Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-28
CHAPTER x.
(Continued.l


You see all ways are north when
you put this lodestone near the
needle" he went on. IF 1t Is 10
tell YOU the truth you must keep
the lodestone away from the needle.
It's that way, too, with the com
pass of your soul, partner. The7 2
the lodestone is selfshness, and
with its help you can make any Ill
rection look right to you and soon
you're lost
He put his hand on my arm and
said in a low tone which made mo
TO understand that it was for my
ear only.
What I fear is that they may
try to tamper with your compass.
Look out for the lodestones."
He was near the end Of a row
and went on with his reaping Is
he said:
Il could take my body off this
row any minute, but the only way
to get my mind off 1t is TO go to its
end"
lie bound the last bundle and
then we walked together toward
the house, the senator carrying his
sickle.
81 shall introduce you 10 the
president" he said as we neared
our destination. Then perhaps
you had better leave us"
AT home we had read much about
The new president and regarded
him with deep generation. In gen
eral | knew the grounds Of this
fight against the banks for using
public funds for selfish purposes
and swapping mushrats for mink"
with the government, Is uncle put
it, by seeking to return the same
in cheapened paper money; his long
battle for the extension of the right
of suffrage in our state; his fiery
elCquence in debate. Often | had
heard Uncle Peabody say that Van
Buren, had made 81 possible for a
poor man to vote in YORK state and
hold up his head like a man. So l
was deeply moved by the prospect
of seeing him.
l could not remember that / had
ever been introduced to anybody
I knew that people put their wits
on exhibition and often flung down
a "snag" by way of demonstrating
their fitness for the honor, when
they were introduced in books. l
remember asking rather timidly:
what shall 1 say when-when
you-introduce me?"
"Oh, say anything that you want
to say" he answered with a look or
amusement.
You needn't be-he was once a
poor boy just like YOU"
Just like me-" I repeated
thoughtfully. for while l had heard
a good deal of that kind of thing in
our home, it had not, somehow, got
under my jacket, as they used 10
say.
Just like you-cowhide and all
the son of a small freebooter in
Undertook on the Hudson" he
went on. But he was we'll fed in
brain and body and kept his heart
clean. So, of course, he grew and
is still growing. That's a curious
thing about men and women, Bart.
If they are in good ground and
properly cared for they never stop
rOwing-never-a that's a pref
ty full word-isn't it?"
I felt its fulness, but the sena-
tor had a way of stopping just this
side of the grave in all his talks
with me, and so there was no sign
of preaching in any of it.
LAS time goes on you'll meet a
GOOD many great men, | presume"
he continued They're all just hui
man beings like you and me. Most
of them enjoy beefsteak and apple
pie and good boys"
We had come in sight of the
house. / Jagged behind a littlG
when I saw the great man sitting
on the small piazza with Mrs.
Wright. l shall never forget the
grand clothes he wore-black. saw
ing the gray waistcoat, with shiny,
brass buttons-espec the great
white standing collar and cravat.
see wildly, too. as / write, the full
figure, the ruddy, kindly face. the
large gray eyes. the thick halo of
silyered hair extending from his
collar to the bald top OF his head.
He rose and said in a deep voice:
He sows i'll luck who binders
the reaper"