Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-07
The Light IN
the Clearing
Bv IRVING BACHELLER
NC BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The eobbs-Merrin co.

into en- she answered rackIsss,y
Ayes wen see what they're
about"
Aunt Deel began with The stol
en- Child She read slowly ana
often paused for comment or ev-
Ilanation or laughter or 10 torcL
the corner Of an eye with A corne,
Of her handkerchief in unornent,
when we were all deeply moved bv
the misfortunes Of our faysrit,
characters, which we're acute ana
numerous. OFTEN she stopped N
spell out phrases Of French ~
Latin, whereupon Uncle Peabodg
would exclaim:
call It 'snags' and 20 on"
The "snags" were numerous 4,
certain Of the books We read ~
which case Uncle Peabody wouN
exclaim:
Say, that's purity rough plowln'
Mebbe you better move into anotb.
er field"
How often I have heard Aunt Dee
reading when the effect was NE
this:
THE Duchess exclaimed with an
accent which betrayed the fact thai
she had been reared in the French
capital: 'Snags" Whereupon In
Roger rejoined in French equally
patrician: 'Snags,'"
Those days certain authors fsltt
necessary TO prove that their eAg.
cation had not been neglected or
forgotten. Their way was strevn
with fragments Of classic lore ln-
tended to awe and mystify The
reader, which evidences Of correct
religious sentiment we're dropped
here and there, to reassure him
The newspapers and magazines o.
the time, like certain Of ifs books.
were sailed with little advertise
ments Of religion, and virtue and
honesty and thrift.
In those magazines we read %
the great West-''the poor mans
paradise"-"the stoneless land OF
plenty" OF its delightful climate,
OF the ease with which the farmer
prospered on its rich soil. Uncle
Peabody spoke playfully Of going
West, after that, but Aunt Deel
made no answer and concealed her
opinion on that subject for a long
time. AS for myself the reading
had deepened my interest in east
and west and north and south AMI
in the skies above them. How mys-
terious and inviting they had be-
GOMEZ
One evening q neighbor had
brought the Republican from the
postoffice. I opened # and read
aloud these words, in large type al
the top of the page:
Silas Wright elected to the q. =
Senate.
We'll I want to know" Uncle
Peabody exclaimed That would
make me fergit it if I was goin' 70
be hung. Go on and read what q
says"
I read of the choosing OF our
friend for the seat made vacant b.
the resignation of William L. Marcy
who had been elected governor
ard the part which most impressed
us were these words from letter
Of Mr.. Wright 10 Azaiah Flagg OF
Albany. written when the former
was asked to accept the place:
81 am too young and too poor for
such an elevation I have not had
the experience in that great theatre
of politics to qualify me for a place
so exalted and responsible. / pre-
fer therefore the humber position
which l now occupy
That's his way said Uncle Pes
body. They had hard work 10
convince him that he knew enough
to be Surrogate
Big men have little concelt--
ayes!" said Aunt Deel with sig
nif1cant glance at me.
The candles had burned low and
I was watching the shroud OF one
of them when there came a rap e.
the door. 1t was unusual for any
one to come to our door in the
evening and we were a bit startled
Uncle Peabody opened II and oli
Kate entered without speaking arc
nodding to my aunt and uncle and
sat down by the fire. Wildly re-
membered the day Of the fortune
telling. The same gentle smile
lighted her face as she looked o.
me. She held up her hand with
four fingers spread above IT,
Ayes" said Aunt Deel. there
are four perils."
Continued tomorrow