The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-04-01

dull n undressing story teller for
the obvious reason that he maintained
a strict and rigid adherence to the
truth. His veracity was truly oppres-
sive. The days OF the pirates were
over. In their stead were common
place narratives in which he seldom
performed anything more heroic thar
the swabbinS of a deck, or, perhaps, an
encounter with an obstinate pawn
broker. AS time went on, h two
children began to look upon him as a
very tiresome and Improbable per-
regenerate period began, the anxious
anticipation in Mary's starved soul
burst its bonds, and she almost
walled:
uncle Jabe, why don't you tell US
any more grand stories2"
Because" said he. st amt right to
tell lies"
But how would we know they were
lies?"
you can aIlus tell when a feller's
lynn, II you once ketch him In one."
quoth he.
well, they are lots of fun, just the
same. protested she. Amt they
Eric?"
Yes" said Eric rather gravely. IF
you tell 'em in fun"
TN tell EN- all you like" said Jabez.
his face Frightening. If you'll promise
to believe they're lies"
Then, how will we know when
you're telling the TRUTH"
He pondered. After five puffs at his
pipe, he said: well, If I begin by
sayin' they're the Gods truth. you car
know they're lies"
And 80 it was that old Jabez came
joyously into his w again.
This narrative, with your permission,
kind reader, has little more to do with
the Midthornes as small children. Suf-
flee to say, they were more or less like
other children in this respect; they
could not remain young forever. They
had to grow up. In passing, 1t may
be stated that the sage counsel Of old
JabeZ alone kept Eric from running
away from the grey house on the hill
in those early days OF shame and re-
sentiment. a.hs .. ~ .N ~
you can't afford to do that, sonny"
he announced. Jest put It right out
of u head, once and for all. If you
was alone In the world, I'd say skip.
But you amt. You got to look out for
takin' her with you. That would be
the quickest way to send her to the
gutter. / know 1t goes against the
grain to stay up there with them peo-
pie, but it's q derned sight better'n
starvin' to death on the streets. You
jest stick 1t out. You wouldn't be so
crool as to skip out and leave her there
for them to poster and bulldoze. They'd
make a drudge OF her, and worse'n
that, maybe. You'd be a mertal cow
ard to run off and leave her, and you
jest can't take her with got No, stree,
my boy. You stick 1t out. Stand by
your guns. Just you wait a few years
/ know what I'm talkin' about. You
see, ! run away when I was Is and
times / hadn't, cause my stepfather
nasty mean to my sisters and my
mother" - 49,. ..s
He hesitated for a moment and then
went IN. You wait a few years and
then you can tell EN- to go to hell"
After a few reflective pulls at his pipe,
he vouchsafed: And, mind you, Eric,
there is such a place as hell"
Eric, at 16. was as handsome a lad
as you'd see in q weeks journey. He
growing with a steadiness that
promised a good six feet at mans
estate, and he was as straight and as
strong as a young sapling, and as
n graceful as an Indian. He ex-
celled at all b games In which
strength, agility and quick ~wittedness
were paramount. In baseball. football,
skating, racing and sailing he was a
leader because he was an adept; be-
cause, while fearless, he was never
headstrong; while conscious of his
natural superiority, he was not AFRO
giant 1t was not unusual for him to
step aside to give a less accomplished
friend the chance to carry off honors
that might easily have been his. This
trait did not go unrecognized, o was
it unappreciated by his companions.
An extremely uncommon condition
marked this attitude toward him on
all occasions; instead Of boasting Of
their own prowess. they freely ad-
mitted that Eric Midthorne could do
better than that II he half tried" Nor
was there the faintest touch Of jealousy
or envy In their summing up of his
deeds.
The gentle. pleasant ways Of the
southland were strong in him; he
was prone to resent an afrront with
blood In his veins was hard to control,
but he always had the better Of 1t.
There was nc indignity so grave that
he could not defect It without losing
his temper entirely. He was afraid OF
the shadow that stalked beside him;
the shadow he had inherited. II others
knew the story Of his antecedents, they
were generous enough to keep the
knowledge to themselves. In all the
years he lived in Corinth. no n out-
side his own family, the Presbreys and
old Jabez, spoke to him of his father
and mother. He knew that they knew,
and he was deeply sensible Of their
we'll meant restraint Their kindly re-
ticence had a sting, however; there
was no minute in his life that his pride
was not being hurt by the knowledge
that they were being generous.
He was in the high school Of Co
rinth, a leader in his classes as well
as in the sports Of the season. In
two years he would enter Harvard.
Mary, quite the prettiest girl in town,
was his pride and Joy, and constant
care. She was gay, volatile. and deeply
sensitive to the approach Of sights and
criticism, from which, when they came,
she was quick to recover She had him
to lean upon, to look up to in case Of
trouble, and 1t ts not surprising that
the eternal feminine in her took adj
vantage Of that very stable support.
Chetwynd was in Harvard, where
he was trying for the crew and eleven,
and for very little else. II Eric had
entertained the hope that he might
grow big enough and strong enough to
thrash" his bully of a cousin, he was
likely TO be disappointed. Chetwynd
was a perfect young giant; he was
the real and visible lord of the giants