Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-08-04
COPYRIGHT 1914 BY f.G. BRoRhE

gan to talk slowly and hesitatingly. "I was in Southern academy the first time it happened. l must have been seventeen or whereabouts. Prizes were to be given for public oration and people were coming from everywhere to hear us The governor was to ad- dress us My father was lawyer, one of the big lawyers of the state. He went to this school when he was 8 boy, and he had carried off the oration prize. His heart was set on my win ming 1t. l toiled and toiled over that speech; 1t was about the death of Julius Caesar can remember, as Jay awake nights staring out into the darkness, how the speech came throb- ping in my brain. l could never write. though, as acclaimed it to myself in the still dormitory. 1 used to go out into the woods and try to write. One day l gave up. sat huddled against Ia stone wall which ran down the hill. dividing g pasture from the forest. There was a tall pine over my head and the crows were calling from the top of 1t. can see the place yet"
 Enoch lifted his eyes and turned to meet the steady glance of the man who sat beside the bed.
 Do you want to hear the story tout?" he asked bluntly.
 i "Yes--if you are bound to tell It."
 Ut isn't an easy task to set the .stark-naked soul of man before anoth- CTS gaze, especially when it's mans own soul; but I've been over this, step by step, during these bedridden days, and I'll feel better when it's out of my system"
 Are you sure?" Merry spoke gent ly.
 Yes, sure" The reflective tone had gone from Enoch's voice. It was em- phatic. Out there in the sunshine he continued, T realized what defeat meant. l knew my oration was mere ly babble of senseless words; there was not throb in 1t. Besides, knew that I could not make it better. Sud denly, on the quiet hillside, l heard voice close beside me-
 There was long pause. Wentworth turned his eyes from Merry and stared out at the window. A trumpet vine climbed over the back of the Waverly Place house and one scarlet blossom hung vivid between him and the sun shine.
 Say, old fellow" said Merry in a low voice, you and l are friends. closer friends than We ever were. Whats the use of raking up old mem ories If they hurt. The story of some thing you did when you were in swad- ding clothes doesn't count. Drop it!'
 Tt does count" answered Went worth stolidly. II tell you it does count. It is the only thing that ex- plains what did-when you called my bluff. l have lain here-Tve had days and nights with nothing to do but to think and to analyze things. Why. old man, haven't had chance like this for years before. Let me tell you my story; it's interesting even if it isn't much to my credit"
 All right. have your own way"
 Il sat there in the shadow of the wall listening. It was young David Ross practising his oration. Dave came of what the niggers called DO white trash but he had ambition and genius and was working his way through school like 8 man. He had chosen the death of Caesar, as had l crouched there, scarcely breathing was afraid he would hear me and stop. His speech was great! As sat looking out over the valley could see the Roman warrior while he stood there in the Senate, down and out hooted at and reviled. yet naughty and defiant. facing the enemies who had once been his friends. began to sob, as boy docs in . shamed, husky choked, fashion. Suddenly thought came to, me-, ,leaped over the wall and held before Dave . new twenty dollar gold-piece father had given me that morning. It bought his oratien.
 Wentworth paused as if In an em shArrassment of shame. Merry watched ihim in silence.
 s'I sfeel-eyen now-the reluctant grip with which Dave held on to those sheets of blurred foolscap. I never cave 5a thought to what had done Every moment for twenty.four hourl was needed to commit Dave's speech to memory. My father. proud and hap py. gave me another twenty-dollal gold-piece. carried 1t to Dave. He refused 1t, turning his back on me with angry scorn. Twenty years later l met him again. He had gone tt congress and was blasting his way upwards toward fame. was assigned to interview him. He remembered ms instantly. For moment he stared a me from head to foot, then he turned away without . word and neve touched the hand l offered him. M. God! how that hurt" A shiver wen through the mans body.
 That happened twenty-five year ago" said Merry hesitatingly. ''Yo' can't lay up a boyhood sin against man, He changes-he's' almost au other human being."
 No, he isn't" answered Wentwortl AkG~ad1v ssT uyouf fA ahnw ~yn., I,o