Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-11-04
ISBURDEN
OF HATRED
BY EDITH BROWNELL


- L ~ Il n d N ~ w N Z IL l.
Copyright by J. =. LPSincett Coz
Harold Darlington Hopkins, Jr., sat
on the front steps of hia fathers house
and darkly hroo<sA ovor the peculiar
hardness 81 his fAts. II wAs shortly
after nine e'oioek 81 q particularly
promising Saturday morning. but al
ready years 81 fruitless inertia seemed
to have passed since the blasting hour
Of breakfast, when the nat had gone
forth which had turned the day into
thing OF empty torture.
The quiet, sunny avsaue wa de-
serted, but from q neighboriRg va
cant lot came the mighty yells Of his
fellows. wallowing luxsrtously in the
biggest football game OF the season;
while he, the captain of their daunt-
less Eevon--trt you called il an
Eleven, tust the game, II it did have
only eight n twas condemned to
nit here apart o. descend to the alter
native Of playing With his sister in the
back yard
He sank deeper tnto the rolling
collar 81 bis sweater a3 the mere
thought Play with his sastar-the iK-
nominy of It'll Even now shrill fem
mime laughter AoatsA - him around
the corner Of the house, whore she and
tive or three feeble females who en-
dursd hsr society were having q
silly game Of mumbly-psg. He scowled
contemptuously. The idea of play
ing game Of mumbly.peS. OF course
In mumbly-peg time, q fellow might
play q bat, psrhaps-but In football
timei
No! he would sit here and suffer
alone. He leaned Imply forward
sunk In gloomy reflections, one hand
supporting his chin, while the other
absently sought and encouraged a
raveled place which had started in his
stocking. His melancholy eye fol-
lowed the long line of white a. 1t crept
slowly down his leg
Things had begun so singularly we'll
for him. too. that crisp October morn
ing. Upon rising he had not only skill
fully eTadsd the customary absurd
wetting OF his face, but had with daft
ness inserted upon his persox q pair
Of his fathers CASTOR suspenders, q
forbidden and hitherto unachieved lux
uIy He felt OF them now where, be-
meath his outer garment, they grit
him strongly and helped him to bear
his trouble like q man
1t had been proud moment indeed
when he had been chosen captain. To
be sure, this was an honor bestowed
not entirely because of his prowess.
but because he was the only enc who
possessed noss-guard-aR obsolete
one which Uncle Ted had given him,
D.. and which transformed him into a be
ing of dread appearance and vast i'm.
portance-but it was IA honor, never.
theless, and one scarcely less envied
than the nose-guard itself.
And now he was not to play any
more, because-forsooth,- his moth
er thought it was dangerous! He
fumed at the recollection.
Il know the little boys do not mean
to be rough, darling" she had said
but you do play so recklessly. and
mother worries 20"
Aw, did she think they were babies ?
Wasn't he eight already, and only Ii
months before he would be nine.
Fraid he'd get hurti Aw, shueksi
He had pleaded pstsously, for tn
boys were waiting impatiently at the
terrace, and she had wavered q lit
tie, while he hung poised for nignt.
Then It was that she had done the
most dastSrdly thing . mother ever
thought upon to do. She had lean cd
down, laid her hand upcz his touslsd
head until his face was lifted up to
hers, and said, gently:
"Yeu may, dear, bat mother wishes
you wouldn't"
OF all phases calculated to drive a
boy into speechlsss, grinding rage, this
was the one. He-hs Just almost hated
her for It. He had gone forth from
her presence in muts, defeated FURY.
A fat, emphatic NO was bad enough.
to be sure; but at least there was the
palliating satisfaction Of louA-voiced
protest.
The shouts from the nssd were
growing more strident The game was
Indeed on, and he was missing I'll Now
the shrisks were loud and rent the
air unsteady; anon they became sub
dued and smothered, and he clutched
the steps spasmodically at thought of
the tangled pile Of arms and legs and
squirming bodies beneath which he.
too. would now rapturously be buried,
were he Only there.
Why not 60. anyway
You may, DEAR" He started to
his feet and gave one leap to the
front q the stepA