The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-11-09

The Crooked Man.
Who hasn't heard tell Of the
Aoked Man, the same who lived IN
rooked house, and went crooked
!, etc.9 You all, Of course, and
7ou haven't, you started out Oh
wrong literature when you tirsS
i the long paths Of life. Even
I can see the deep chintz-cover-
hair with big hollyhoeks scatter
kl over the high back and arms,
flowing more brilliant in the tttul
LIGHT cast by the evening fire, and,
too. I see a small, eager face bend
ing over volume of Mother
Goose Rhymes and Melodies and
hear high piped voice croning out
the words.
But the Crooked Man I mean 81
more substantial than the one IN
Mother Goose, and this one doesn t
inhabit a. crooked house, or go a
crooked mile. There's nothing crook
ed about him but his poor twisted
limbs, and TO listen to his CHEEKY
voice and look into his bright face
one would never know Of the SAD
misfortune which keeps him III his
chair all day long in helpless 'nactlV-
itv. To watch his deft fingers as they
work wonderful patters in the dainty
baskets he is weaving, and to see the
silver head bending over his work, Is
sight that more than one person
has gone several miles to see.
And the Crooked Man is phllos-
opher, too, and his advice IS full OF
all the right kinds of help and COM
fort. The house that he lived IN vas
on an emerald isle, and he had TOR his
lawn the waving marsh lands, and
the water from the outside world
meandered along through these
marshes until it Tapped up against
his fence, and very high spring tide
would be 50 bold as to push his gate
open and take advantage Of his help
lessness, even coming into MS my
veranda. And the Crooked Man
would sit at the threshold and nod
his head and smile, and would tell
on the next day how visitor from
the world beyond the horizon nad
come TO see him. And what tales
he would have to relate of that Won
derful visit! What jewels had been
spread out before him, not only Oh
mineral value but gems Of precious
thoughts and high aims, which one one
hv one. he would lay in the hands OF
the tiny girl who was his almost con-
stant companion. She in turn would
bring him the glad sunshine of youth
and innoneence, and he, awaited her
coming with resigned patience that
-. was a lesson to all who knew HIM.
With eyes round with wonder the
tinv oirl would sit at his feet ana
drink in the words Of beauty and ad-
vice from the Crooked Man. 1t was
he who first made her acquainted
with that other Crooked Man IN
Mother Goose lore, and she, IN her
Laughing innocence had pointed a
baby finger at her companion ana
dnbbed him The Crooked Man. And
at this point had begun her lessons
with the Crooked Man.
"Cuckoo," he said in his low
patient voice, ''you musnt go
through the world with the idea that
because a fellow has ugly, twisted
limbs that he is crooked all the way
through. Everything in this. world
is evened up, and the fellow with the
straightest figure may be after ALL
the worst bent. You let the crooked
ness of body 60 and look we'll to the
STRENGTHENING out of this in here" as
he patted himself over his heart
"And if you feel that you are being
cramped up in there, and that every
thing isn't going to be right, do
lust as you would when you feel your
legs growing stiff, get up and straigh-
ten out, don't go on cramping 'eln
more and more and then look on 'em
in pity. There's a big world full OF
sky and air outdoors. Go out and
lift your heart up and stretch and
smooth all the crinkles out Of it. Aye,
but sometimes the very burden OF
the heart will bend the poor, fral!
body; don't mind that. keep Rn hit
ing and struggling, and after awhile
the very ightness Of your heart Will
-,o,, o,,., oo oD1 patinora WI II