Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-10-10
CHAPTER I.

Of this pleasing tale; no ordinary
hero, as you might learn did you
make inquiry of himself.
John Rawn was born in Texas
and of Texas at the very spot where.
had it been left to his own candid
opinion, no John Rawn, no especial
hero, ought ever to have been born
The village he honored by his birth
one Of seven which now contend over
that claim to fame--was the very
home of democratic equality; and
how could the home Of democratic
equality be called typical environment
for the production of man believing
In the divine right of a very few?
Neither, had John Rawn been con-
suited in the matter, would he have
Endorsed the plans OF fate In respect
TO his ancestry any more than he did
the workings of the misguided stars
In regard to his environment By
right he should have been the Off
spring of parents for long generations
accustomed to rule, to command, to
sway the destinies of others Yet far
I from this was the truth in our hero's
ease
1t was rarely that ever a smile en-
Nvened the somewhat heavy features
of young John Rawn. even in the ear
hest stages of his babyhood. Rarely
did the mirth Of any situation bring
up in his face an answering dawn OF
appreciation. He was serious child.
as all admitted even from the first.
lie grew to be grave boy, solemn
youth.
Curious persons might have found
certain explanations for these traits
In the calling, the temper and train
ing of the father OF John Rawn In
that time and place, minister of the
gospel was man of whom. all stood
In awe, He was not much gainsa!d,
not much withstood, not much disap-
proved. His conclusions were an,
nounced for acceptance, not for ar
gument
1T is not known, nor is it important,
whence Mrs. Rawn came, or how she
happened to marry her lord, John
Rawn. Senior, the Methodist preacher
In the little Texas town. They were
married when they arrived at this
place, and had been for some years
John was the first child granted to
them as answer to his fathers grum-
bling; the latter, very nobly and
rlghteously, dreading what calamity
fhe world must suffer did none come
to perpetuate his race.
These necessary and essential pre-.
kiminaries now all stand adjusted:
and We are able finally to say that
John Rawn at least and at last was
born, silently, quietly, with small re-
belllon on the part of his mother. He
FAY there in his first cradle, silent, a
tTthe red, slight frown upon his
face, a trace Of gravity in his fea-
lures as he ventured an retrospective
hook within the confines of his couch.
ard for the first time discovered that
wholly interesting remarkable, indeed
wonderful human being, Himself.
Having assured himself that he was
here, John Rawn sighed, turned over
In his cradle. and presently fell asleep.
well assured that although He had
selected Texas for this event, God
after all was in His heaven. and that
I'm the circumstance, all In due time
would be well with the world Could |
'any hero of hisQyeags have acted with
"a finer. larger generosity?
In his younger school days there
was way about young Mr.. Rawn. |
He did not really care for plodding,
yet he was aggrieved if not accorded
xank among his fellow pupils.
Even in these early days his Tea |
tnres were in large mold, even then
his abundant hair fell across his brow. |
His eyes were blue and prominent, his
nose distinct, his lower lip prominent.
protrudfng and in times of great emo
ton semi-pendulous. Even thus early
he seemed old, serious, foreordained. |
Much Of this might have been rene |
died by kindly application of educa- |
Sional or parental rod, but young Mr.. |
Rawn remained largely unchastened. |
His parents did not care to punish |
him, and his teacher did not dare to |
do SO. Was he not the minister's son?
II his mother had misgivings they
were well concealed. She herself only |
shuddered in her soul when she heard |
the orotund voice of the master of |
the house explain, in contemplation OF |
his first born, How much he Is like |
mel" Yes, he was like His mother |
knew how like.
At that time and in that part of the |
country this little western village |
might have been called almost little |
world of itself. Estimates of men and |
affairs were such only as might grow |
out OF the soil. The great world be- |
yond was thing but vaguely sensed |
Of any who dwelt here.
The family was its own world. In |
large part it titled its own fields and |
ran its own factories Mrs. Rawn |
nodded the candles which made the
bedroom lights and those by which