The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-30
SINS OF THE Fathers
BY GEORGE A. PARKER.
1909. py American Press Asso
clarion

10y 1@MfAN~ ~ v fftAN~fH
Copyright. 1909. by American Press Assoc
ciation.l
From an old manuscript:
was born and reared on the coast
Of Norway Unul ! was twenty years
old ! bad never been in a town, and
then only 10 small village. Ny as
sociates were untutored people, and
received but the elements OF educa-
ton. Nevertheless they seemed to look
upon me as superior 70 themselves
whether that was because ! bore tn
marks Of having been born OF superior
stock or that my name was English
did NOT know My father died when
was ten years old. and | remembered
him as always with a sad look on his
face. which was reflected Ia my moth
er's When / grew older / asked her
why my father and she had always APP
peared sad She could not bring her
self to tell me the reason. and ] re-
malned IN ignorance
When | was twenty my mother died,
and / resolved 20 leave the desolate
place where / had been born and seek
a more active tield. Before going ]
made inquiries OF a nelghbor coucern-
ing my parents soj0urn In those parts
and was told that they had come there
several years before my birth and had
for time lived as gentle folk, but sub.
seauentlg they dwelt as did their
nelghbors My father bad from bis
coming appeared 10 have a cloud on
his mind. My mother had told me be
fore her death that sum Of money
had been put IN a bank for me At the
nearest town. and. going there I
claimed It and took passage for Eng
land.
On thy arrival 10 London went
about looking for work Going into
the Office or merchant for the pur.
pose. be asked me my name When
told him be looked up at me IN sur
prise.
Where were you borny he asked.
| told him all ] knew about myself.
He regarded me with compassion and
gave me employment
At intervals when introduced to a
person | was regarded With a certain
interest OF curiosity--I could not tell
which. / noticed that such persons
were always of superior education.
No nIiterate person even manifested !
any especial interest in me, Some
times these people who did would turn
away from me with apparent disgust,
while others regarded me compassion
ately One day / asked my employer
for an explanation OF the mystery that
hung over me- After thinking some
time be told me that It would be bet
ter for me not to know It. He advised
me 60 change my name.
] tried to be contented TO remain Ia
Ignorance, but the secret weighed upon
me. and longed, vet dreaded, 70 know
II. Finally / decided to try another
country. thinking that whatever 1t was
hung over me would not be known
there. America seemed the most IN
wiling ground. and I went to New
York, reaching there shortly before the /
breaking out Of the second war with
England. Registering at hotel, the
clerk looked up from my name to me
10 establishment.
wei" / exclaimed, irTitated, "what
Is itg
What Is 1T? why, nothing. VIII
you 40 to your room, STRIP
found In America that more people
showed that dreaded interest 10 my
name than In England, and a different
interest On being introduced to me
most persons showed repulsion,
though many strove to conceal It.
burned with a desire to know what Il
all meant: but. remembering the advice
Of my London employer, l RETAINED
from asking, and no one offered to en-
tighten me. 10 occupy my mind !
went to library to read. There !
stumbled on the secret
The wisdom Of the advice given me
By my former employer was now ap
parent Under an assumed name !
enlisted 10 the American army to fight
against England / knew now that
though / had been born abroad, Amer
lea was my native land ] burned col
do some important work for her, to
die for her on the Geld Of battle
There were no important engagements
except that at New Orleans. which was
fought after peace was declared As
/ had entered the army a private,
came out q private. Under my as
sumed name / went into business and
Then / fen In love. ! had vowed
that would never bring a child into
the world to suffer the blight under
which / suffered. aud 1 stroYe 70 crush
the natural longing that had taken pos