Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-02-16
CHAPTER vi.

felt capable Of making the trip out 10
the railroad. Yet June had enoeo'
July had burned the slope from en-
erald to russet-green; August had
brought purple tops to the ironweeo'
and still he found himself lingering.
And this was true although he recog-
nized a growing sentiment OF disap-
proyal for himself. In Samson ne
thought he recognized twin gifts;
shark of genius too rare to be al
lowed to flicker out, and potentiailty
for constructive work among his own
people. which needed for its perfect
ing only education and experience.
Samson" he suggested one day
when they were alone. Il want you TO
come East. You say that gun Is your
tool, and that each man must STICK 10
his own. You are in part right, IN
part wrong A man uses any tool pet-
ter for understanding other tools. You
have the right to use your brains and
talents to the full"
The boys face was somber In the
intensity Of his mental struggle, ana
his answer had that sullen ring which
was not really sulleness at ALL put
self-repression.
"I reckon a feller's biggest right Is
to stand by his kinfolks. Unc' Spicers
gittin' old. He done been good ter
me. He needs me here.
"I appreciate that. He will be older
later. You can go now, and come pack
to him when he needs you more. Ii
what urged meant disloyalty to your
people, I would cut my tongue out be-
fore 1 argued for it. You must De-
ueye me in that. I want you to be In
the fullest sense your peoples leaoer.
1 want you to be not only their sam
son-but their Moses"
The boy looked up and nodded.
III reckon ye aims ter be friendly
all right" was his conservative re-
sponse.
The painter went on earnestly:
"I realize that I am urging things
of which you people disapprove, but 1t
Ia only because they misunderstood
that they do disapprove. They are TOO
close, Samson, to see the purple that
mountains have when they are far
away. 1 want you to go where you can
see the purple. If you are the sort oi
man 1 think. you won't be beguiled.
You won't lose your loyalty. you
won't be ashamed Of your people"
"I reckon I wouldn't be ashamed
said the youth. I reckon there halnt
no better folks nowhar."
I'm sure Of it. There are going to
be sweeping changes in these noun
tains. Conditions here have stood as
immutable changeless as the hills
themselves for a hundred years. That
day is at its twilight. tell you, l
know what I'm talking about. The
state of Kentucky is looking this way.
The state must develop, and 1t is here
alone that it can develop. Here are
virgin forests and almost inexhaust-
ible coal veins. Capital is turning
from an orange squeezed dry, and
casting about for fresher food. Cap
ital has been your hills. Capital Is in
evitable, relentless, omnipotent. Where
it comes, it makes its laws. Conditions
that have existed undisturbed VIII
vanish. The law Of the feud, which
militia and courts have not been able
to abate, will vanish before capitais S
breath like the mists when the sun
strikes them. Unless you learn to ride
the waves which will presently sweep
over your country, you and your peo-
pie will 60 under. You may not realize
it, but that is true. 1t is written.
The boy had listened intently, but
at the end he smiled, and in his ex-
preston was something Of the soldier
who scents battle, not without well
come.
T reckon if these here fellers air
a-comin' up here to run things, an
drowned out my folks, hits right
good reason fer me ter stay here-an'
holp my folks
"By staying here, you can't help
them. By going away and coming
back armed with knowledge, you can
serve them. You will know how to
play the game"
II reckon they won't git our land,
ner our timber, ner our coal, without
we want ter sell hit. l reckon ef they
think thet, guns will come in handy.
Things has stood here like they is now,
fer a hundred years. l reckon we kin
keep 'em that-away fer spell longer"
But it was evident that Samson was
arguing against his own belief; that
he was trying to bolster up his resolu-
ton and impeached loyalty, and that
at heart he was sick to be up and go
ing to a world which did not despise
dedication" After a little, he waved
his hand vaguely toward down be-
low"
EFF went down thar" he question
ed suddenly and irrelevantly, would
l hev' ter cut my ha'r?"
MY dear boy" laughed Lescott, 1
can introduce you in New York studios
to many distinguished gentlemen who
would feel that their heads had been
shorn if they let their locks get as
short as yours. In New York. you
might stroll along Broadway garbed
in turban and a burnouse without
greatly exciting anybody. l think my
own hair is as long as yours"
Because" doggedly declared the
mountaineer, Il wouldn't allow nobody
ter make me cut my hair"
Why" questioned Lescott. amused
at the stubborn infection.
II don't hardly know why" He
paused, then admitted with glare as
through defying criticism: Sally likes
hit that-away-an' l won't let nobody
dictate ter me, that's all
The leaven was working, and one
night Samson announced to his uncle
from the doorstep that he was study
in erbout goin' away fer spell, an
seein' the world"