The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-08

DONE for myself at Eureka. and I was
pretty mad to Be singled out for repro
baton from all the offenders. got up
from my seat and walked out. while
the school stared. As I was getting
my horse from the place where kept
IT May Rudge came into the yard
"You aren't going this way?" she de-
manded quickly.
Il don't see n there's much use
waiting for bouquets."
You aren't going without apologiz-
ing" she flashed out. -
To tell the truth. that had never oc-
CURED to me. 1t seemed she cared less
for the disgrace than for the way I
took it So in the end. before l left
town. l drove up to the presidents
house. apologized and got my dismiss
nj in due form and was told l should
60 to hell unless was converted
straightway. Then May drove down
the street with me in face of the whole
school. who contrived to be there to
see my departure.
II guess this ends my education and
being a lawyer and all that" said
gloomily as we drew near the Rudge
farm. Dad will never forgive this.
He thinks rum is the best road to hell.
the same as the old preacher. He
won't sell a glass Of cider in the store"
There are other kinds Of work."
she answered you can show them
Just the same you know what's right"
But you'll never marry a man who
isn't educated" said boldly
"1'll never marry man who hasn't
principles and religion" she replied
without q blush.
80 l must be good and pious as we'll
as educated"
you must be a man'-and her lips
curved ironically-"and now you are
just a boy"
But l held her hand when I helped
her from the buggy. and believe she
would have let me kiss her had
wanted to then.
Father and mother took my expul-
sion from school very hard, as I ex-
pected. Father especially-who had
begun to brag somewhat at the store
about my being a lawyer and beating
the judge out-was SO bitter that
told him il he would give me $50
trouble him again.
you ask me to give you $50 to go
to hell WITH he shouted out.
Put me in the store. then. and let
me earn it. Give me the same money
you give Will"
But father didn't want me around
the store for folks to see. So I had to
go out to a farm once more, to q place
that father was working on shares
with a Swede. l spent the better part
Of two years on that farm, living with
the old Swede and earning mighty lit
tie but my keep, for father gave me a
dollar now and then, but no regular
wages. l could get sight Of May only
on a Sunday. She was teaching her
first school in another county. Father
and Mother Ridge had never liked
me. They looked higher for May than
to marry poor farm hand who had a
bad name in the town. My brother
Will. who was quiet, churchgoing
fellow. had learned his way to the
Ridge place by this time. and the old
people favored him.
After awhile l heard of a chance in
a surveyors Office at Terre Haute. but
old SorreIl. who had more business
than any ten men in that part of the
country, met the surveyor on the train
and when l reached the Office there
wasn't any job for me. That night
when got back from Terre Haute
told my folks that was going to Chi
cago. The next day asked my father
| again for some money. Mother an
swered for him:
"Will don't ask US for money. II
won't be fair to him."
$50 he's to have the store and my
girl, too?" said bitterly.
May Ridge isn't the girl to marry
q young man who's wild"
"I'll find that out for myself!'
Always having had a pretty fail
opinion Of myself. found it hard to bt
patient and earn the good will by my
own deserts. So said rather foolish
ly to father:
"win you give me a few dollars tt
start me with? have earned 1t, all right
and l am asking you for the last time
1t was kind Of threat, and l an
sorry enough for it now. l suspect hi
hadn't the money, for things We're 60
ing badly with him. He answered
pretty warmly that I should wait q
long time before he gave me another
dollar to throw away. l turned on my
heel without a word to him or mother
and went out of the house with the re
solve not to return.
But before left Jasonville It
make my plunge into the world
would see May Ridge. wanted tt
say to her: (Which will you have
Choose now!" So turned about ant
started for the Ridge farm, which wa:
about a mile from the town, beyond
| the old place on the creek that used tt
belong to us. Judge Sorrell had pu
| up a large new barn on the place
where he kept some fine blooded stool
that he had been at considerable ex
pense to import. l had never been in
side the barn. and as l passed 1t tina
| afternoon it came into my mind fol
no particular reason to turn in at thu
judges farm and 60 by the new build
ing. Maybe I thought the old judg'
would be around somewhere and
should have the chance before l lef
Jasonville to tell him what l though
Of his dirty. sneaking ways.
But there was no one In the big barr
| apparently or anywhere on the place