Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-01-11

I remember wildly the evening we
took out the books and tenderly felt
their covers and read their titles.
There We're "Cruikshanks' Comic Alma
nae" and Hoods Comic Annual" +;
tales by Washington Irving and james
X. Pauldin and Nathaniel Hawthorne
and Hiss Milford and Miss Austin ;
the poems of John Milton and Felicia
Hemans. OF the treasures in the box
have now in my possession: A life
of Washington, "The Life and Writ
ings of Doctor Duckworth," "Thc
Stolen Child" by "John Gait, ESQ.,; /;
''Rosine Laval" by "Mr. Smith; Ser
mons and Essays by William Ellery
Charming. We found in the box also,
thirty numbers of the "United States
Magazine and Democratic Review"
and sundry copies of the New York
Mirror"
Aunt Deel began with "The Stolen
Child" She read slowly and often
paused for comment or explanation or
laughter or to touch the corner of
an eye with a corner of her handker-
chief in moments when we were all
deeply moved by the misfortunes Of
our favorite characters, which were
acute and numerous.
In those magazines we read of the
great West-"the poor mans para
dise'-"the stoneless land of plen-
ty"; of its delightful climate, of the
ease with which the farmer prospered
on its rich soil. Uncle Peabody spoke
piayfully of goinc West, after that,
but Aunt Deel made no answer and
concealed her opinion ON that sub
ject for long tine. As for myself,
tire reading had deepened my inter-
est in the east and west anf north
nnd south and in the skies above
them. How NJ ysterious and inviting
they had become!
One evening neighbor had brought
the Republican from the post-ofIice.
opened it and read aloud these words
in large type at the top of the page:
"Silas Writ It Elected to the U. S.
Senate"
'Well l want to knoww Uncle Pea
body exclaimed. "That would make
me forglt it if I was goin' to be
hung. Go on and .aad what it says"
/ read the ctoos lg Of our friend
for the seat made vacant by the res
ignation or William L. Marcy, who
hfd been elected governor, and the
part hlch most impressed us were
these words from letter OF AIr.
Wright 10 A2ariah Flagg of Albany,
written when the former was asked
to accept the place:
81 am too young and too poor for
such an elevation. / have not had
the experience in that great theater of
politics to qualify me for a place so
exalted and responsible. l prefer
therefore the humber position which
now occupy"
'That's his way" said Uncle Pea
body. "They had hard work to con-
vince him that he knew enough to be
Surrogate"
big men have little concelt-ayes y
said Aunt Deel with significant
glance at me.
The candles had burned low and I
was watching the shroud of one of
them when there came a rap at the
door. 1t was unusual for any ore to
come to our door in the evening and
we were bit startled. Uncle Pea
body opened 1t and old Kate entered !
without speaking and nodded to my !
aunt and uncle and sat down by the
fire. Vividiy 1 remembered the day
of the fortune-telllng. The same gen. !
tie smile lighted her face as she
looked at me. She held up her hand |
with four fingers spread above 1t.
Ayes said Aunt Deel "there ara
fcur perils."
My aunt rose and went into TIM !
hut'ry while | sat staring at the
ragged old woman. Her hair was
white now and partly covered by a