The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-02-19
THFLI6HT
I'M THE CLEARING
A TALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY
IN THE TINE OF SILAS WRIGHT
N
IRVINE HAEHELLER
BLESSED

AUTHOR or
eBeN HOLDEN, DRi AND pARREl or THE BLESSED ISLES
KEEPING UP WITH LIZZIE. ETC. ETC

/ a cross-eyed, frecKled girl In red
dress made a face at me.
1t was, on the whole, the unhappiest
day of my life. During recess I
slapped boys face for calling me a
rabbit and the two others who came
to help him went away full of fear
and establishment, for i had the
strength of young moose In me those
days. After that they began to make
friends with me.
In the noon hour a man came to me
in he schoolyard with a subpoena for
the examination of Amos Grimshaw
and explained its meaning.
While i was talking with this man
Sally passed me walking with another
girl and said:
"Hello, Bartl'
observed that Henry Wills joined
them and walked down the street at
the side of Sally. / got my first pang
of jealousy then.
When school was out that after
noon Mr.. Hacket said i could have an
hour TO see the sights of the village.
so / set out, feeling much depressed.
/ walked toward the house of MIR.
Wright and saw him digging potatoes
in the garden and went in. L knew
that he was my friend.
"Well, Bart, how do you like
schoolT' he asked.
Not very WELL" / answered.
"Of course not! It's new TO you
now, and you miss your aunt and
uncle. Stick to 1t. You'll make
friends and get interested before long,"
IL want to go home" declared.
"Now let's look at the compass" he
suggested. you're lost for a minute,
and like all lost people you're heading
the wrong way. Don't be misled by
selfishness. Forget what you want to
dc and think of what we want you to
do. We want you to make a man Of
yourself. You must do 1t for the sake
OF those dear people who have done
SO much for you. The needle points
toward the schoolhouse yonder."
He went on with his work, and as !
walked away / understood that the
needle he referred to was my con-
science.
Invent about my chores. There was
to be no more wavering In my con-
duct. At the supper table Mr.. Hacket
kept us laughing with songs and jests
and stories. The boy John, having
been reproved for rapid eating, hurled
his spoon upon the floor.
"Those In favor of his punishment
will please say aye?" said the school
master.
/ remember that we had a divided
house on that important question.
The schoolmaster said: michael
Henry wishes him to be forgiven on
promise of better conduct, but for the
next offense he shall ride the bad
GER"
This meant lying for a painful mo-
ment across his fathers knee.
The promise was given and our
merrymaking resumed. The district
attorney, whom / had met before,
came to see me after supper and asked
more questions and advised me to talk
! with no one about the shooting with
out his consent. Soon he went away,
and after / had learned my lessons
Mr.. Hacket said:
LET us walk up to the Jail and
spend few minutes with Amos"
| We hurried to the Jail. The sheriff,
stout-built, stern-faced man, admit
ted us.
Can we see the Grimshaw boy?"
Mr.. Hacket inquired.
81 guess So" he answered as he
Iazily rose from his chair and took
down a bunch of large keys which had
been hanging on the wall. His IA
Their has just left"
He spoke in q low, solemn tone
which impressed me deeply as he put
O lighted candle In the hand Of the
schoolmaster. He led us through q
door into a narrow corridor. He thrust
a big key into the lock of heavy iron
grating and threw 1t open and babe us
step i'm. We entered an ill-smelling
stone-floored room with a number Of
cells against its rear wall. He locked
the door behind us. saw face and
figure in the dim candle light, behind
the grated door of one of these cells.
How lonely and detected and helpless
was the expression of that figure The
sheriff went to the door and I'M
locked 1t.
Hello, Grimshaw," he said sternly.
"Step out here"
II all went to my heart-the man.
ners of the sheriff so like the cold iron
of his keys and doors--the dim candle
light, the pale, frightened youth who
walked toward us. We shook his hand
and he said that he was glad to see
us. / saw the scar under his left ear
and reaching out upon his cheek.
which my stone had made, and knew
that he bore the mark of Cain
He asked II he could see me alone
and the sheriff shook his head and said
ntarnlv.