The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-29
$500
ArkanSaW
He Was a Gentleman
of the Southwest.
By F. A. Mitchell
By F. A. Mitchell

When boys summer camps were first |
established in the United States, at one |
of them, located in northern New Eng |
land, We're two boys who We're chums. |
They were the very antipodes of each |
other. Both were Of the older boys at |
the camp, being between seventeen and |
eighteen. Frank Vinton hailed from
Connecticut. He was intellectual and
spiritual. Those who knew him best |
predicted for him marked career In
some intellectual pursuit, probably the
church. Edward Davis was from Ar
kansas and typical southerner He
was long of limb, large boned and mus
cular. He was two years behind his
chum in fitting for college,
Each was In his way leader of
other boys. Frank Vinton was usually
intrusted with the management OF the
entertainments got up at the camp and
was recorder. His camp journal was
beautifully written. Davis, who was
univ ersally called Arkansaw, led the
hikes, the canoeing, the swimming-in
fact, all the sports. Naturally the
boys, who placed strength and daring
above intellect. admired him more than
Vinton But Arkansaw ranked him
self far below his Ghum. What we
possess we do not value; what we lack
we covet. Arkansaw saw no merit in
his diving from n platform elevated
forty feet above the surface of the wa
| ter or being able to throw any boy In
| the camp. He would have given his
| strength and daring for the ability to
| learn Latin grammar, which was be-
| yond his intellectual endowment. For
this reason, perhaps, he was pleased
at his intimacy with the intellectual
Vinton.
When the season was ended and the
campers went home the chums regret
ted that they could not enter college
in the same class. Vinton had passed
his entrance examination, but Davis
had still long period Of study before
him. When Vinton became a Junior
Davis became freshman. OF course
he entered the same college Us VintOn.
Notwithstanding that they were two
years apart in the college curriculum
they were still chums. Naturally their
associates wondered what was the tic
that bound the brawny southwesterner
and the polished New Highlander. The
truth is, persons don't usually make
friends with their counterparts. They
generally seek what they are not them
selves.
vinton graduated with high honors,
and while his chum was struggling
through the last two years in college
he was studying for the ministry. The
Arkansan was wanted OH the varsity
crew, on the varsity football and base.
ball teams, but he could not be in.
duced to train with any Of them. He
had as profound contempt for mus
cuar as he had reverence for intel.
lectual strength.
Davis pulled through college, being
graduated among the "dregs," as he
called them, of his class. Vinton
studied theology at his alma mater
so that their intimacy was not inter.
J rupted. When Davis finished his AGA
demical course Vinton was admitted
to orders, having taken three years
course I'm two. They said goodby tc
each other, Davis with more regret
than his friend, who by this time was
beginning to feel the difference be
tween them, for the clergyman be
longed to an aristocratic family and
was engaged to a society belle. She
had met Davis and wondered what
her lover could see in him to admire
Perhaps this is the main reason why
h Vinton parted with his chum without
| the regret that was to have been ex
pected.
II Davis inherited an estate that rem
dered him independent of work, but II
would have been impossible for him to
be idle An office in the gift OF the
people of his state becoming vacant
and it being desirable that a man not
stained with political iniquity should
be elected Davis was waited on by q
| committee from both parties who ask
ed him to run for the office, promising
II him n sure election He was too dunn
II founded for awhile to reply, then said
that a better man than he was needed
| for the duties involved. But the com
mittee would not accept his refusa
and left him assuring him that HI
| would be elected whether he ran OF
not.
! This was the beginning of politica
career that was thrust upon Davis, bu
It lasted only a short time. for he be
came disguised with politics, and whei
his friends proposed to nominate hin
for an important state office he hatl.
| refused.
One summer five or six years ate
, he had parted with Vinton he resolye'
to go north for visit, taking in hi
= old chum by the way. The truth Is b
had learned to love the north In sum
. mer while at the boys camp and long
: ed to get back into the northeastern
territory where he could enjoy tn
cool woods and waters.
One Saturday evening a lanky ma
with a strong southern accent register
ed at a hotel in the city where Fran
Vinton was rector of the most faSnlo1