Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-13

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Opie Read, the Author.
or course, there was a great scandal.
NV Door mother was grieved and hu-
inflated, ashamed to meet any Of the
neighbors; and my father swore that
instead of becoming a school teacher
| ought to turn out as a highwayman.
Ny brothers thought to have some fun
with me- but l frightened them with a
roar, and for time they were afraid to
smile in my presence. l was almost
heartbroken over my disgrace. With
out undue praise I can say that l was
generous and kindhearted; even as a
child had shown almost a censurable
unselfishness: l had given away my
playthings. and my sensibilities were
so tender that l could not bear the
sight of q suffering animal, and l re-
member that an old man laughed at
me because ! could not cut the throat
Of a sheep when the poor thing had
been hung up by the heels. And now
l was put down as a heartless brute.
Bentley's face constantly haunted me.
| was afraid that he might die, and
once when l heard that he was not
likely to get well, was resolved to go
to him. to beg his pardon. Two weeks
had passed; it was night and rain was
pouring down, but l cared naught for
the wetting. l found Bentley sitting
up with his face bandaged. His moth
er frOwned at me when she opened the
door and saw me standing there under
the drip. and it was some time before
she asked me to come in, and I have
thought that she would have driven me
off had not the sight of me, wet and
debased. aroused her pity. Bentley
held out his hand when / entered the
room. and he said, 81 don't blame you,
Bill. 1t was mean Of me, but I wanted
to be smart" l was so full, so choked
with emotion, that it was some time
before l could say a word. But after
a time | spoke of the rain, and told
him that l thought that l had heard
wildcat as l came along, which was a
lie, for l had heard nothing save the
wind and the rain falling on the dead
leaves He laughed and said that he
did not suppose that l would have been
very much frightened had the cat
jun ped at me. Then l told him that
l was the biggest coward on earth,
and sought to prove it by offering to
let him kick me as long as he might
find it amusing. told him that every
body despised me for the way l had
beaten him, everybody, including my
own family, and that l deserved the
censure of all good people. We talked
a long time, and he laughed a great
deal. but when l told him that was
coming over to work for him three
weeks his eyes grew brighter with
tears This filled me up again and
could 90 nothing but blubber After
long time l asked him If he would do
me favor, and he said that he would.
Then l took out q watch that | had
brought in a buckskin bag, and l said,
here is a thing that used to belong to
my grandfather and it was given me
by mother when l was ten years old.
1t is fine time-piece and is solid.
Now, | want you to take it as a pres
ent from me- You said you would do
me a favor" But he declared that he
could not take it, why, l would de-
spise myself if l did" said he. 1 told
him that I would despise myself if he
did not His mother, who had left US
alone, came in. smiling, and said that
l must not think of parting with so
valuable watch, the mark of my
grandfather's gentility, but I put the
watch on the table and plunged out
into the rain and was gone. Bentley's
mother returned the watch the next
day. and then there went about the
neighb0rhOOd a report that | was so
much afraid of Bentley'S revenge that
had tried TO buy him off with
watch. Bentley had said that l should
not work for him, but when the time
for breaking up the land came, l went
over and began to plOw the field. HIS
mother came out and compelled me to
quit, but | went back At night and
plowed while other people slept; and
thus | worked until much Of his corn
land was broken up. The neighborS
said that | had gone insane, and few
7 n
the road. she jerked her old mare in
an effort To get away. and piteOuSly
begged me not to hurt her. | made
n" further attempt to get into com
pany," and thus. forced back upon my
self | began To form the habits of
student and To aid me in my deter
mnation to study law, | decided to
teach school So, when l was almost
grOwn-Or. rather about twenty-three
years old, for l appeared to keep on
growing-I went over into another
neighbOrhOod and took up school.
And they called me Lazy Bill" |
couldn't understand why. for / am sure
that | attended to my duties, that l
played town ball with the boys, that
even cut wood all day one Saturday;
but Confound them. they called me
lazy | spoke to one of the trustees;
| called his attention to the fact that
worked hard and he replied that the
hardest working man he had ever seen
was a lazy fellow who worked merely
As "blind." To sleep after the sun
rises is 4 great crime in the country,
and sometimes I sat up 50 late with
my books that I had to be called twice
fol' breakfast And no amount Of work
could have offset this ignominy.
taught school during three years, and