The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-07-04
WHEN THE LONG LANE TURNED
Man Relates Boyhood Experience In
Learning to Measure Life and
Conduct by Gods Standard. y


almost forty years ago, when 1
was a lad of fourteen, a crotchety old
farmer named Josiah Stebbins ordered
me and two other boys out of his
woods, where we were gathering chest
nuts" said a gentleman recently, In
reminiscent conversation with a
friend. "Of course, Mr.. Stebbins was
within his rights, but there were BUSH
els Of nuts that he could never use,
and his rough, abusive language an
gered us.
"'We1l get even with you for this
Lyman Crosier shouted back defiantly,
and he added in a lower tone: It's a
long lane that don't turn somewhere
"On the way home we discussed
ways and means of getting even with
Josiah Stebbins, but none of u boy
ish projects were practicable. The
other boys soon forgot the whole mat
ter, but as for me, the adage about
the long lane was scarcely out of my
mind for a day, and l repeated 1t to
myself every time l saw Mr.. Stebbins.
1t did not occur to me that / was nurs-
ing a revengeful spirit; on the con-
trary, I felt rather proud of standing
up for my own rights.
"One October afternoon the next
year, as / was crossing q cOrne Of Ira
Judson's pasture, / saw eleven lambs
jump over a low place In the fence into
Mr.. Stebbins' field. Something had
started them, for they raced full speed
the length Of the back meadows and
disappeared over the crest of a rocky
ridge beyond.
"When 1 reached the top of the
ridge the lambs were nowhere in sight.
There was a small, unused hay barn
In the next field, and / found the
frightened animals huddled, the sag
ging door closed behind them. Plainly
the lambs had jostled against the door
when they crowded In, setting IL
aswing, and the high wind had done
the rest. To my mind, the accident
was full of possibilities. The heavy
door was not likely to be pushed open,
and when the animals were missed 1t
would be easy to direct the search In
the right direction. Then / should
find the turning of the long lane.
"I decided to take Lyman Crosler
into my confidence and actually set Off
for the Crosier farmhouse; but half
way there 1 halted. Could ! state the
circumstances in a way to reflect cred
itably on the part / was playing? l
did not intend to disclose all the facts,
but only to tell Lyman that I had
found the lambs shut up in Josiah
Stebbins' hay barn. 1 had always
hated lying and deceit, and it shocked
me to realize how near 1 had come
to telling my friend a falsehood. No,
I would keep my secret.
"Could I? I stopped short as If a
real questioner blocked my path, de-
handing an instant answer. Some
times L think he did. God knew all
the details that I had hesitated to
relate to a s~choolmate, and what must
he think of me? Was the thought Of
petty revenge / had cherished any
more pleasing to him than the open
deceit I had refrained from practic-
ing? And could I carry my project
through without acting a lie? :
81 opened the door Of the hay barn
and let the lambs out before / return
ed home, and / told Ira Judson that
they were in Mr.. Stebbip's field. No
one else knew Of the matter. That was
the turning point CT my whole life,
for out there in the silence of the au-
tumn fields I learned to measure life
and conduct by Gods Standard
Youths Companion.