The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-02-11
CHAPTER T..

events which began In my fourteenth
year. l must glance back at the earlier
years of my childhood, and at those who
Influenced 1t.
NV earliest recollections are Of Tab
arnacle House; previous to those, all IL
aim and shadowy. Tabernacle House
was an establishment kept by the Rev.
Obadiah Porter, for the reception Of
some half dozen boys.
The reverend pedagogue was q man
whose satyr-like face greatly belied his
professions Of profound piety. could
mot understand, child as was, how 1t
ever came into his head to set up ss a
tutor, or how parents or friends could be
induced to confide the education of chill
dren to the care Of a man deficient In
the commonest rudiments of learning
His original occupation was that Of a
shoemaker, and his hands still retained
coarse, grimed look. His bullet-shaped
head was covered with a thick mass
Of hair, which had a shaggy, ragged ap-
pearance, from being cut in irregular
lengths, or rather chopped away In
pieces. His forehead was very low. He
had thick, shaggy eyebrows, and small,
gnake-lke eyes. In stature he was short,
thickset, bull-necked; his arms were re-
markably long, his feet splay and III
shaped.
Obadiah Porter was a widower, with
one daughter. 80 powerfully have terri
bic events engraven her after-image upon
my mind. that I can scarcely recall its
FIRST impressions. think she must have
been about fifteen or sixteen, being
some FIVE or six, when first saw her.
She did not bear the slightest rescm-
blance to her father; she was tall, thin;
her hair was bright red, her complexion
pale, her eyes large, her features deli
cate, and sharply cut. To this young
lady was handed over the tuition of her
fathers pupils.
There were five besides myself There
was strange bond Of sympathy be-
tween US all-not one of US knew any
thing Of our parents. One knew an
aunt another an uncle. q third a grand
mother, or a grandfather, or a guard
ian, but no father or mother.
1t was a popularity of Mr.. Porter's
establishment that he did not take boys
who had parents. His advertisement in
the newspapers ran thus: THE Rever-
end Obadiah Porter undertakes the cEre,
education and religious training of or
phan boys from the earliest age. I'm
exceptional references as to piety and
discretion will be given. N. B.-No hol-
days"
1t is not my intention to linger upon
this period, or enter into any minute de-
scriptions Of our uninteresting, monoton-
Gus life. The years crept on, and were
almost wholly passed within the pre-
Cincts Of Tabernacle House. 1t was
Gne, old-fashioned dwelling. 1t had large
gardens back and front-the latter be-
Ing screened from che road by a high
wall-besides an extensive orchard and
a paddock. Altogether, it was quite a
gentleman's house. But rents are won
derfully low In these parts. Mr.. Por-
ter was very well-to-do. His boarders
alone brought him in a respectable in
come; his chapel was well attended, and
he numbered many Of the most prosper
GUS Mawworms of the town among his
congregation, to one Of whom-a Mrs.
Humphries-this house belonged.
By and by there were changes. One
boy left, and then another; but others
took their places. Grim-looking persons
came to take them away; but, except in
one case, we knew nothing of their fu-
eure destiny or destination, and they
dropped out Of our lives completely. It |
seemed as though We were Interlopsrs
upon the world, and ought never to have
been born.
The exceptional case I mention was
that Of boy named Josiah Cook. whom |
Mr.. Porter had transferred from his |
care to that of printer in the town, as
an apprentice. l little thought that |
Cooks transference to Bury would SO
materially influence my own future life |
that out of that event would spring al |
incident destined to shape Its whole fu-
ture course.
mere was one large room at the top |
OF the house, In which we six boys slept, |
TWO In each of the three beds. Cook |
was my bed fellow, and we were fast
friends and companions. He was a bold,
Venturesome boy, and on the last night
ol MS so1ourn amongst US he proposed
the daring plan Of some night paying US
secret visit and relating all the lad
ventures" he should experience In his
new home
Il can easily climb over the garden
wal from the next field" he said: $50
look out, boys; II you hear a stone
me-" ~ "''' O0
six months passed away and we
neard nothing more of Cook. He was
rapidly fading out Of our thoughts. when.
one autumnal night we heard a sharp
c1acA at our bedroom window. The bold
SsI OF our number gently lifted the sash,
ana ana peered out; 1t was a bright moon
nshs nlght' and he saw, standing in the
garden beneath. the weIl-known Gorro
OF our old companion.
The back Of the house was covered
with a ane old pear tree. It had not
t Ieem pruned for several years, aud had
snrown out Its wood somewhat wildly A
teW whispered words, and Cool vs.
" mounting the tree with hand and foot,
almost as easily as though he had been
sS emu ladder. When he Chamber
~ 81 lnto the room we all gathered ronnd
0im nj In sort OF awe-struck manner.
Now. look here, boys" he said: "vba+
nightW NAs nSE" To-
10 see u.s." we supposed.
Well' that Of course; but do ron
think 1t would be the thing IN me- ~