Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-04-03

"That's all right" he answered. sim
going to drive to your house this after
oon and your uncle wishes you to
go with me. We are all to have a talk
with MI. Grimshaw."
He left me and I went over to Mr..
Wright's. .
They told me that he was cutting
corn in the back lot, where I found
him.
"Mr. Dunkelberg came this morning
and wanted to buy me some new
clothes and boots," I said.
The senator stopped work and stood
looking at me with his hands upon his
hips.
II wouldn't let him do it If I were
you," he said thoughtfully.
Just then I saw a young man come
running toward us in the distant field.
Mr.. Wright took out his compass.
"Look here" he said, "you see the
needle points due north"
He took a lodestone out Of his
pocket, and holding it near the com-
pass moved it back and forth. The
needle followed 1t.
The young man came up to- us
breathing deeply. Precipitation was
rolling off his face. He was much ex-
cited and spoke with some difficulty.
Senator Wright" he gasped, "Mrs.
Wright sent me down to, tell you that
President Van Buren, is at the house."
I remember wildly the look of mild
amusement in the senator's face and
the serene calmness with which he
looked at the young man and said to
him:
sTell Mrs. Wright to make him com
Portable in our easiest chair and to
say to the president that I shall be up
directly"
To my utter surprise he resumed his
talk with me as the young man went
away.
"You see all ways are north when
you put this lodestone near the
needle" he went N. IF it is to tell
you the truth you must keep the lode
stone away from the needle. It's that
way, too, with the compass of your
soul, partner. There the lodestone is
selfshness, and with it's help you can
make any direction look right to you
and soon-you're lost"
He bound the last bundle and then
we walked together toward the house,
the senator carrying his Sickle.
"I shall introduce you to the presi-
dent" he said as we neared our des-
tination. "Then perhaps you had bet
ter leave us"
I could not remember that I had
ever been introduced" to anybody.
knew that people put their wits on ex-
hibition and often flung down a "snag'
by way of demonstrating their fitness
for the honor, when they were intro.
duced in books. I remember asking
rather timidly:
: "NNhat shall L say when-when you
Introduce me?"
ooh, say anything you want to say
he answered with a look of amuse
ment.
"I'm kind O. scared" I said.
"You needn't be-he was once 6
poor boy just llhe you.
Gust like mel" l repeated thought
fully, for while I had heard a goo(
deal of that kind of thing in our home
, it had not, somehow, got under m!
Jacket, as they used to say.
"Just like you-cowhide and all
the son Of a small freeholder in Kin
derhook on the Hudson" he went on
+ "But he was we'll fed in brain ant
body and kept his heart clean. So O.
!, course he grew and is still growing
That's a curious thing about men an
!, women, Bart. If they are in goot
ground and properly cared for the,
never stop growing ant
, that's a pretty full word-isn't it?
, We had come in sight of the house
1 Jagged behind a little when I say
the great man sitting on the small
!. piazza with Mrs. Wright. I see viz
idly, as I write, the full figure, tn
? rudy, kindly face, the large nose, tn
r gray eyes, the thick halo of silvere
hair extending from his collar to tn
I bald top of his head. He rose an
3 said in a deep voice:
"He SOws ill luck who hinderS tn
reaper"
, Mr.. Wright hung his sickle on
small tree in the dooryard and ar
swered:
"The plowman has overtaken tn
reaper, Mr.. President. I bid you We
9 come to my humble home"
ut is a pleasure to be here and
regret to call you back to Washing
ton," said the president az they shoe
p hands.
q II suppose that means an extra ses
7 sion," the senator answered.
7 "First let me reassure you. | sha
get away Is % as possible, for
II know that a president is a heavy bul
den for one to have on his hands"
"DOn't worry. l can get along wit
almost any kind of n human being. e!