The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1917-03-15

aAnd did you not fear for me. tnsa--
sons overnight in the ~oodsf"
The hand on his forehead ceased its
gentle movement. fell 20 It's owners
lap. A sigh passed his mothers set
lips.
YES. my son. Meriwether." said she.
This Is the last Journeys have lost
you. then. IL seemsg You DO not wish
to be my boy any longerf You are
man altogether. thenY'
Il am Merlwether Lewis, mother,
said he gravely. and no more.
fesr' She spoke absently. musing-
" Eyes. you always were.~
Il went westward. clear across the
Ragged mountains said the youth
'-These and be pointed with con-
tempt to the small trophies at his belt
Twill do for the darkies az the sta
bles. l put y0n old rlngtalI up tree
last night. on my way home. and
thought II was as well 70 wait TIN
dawn tin I could see the rifle sights.
aud afterward-the woods were beau
fiful today. As to trails, even II there
Is no trail know the way back home
You know that, mother"
4 know that. my son. yes. You were
born FOR the forest. l fear shall not
bold you long on this quiet farm"
"All In time. mother. l am 70 stay
here with you until I am lifted to go
higher. You know what Mr.. Jefferson
has said to me. / am for Washington,
mother. one Of these days. for bold Il
sure that 3Ir. jefferson viii 20 there In
some still higher place. He was my
fathers friend and Is ours still"
cit may be that you win go 70 wash
ington. my son. said the mother. Il
do not know. But win you stay there?
The forest win call to you all your life
-all your IIfel DO I not know you.
thenf Can not see your ufe-all your
life-as plainly as II Il were wrIttenf
Do I not know-your m0ther7 Why
should your mother not known
He looked around at her rather
gravely once again. unsmlllngiy. for he
rarely smiled
How do you know. mother7 What
do you know7 Tel me-about myself
Then I win tell you also. We VIII see
how we agree as 10 what ] am and
what ought 70 do
~My son. II Is no question Of what 1
Jon ought to do. for that blends TOO
closely in fate with what you surely /
win dO-must do-because Il was writ \
ten for you. Yonder forest win always
call to you" She turned now toward
the sun. sinking across the red leaved
forest lands. The wilderness Is your
home. You VIII 60 out into IL and re-
turn. often. and then at last you win
90 and not come back again-nOt 20
me-uot to any one win you come
back
The youth did not move as she sat.
her hands on bis head. Her voice went
On, even and steady:
you are old. Meriwether Lewis. II
Is time now. You are man. You al
Ways were a man. You were born old
You never have been a boy and never
an be one. You never were a child. :
Jut always a man. When you were q
,aby you did not smile. when you were
! boy you always had your way. Ny
10Y. long time ago ceased TO oppose
hat win Of yours. knew that Il was
lseless But, ah, how I have loved
hat WI when ! felt II was behind
'our promised knew you would do
Fhat you had set for yourself TO do. I
new you would come back with deeds
. your hands, my boy. gained through
hat win which never would bend
or me or for any one else IN the
v0Fld.r n
He remained motionless. apparently !.
naRected. a. his mother went on: !
you were always old. always grown
D. always resolved, always your own
Iaster, always Meriwether Lewis ?
Then you were born you were not J
lid. When the old nurse brought you !
} mel can see her black face grin
hg now-she carried you held By the Z
ct instead Of lying on her arm. You n
God. yos were 50 strong Your hair
as dark and fun even then. You g
ere old. In two weeks you turned y
here you heard a sound. You recoR. o
zed sight and sound together as no al
Iiid usually does for months. You Il
ere beautiful, my boy; 80 strong. so u
raight-ah. yes-but you never were Of
boy at all When you should have
en- baby you did not weep and you N
Z not smile. never knew you 70 do y
From the frst you always were q bt
an
She paused, but still he did not speak co
That was well well enough, for later br
} were left alone. But your father AZ
- In you. DO not know well enough In
lere You got that settled melancholy M
yours, that dependency. that SOM sh
: grief-calI IL what you liIfe~-that III
Irked hlm All his life aud even In bis
ath7 That came from him, your fa- 20
sr. thank God I did not give you wi
r. knowing what life must hold for !