
OF resourcefulness and with his little
capital managed to meet some con-
genial spirits who conducted him into
the edge OF Bohemia. It was paradise
Itself when one evening he found him.
self with merry party of gay and
careless spirits in a coy restaurant
drinking beer out of great mugs and
eating curious things off of cracked
d1shes-all at Homer's expense. Such
stories as were told; such songs as
were sung; such jests as were passed
Homer was sure never had been EQUAL
led since the dawn of time, and the
cheap actress in her paint and powder
appeared to him as the beautiful prin4
cess of his childhood fairy stories. He
went to his lodging along toward
breakfast time in the morning greatly
exalted and awoke in the afternoon
with splitting headache Il
OF course this sort Of thing could NOT
last. Homer's limited purse was nearly.
exhausted and he realized the utter
nelplessness of man in the city with.
out money or employment. He had
looked for work steadily, but thus far
In direction which would ally him
with the Bohemia for which he had
Aankered. When he awakened on this
THE STOMACH IS THE MAN