Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-13

Miss Jordan, as you have heard. my
brother Martin took the money. Poor
Martin! Poor, dear Martin! His is
broken life, and it was so full of prom
ise.'
Did you love Martin very dearly?'
I do love him dearly have pitied
him so deeply. He has had hard
childhood. well tel you all, and your
good, kind soul will pity, not con-
denim him. You have no conception
what a bright handsome lad he was.
I love to think of him as he was
guileless, trimming with spirits. I'm
fortunately for us, our father had the
idea that he could mould his child
ren's character into whatever shape he
desired and he resolved to make OF
Martin Bapti t minister, so he began
to write on his tender heart the hard
tenets of Calvinism. with an iron pen
dipped in gall When my brother and
l played together we were happy
happy as butterflies in the sun. When
we heard our fathers voice or saw
him, we ran away and hid behind
bushes. He interfered with our pur-
suits, he sneered at our musical tastes
he tried to stop our practicing on the
violin. We were overwhelmed with
religion, had texts rammed into us as
they ram greats down the Threats OF
Strasburg geese, our moral livers. Our
llivers became diseased like the same
geese-our moral livers. Poor Martin
could least endure this education; it
drove him desperate. He did what was
wrong through sheer provocation. By
nature he is good. He has high
spirit, and that led him into revolt
4 have seen your brother Martin,
said Barbara When you were brought
| insensible to this house he was with
you.
What did you think of him?' asked
Jasper with pride in his tone.
I did not see his face, he never re-
moved his hat
| Has he not pleasant voice? and he
is so grand and generous in his de
meanour!'
Barbara said nothing. Jasper waited,
expected some word Of praise.
Tell me candidly what you thought
of him. said Jasper.
4 do not like to do so. did form an
an opinion of him, butt was not ia
vorable.'
You saw him for too short a time
to be able to judge said the young
man. Tt never does to condemn a
man off-hand without knowing his cir
cumstances. Do you know, Miss Jor-
dan, that saying of ST. Paul about pre-
mature judgments? He bids us not
judge men, for the great day will re-
veal the secrets of all hearts, and
then-what is his conclusion? All
men will be covered with confusion
and be condemned of men and angel5''
Not so-''Then shall every man have
praise of the Lord Their motives will
show better than their deeds.
How sweetly the thrushes are sing
ing!' said Barbara now; then-'So al
so Eve may be misunderstood
| oh, Miss Jordan when I consider
what Martin might have become in
better hands, with more gentle and
sympathetic treatment, it makes my
heart bleed. l as ure you my boyhood
was spent in battling with the fatal
| influences that surrounded him. At
last matters came to a head. Our fa-
Their wanted to send Martin away to
be trained for a preacher, and Martin
took the journey money provided him,
and joined company of players. He
had a good voice, and had been fairly
taught to sing. Whether he had any
good dramatic talent l can hardly say
After an absence of a twelvemonth or