Evening journal., 1905-04-06
CHAPTER TX

since we came NuWu IuldNlNt
rS, road-the dos, Uncle Eb and
~ L Times innumerable had
heard my good old friend tell the story
OF our coming west until its every incl
dent was familiar TO me as the alpha
bet Else l fear my youthful memory
would have served me poorly for
chronicle Of my childhood so exact and
so extended as this I have written.
Uncle Ebs hair was white now, and
the voices OF the swift and the panther
had grown mild and tremulous and un-
satisfactory and even absurd. Time
had tanned the monsters Of that imag-
mary wilderness, and | had begun to
lose my respect for them But one fear
had remained with me as ] grew older
1.-The fear Of the night man. Every
boy and girl IN the valley trembled at
the mention of him. Many time /
had held awake in the late evening to
hear the men talk of him before they
went asleep-Uncle Eb and Tip Taylor.
remember a night when Tip said in
! low, awesome tone that he was a
ghost The word carried into my soul
che first thought Of its great and fear.
lul mystery
"Years and years ago. said he,
"there was a boy by the name Of Nehe-
miah Brewer An he killed another
boy once by accident an run away an
was drownded."
"Drowndedr said Uncle Eb.
"Howg"
"In the ocean," the first answered.
gaping. "Went away of round the
world. an they got a letter that said he
was drownded on his way to Van Die
mans Land
"ro Van Dieman's IandV
''Yes, an some sny the night man is
the ghost O. the one he killed"
/ remember waking that night and
hearing excited whispers at the win
dow near ms bed 1t was very dark in
the tQpm ANA ut FIRST / could not tell
who was there.
ff}ep.t gansee himf r Tip whispered.
"Whefeig heard Uncle Ebsask
"Under the pine trees See him
move
AT that time was up-at the window
myself and could plainly see the dark
figure Of man standing under the lit
tie pine below us
"The night man, / guess, said Uncle
Eb "But lIe, Won't dpsno harm. Let
him alone ftes gvin away now"
We saw him disappear behind the
trees, and then we got back into our
beds again i covered my head with
the bedclothes and said a small prayer
for the poor night man.
And in this atmosphere of mystery
and adventure ianeHga athe plain folk Of
Furaway whose care Of me when I
was in great need and whose love OF
me always ! count among the priceless
treasures Of Gods providence, my
childhood passed. And the day came
near Nhen1 I-was 20 begin TO play my
poor part in~the wOrldt r
1t was time OF new things, that
winter whcn ] saw the end OF my ff-
teenth year. Then l began to enjoy the
finer humors Of life in, Faraway, to see
with understanding and by Gods grace
to feel
The land Of play and fear and fable
was now far behind me. and had be
gun 10 feel the Infinite in the ancient
forest. IN the everlasting hills. In ths
deep Of heaven. IN all the ways Of men.
Hope Brewer was now near woman
grown. She bad beauty OF face and
form that was the talk Of the country
side ! have Travelled far and seen
many a fair face but never one more
10 my eye. I have heard men say she
was like a gir out Of story book
those days
Late years something had come be-
tween US. Long ago we had fallen out
cf each others confidence. and ever
since she had seemed 10 shun me. /
hogan 30 play with boys and she with
girls. And It made me miserable "a
hear the boys a bit older than I gossip
Of her beauty and accuse each other OF
the sweet disgrace Of love.
But I must hasten to those events In
PARKWAY that shaped our destinies
And first comes that memorable night
when had the privilege or escortins
Hope to the school lyceum, where the
argument Of jed Feary, poet Of the
hills. fred my soul with an ambition
that has remained with me always.
Uncle Eb suggested that l ask Hop,
TO 60 with me,
France right up to her" he said
"an' say you'd be glad Of the pleasur,
of her company"
It seemed TO me a very dubious thlns
70 do. ! looked thoughtful and turnet
red in the face
Young man" he continued. ''the boy
ehets 'fraid o. women N never he,
vhiskers"
"Hov's that7" / inquired.
30 scairt { DEATH" he answered
fore they've had tine L start Y,
want t step right UP Z the rack jes' 4
yed bought an paid Ter yerself an
was proud o yer bargain
took his advice. and when foun,
Hope alone In the parlor / came an,
Aaked her, very awkwardly as I nov
temsmber, TO go with me.
She looked at me. blushARg. and sal,
khe would ask her mother.
And she did. and we walked to th
schoolhouse together that evening, he
hand holding my arm timidly, the mos
serious pair that ever struggled wit
the problem OF department on such a
occasion. was oppressed with heav
sense Of responsibility in every word
uttered.
Ann Jane Foster. known as "scoote
jana for her rapid walk and stiff cal
riags, met Us at the corners on her wa