Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-03-28
THE WAY
OF
A MAN
By EMERSON HOUGH
Copyright. 1907 BY the 0usng Publishing
Company

We were neighbors. Miss Grace ana
l, and as lazily looked out over the
red road, unoccupied at the time by
even the wabbling wheel OF some ne
gro's cart, | said to her some word OF
our being neighbors and of its being
no sin for neighbors to exchange the
courtesy of a greeting when they met
not to please her. Indeed. | opine that
the best way OF man with a maid is
to make no manner OF speech what
ever before or after any such incident
as this.
would have put out an arm for fur
ther mistreatment, but all at once
pulled up. What was | coming to. |.
John Cowles. this morning when the
bees droned fat and the flowers made
fragrant all the air? ! was no boy, but
man grown. and, ruthless as was.
had all the breeding the land could
give me. full Virginia training as to
what a gentleman should be. And
gentleman. unless he may travel all
road. does not set foot too far into it
when he sees that he is taken at what
seems his wish. So now | said how
glad | was that she had come back
from school, though fine lady now
and no doubt forgetful of her friends.
of myself. who once caught young rab-
bits and birds for her and made pens
for the little pink pigs at the orchard
edge and all of that. But she had no
mind. it seemed to me. to talk of these
old days. and. though now some sort
OF wall seemed to me to arise between
ing at dandelions and pulling loose
grass blades and humming bit of
tune now and then as young persons
will. still. thick headed as | was. it
was in some way made apparent to me
that was quite as willing the wall
should be there as she herself was will
ing
My mother bad mentioned Miss
Grace Sheraton to me before My IA
ther had never opposed my Iiding over
now and then to the Sheraton gates.
There were no better families in our
county than these two There was no
reason why should feel troubled Yet
as | looked out into the haze of the
hilltops where the red road appeared
to leap off sheer to meet the distant
rim of the Blue Ridge | seemed to
hear some whispered warning | was
young and wild as any deer in those
hills beyond Had 1t been any enter
prise scorning settled ways. had it
been merely a breaking of orders and
following of my own will. sup
pose | might have gone on. But there
are ever two things which govern an
adventure for one Of my sex. He may
be man, but he must also be gen
tleman. | suppose books might be
written about the war between those
two things. He may be a. gentleman
sometimes and have credit for being
a soft headed fool. with no daring to
approach the very woman who has
contempt for him. whereas she may
not know his reasons for restraint. So
much for civilization, which at times
hated because it brought such prob
lens. Yet these problems never cease.
at least while youth lasts. and no com
munity lis free from them. even so
quiet one as ours there in the valley
Of the old Blue Ridge before rhe wars
had rolled across it and made all the
young people old.
i was of no mind to end my wildness
and my roaming just yet. and still
seeing that was by, gentleness OF my
Quaker mother and by sternness OF my
Virginia father set In the class of gen
tlemen | had no wish dishonorably to
engage woman's heart. Alas. was
not the first to learn that kissing is
most difficult art to practice.
had enough to do when it came to
mounting my horse Satan. Few cared
to ride Satan. since it meant battle
each time he was mounted He was
splendid brute, black and clean. with
abundant bone in the head and bril-
liant eye-blood all over. that was easy
to see. Yet he was a murderer at
heart. He would tight man. dog Or
devil. and fear was not in him. nor
any real submission My father al
ways told me that this horse was not
fit to ride. but since my father rode
him. as he would any horse that Of
fered nothing would serve me but |
must ride Satan also. and so made
him my private saddIer on occasion
! ought TO speak of my father that
very brave and kindly gentleman from
whom | got what daring ever had. |
suppose. he was clean cut man five
eleven In his stockings. and few men
in all that country had handsomer
body. Fair play meant with him some
thing more than fair play for the sake
Of sport--it meant as well fair play
for the sake of justice. Temperate to
the point of caring always for his
body's welfare, as regular In his habits
as he was in his promises and their
fulfillments. kindling readily enough
at any risk. though never boasting. !
always admired him. fear that at
IL A. a. -