Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-03-11
The RECOGNITION OF
JESSE BAOLE|CH
Continued from page A.

sides. A sudden gust had just driv-
en- a shower of ice particles against
the window of Mrs. Badleigh's sit
ting room, rafting as it seemed, ev-
cry pane of glass in it, and rocking
the house itself so nightly that ii
appeared for the moment as if it was
about to be blown from it's founda-
tion and tumbled into the creek near
which it stood. Happily no such
catastrophe overlook it however, for
the blast proved to be nothing more
than a boastful threat of old Boreas
who, in passing stopped just long
enough at Mrs. Badleigh's house to
shake his fist at it before he pursued
his tempestuous way to make equally
futile demonstrations at other homes
which cared not much for his stormy
self'asserting ways.
In the afore mentioned sitting
room of Mrs. Badleighs house there
was, in addition to the stove, a
|
which when the weather was cold
afforded much comfort, for it was
capable of giving out great heat
which would find it's way into every
nook and corner of the room. Also
its fires diffused generous beams of
light, sometimes in queer fantastic
dancing rays, touching this thing
and that with tiny whimsical CLEANS,
or shedding its more brilliant sheen
in splendid blaze over all the room
in sudden gorgeous display of col
ors that no painters brush might
reproduce.
On this wild February night a
great backlog of hard maple rein
forced by smaller sticks in front
and above was doing its very best
to brighten and make cheerful the
home Of the widow and her son.
Jesse had brought in a pan of but
ternuts which he was cracking in an
ticipation of visit from Mr.. and
Mrs. Armstrong and Frances who
were to spend the next evening with
them, while Mrs. Badleigh was bust
! ly engaged in making such prepare
tions as were deemed appropriate
for the occasion.
MAJ" said Jesse looking up from
the pan of nuts-'I want to ask you
a question, it is about myself: Am
native of Iowa? was l born at Ly-
ons, where we lived before we came
| to DECORATE"
Mrs. Badleigh, startled by the
abrupt enquiry so utterly unexpect-
ed. instantly turned pale, and tremb-
ling dropped into chair covering
her face with her hands and for the
moment was unable to utter a word.
| Witnessing her extreme agitation,
Jesse. greatly alarmed, sprang to her
side and putting his arms about her
neck told her how sorry he was that
his question had caused her trouble,
and wondering why she should have
been so moved by it. After little
she recovered her self-posession sum
GENTLY to ask the boys reason for
his question.
"Jesse?" she asked, what put
that idea into your head, and how
long have you been thinking about
it? you have never spoken of it be-
fore"
NO" he replied, Il have never
mentioned it before but for sometime
past l have been thinking about it,"
The fact was that for several
months the boy had been vainly seek
ing to solve the problem of his own
existence; there were vague, indis-
tinct memories attaching to his child
hood, which of late had so persis-
tently intruded themselves upon his
mind as to become the subjects of alb
sorbing interest to him; dim recol-
lections there were of another home
amid surroundings and influences al
together different from those he had
more lately known, which, obscure
as they were, nevertheless gave him
pleasure to recall the very haziness
of these memories creating within
him an intense desire to know more
about them and the life they repre-
sented. So 1t came to pass that while
the wind was bowling and shrieking
outside, and the rain and sleet and
snow was driving against the house
in marked contrast to the mental
pictures of his childhood home, the
boy felt impelled to seek some en-
lightenment concerning the past from
his mother. who was the only one
in all the world he could look to for
the information he so greatly desir-
ed
Therefore he proceeded to explain
the impressions these memories had
made upon his mind. earnestly urg-
ing his mother to tell him If there
was any foundation for them and so
remove all uncertainty concerning