Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-01
CHAPTER XII.

When DIR. Lavendar left David at the
Stuffed Animal House he didn't feel.
somehow. like going home; the rectory
would be so quiet. 1t occurred to him
that. as he was on the hill. he might as
well look in on BENJAMIN Wright.
He found the old gentleman in his
beaver hat and green serge dressing
gown tottering up and down the weedy
driveway in front of his veranda, and
repeating poetry:
20 great corrector Of enormous times.
Shaker Of DER rank states. thou grand decider
or dusty old titles, that healest with blood
Hello! Bout time you came to see me.
L suppose you want to get some money
out of me for something's
"Of course; I always want money out
of somebody for something. There's
leak in the vestry roof. How are you?"
How do you suppose am? At
eighty-one, with one foot in the grave!
Ready to jump over a fve-barred gate?
I'm seventy-two." said Dr. Lavendar.
land / played marbles yesterday"
Come in and have a smoke" the
older man said, hobbiing on to the We
randa. where four great white columns.
blistered and faxed by time. supported
roof that darkened the shattered win
dows of the second story.
He led the way indoors to the dining
room. growing that his niger. Simmons,
was fool. HE says he closes the shut
tiers to keep the flies out; makes the
room as dark as pocket. and there amt
any flies this time of year. anyhow. He
does 1t to stop my birds from singing:
he can't fool me! TO stop my birds!" He
went over to one of the windows and
instantly twitter ran from cage to cage.
and the fierce melancholy of his old face
softened. Hear that?" he said, proudly
II ought to come oftener." DR.. Law
endar reproached himself; hes lonely"
And. indeed. the room, with its man,
moth sfdeboard. black with age, and its
solitary chair at one end OF the long
table. was lonely enough. On the walls,
pa ered a generation ago with drab
paper sprinkled over with occasional pale
engravings: 1.-THE Destruction of Nine
veh." 1.-The Trial of Eff1e Deans" 1.-THE
Death-bed Of Washington" A gloomy
room at best; now. with the shutters of
one window still bowed, and the faint
twitter of. the canaries, and that one
chair at the head of the table. it was
very melancholy.
"Sit down." said Benjamin Wright. Still
in his moth-eaten high hat, he shuffied
about to fetch from sideboard fat de-
canter with a silver chain and label
around its neck. and two tumblers.
NO" said DR.. Lavendar; I'm obliged
to you
what, temperance? snarled the other
well, / hope So DIR. Lavender said.
''but not a. teetotaler, II that's what you
whisky at o. clock in the afternoon"
At which his host swore softly, and
lifting the decanter poured out two good
fingers.
will be obliged if you will not swear in
my presence"
You needn't talk to ME-" cried Benja-
min Wright, II despise this damned pro-
family there is about; besides. 1 am, al
ways scrupulousiy particular in my lam
guage before females and parsons Well
Il wanted to see you. because that jack
donkey. Sam. my grandson. is causing me
some anxiety"
"Why Sam is good boy" DR.. Law
endar protested.
TOO good. like boy to be human at
twenty-three. He doesn't know the
wickedness of the world"
"Thank Cod said DIR. Lavendar.
Dominic. Ignorance amt virtue
mo, but it's fair substitute. ii
to pass an examinations on wrongdoing.'
But you want him to recognize 1t when
he sees it. don't your
IF he knows goodness you can trust
him to recognize the other thing, Teach
em goodness. Badness will label ITSELF
said. But you're a parson; parsons
know about as much as females-good fe-
males. Look here! l have reasons for
saying that the boy ought to get out of
Old Chester. 1 want your assistance
''Get out of Old Chester!-to see how
wicked the world is?''
Mr.. Wright shook his head mo, he
could see that here-only the puppy hasn t
got his eyes open yet. little knocking
about the world. such as any boy ought
70 Go1 will txrip i,,/n Il
Chester is narrowing; very narrowing.
Besides, he's got-well, he's got some
truck he's written. 1t isn't entirely bad.
Lavender. and he might as we'll try to
get 1t published. or. maybe. produced in
some theater. So let him go and hunt up
a publisher or a manager. Now, very
likely. his-his mother won't approve. l
want you to urge-her. to let him CO.
Travelling might be good for Sam
said DR.. Lavendar: Il admit that
though not to learn the wickedness of the
world. But 1 don't know that it would
be worth while to take a journey Just
on account Of his writing. He could put
it in an envelope and mail it to a pub
Usher; he'd get it back just as soon,' DR..
Lavendar saiE chuckling. Look here,
what's the matter? l can see you're con-
cerned about the boy
"Concerned?" cried Benjamin Wright.
pounding the table with his tumbler and
chewing orange skin rapidly. I'm
Il will ask, sir. that you will not swear
in my presence"
Mr.. Wright coughed. II will endeavor
to respect the CLOTH he said. stiffiy
If you will respect yourself it will be
sufficient. AS for Sam, If there's any,
thing wrong, his father ought to know
1t.
well. then. tell his-mother, that there
is something wrong
"What?'
Mr.. Wright got up and. clasping his
hands behind him, shuff1ed about the
room. Instantly one of the canaries be-
gan to sing. stop that he said. The
bird quivered with shrill music. stop.
versation with these creatures about" he
added, in proud aside did you ever
hear such singing?".
DR.. Lavendar. unable to make himself
heard, shook his head.
IF you don't STOP. said Mr.. Wright.
I'm wiring your neck! and as the bird
continued, he opened the door Sim
mons! You freckled nigger Bring me
the apron Then he stamped and cursed
the slowness of niggers. Simmons. how
ever, came as fast as his old legs could
carry him. bearing blue Bingham apron.
This, thrown over the cage, produced 81
lence.
There, Now. perhaps. you'll hold your
tongue? - Lavendar. / prefer not to
say what is wrong. Merely tell Sans
mother that he had better go. If-she is
too mean to provide the money, l will
Sans father is not too mean to do
anything for Sans welfare. but, OF
course. a general accusation is not con-
vincing: should not be convincing
Why said DR.. Lavendar, interrupting