Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-04-01
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much / will say: He became a very
dali and 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 than
the swabbinS of a deck. or, perhaps, an
encounter with an obstinate pawn
broker. AS time went on. the two
children began to look upon him as a
very tiresome and Improbable per
son. Finally, one day, long after his
~regenerate period began, the nxiou
anticipation in Mary's starved soul
burst it's bonds, and she almost
walled:
Uncle Jabe, why don you tell us
any more grand stories"
Because" said he, st amt right to
tell lies"
But how would we know they were
lies?"
You can allus tell when a feller's
lynn. if o once ketch him il one
quoth he.
We'll they are lots of fun, just the
same. protested she. "Ain't they,
Eric?"
Yes" said Eric rather gravely, "if
SS' SSi Gil H. luIl.
I'll tell 'em 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 1 begin by
sayin' they're the Gods truth, you can
believe EN-. If l dom say that, you'll
know they're lies"
And so 1t was that old Jabez came
1oyously into his w again.
h 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
mad 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 or the Hill
IN those early days of shame md re-
sentiment.
You can't afford to do that, sonny"
he announced. Jest put 1t right out
OF your 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
Mary. It's plumb foolish to talk about
takin' her with vol That would be
the quickest way to send her to the
NAhS" II 6ooo eS lIlS
grain to stay up there with them peo-
pie, but it's a derned sight better'n
Starv1n' 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 you. No, stree,
my boy. You stick it out. Stand by
your guns. Just you wait a few years
l know what I'm talkin' about. You
went to sea. | wished a thousand
times l hadn't, cause my stepfather
was nasty mean to my sisters and my
mother"
He hesitated for Il moment and then
went on. You wait a few years and
then you can tell 'em to go to hell"
After a few reflective pulls al his pipe,
he vouchsafed: And, mind you, Erie,
there 1s such a place as hell"
Eric, at 16, was as handsome a lad
as you'd see in a weeks Journey. He
was growing with a s~teadiness that
promised a good six feet at mans
estate. and he was as straight and as
strong as a young sapling, and as
1.-THE and graceful as an Indian. He eX-
celled at all the games in which
strength. agility n quick wittedness
were paramount. In baseball, football,
She]lilS, AoSlIlS LIN SdllllS lie 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
CANT. 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. nor was
1t unappreciated by his companions.
An extremely condition
marked this attitude toward him on
all occasions; instead Of boasting Of
mitted that Eric Midthorne could do
better than that if he half tried" Nor
was there the %faintest touch Of jealousy
or my in their summing up Of his
deeds.
The gentle, pleasant ways Of the
southland We're strong in him; he
was prone to resent an affront with
yigor, and as quick to repent. The hot
blood in his veins was hard to control.
but he always had the better of it
There was no indignity SO grave that
he could not defect 1t without losing
his temper entirely. He was afraid Of
h shadow that stalked beside him;
h 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 one out
side his own family, the Presbreys and
old Jabez, spoke to him Of his father
and mother. He knew tina they knew.
and he was deeply sensible of their
well meant restraint. Their kindly re-.
ticence had a sting, however; there
vas 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
rtnth, a leader in his classes as we'll
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 it Is not surprising that
the eternal feminine in her took ad-
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 Erie 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 s.the giants
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