The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-02-15

Wright. addressed to my uncle. which ,
read:
Dear Sir-I send herewith box
of books and magazines in the hope
that you or Miss BayneS will read
them aloud to my little partner and III
doing 50 get some enjoyment ana
profit for yourselves.
Yours respectfully,
rs. WRIGHT, JR.
"P. S.-When the contents of the
box have duly risen into your minds
will you kindly see that it does IL
ike service to your neighborS in
| School District No. Z? 5. w. Jr.
81 guess Bart has made friend o
this great man-sartin ayes" said
Aunt Deel. Il wonder who'll be the
next One?
The work of the day ended. the
candles were grouped near the edge
of the table and my aunts armchair
was placed beside them. Then | sat
on Uncle PeabOdy'S lap by the fire
or, as time went on, in my small chair
|
her spectacles and began to read.
remember wildly the evening we
took out the books and tenderly felt
their covers and read their titles.
There were "Cruikshanks' Comic Alma
nae" and Hoods Comic Annual;
tales by Washington Irving and James
X. Paulding and Nathaniel Hawthorne
and Miss Milford and Miss Austin;
the poems of John Milton and Felicia
HemanS. OF the treasures in the box
| have now in my possession: y life
of Washington, THE Life and Writ
ings of Doctor DuckwOrth," The
Stolen Child" by John Gait, Esq;
"ROsine Laval" by Mr.. Smith; Ser
mons and Essays by William Ellery
Claiming. 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 it's rich soil. Uncle Peabody spoke
,, playfully of going West, after that.
but Aunt Deel made no answer and
concealed her opinion on that sub
ject for long time. AS for myself,
the reading had deepened my inter-
EST in the east and west and north
and south and in the skies above
them. How mysterious and inviting
they had become!
One evening neighbor had brought
the Republican from the post-office.
| opened il and read aloud these words
in large type at the top of the page:
"Silas Wright Elected to the U. s.
Senate"
well / want to know" Uncle Pea
body exclaimed. "That would make
me fOrgit it IL l was goin' to be
hung Go on anu read what it says
i read the choosing of our friend
for the Seat made vacant by the res
ignatiOn or William l.. Marcy. who
lid been ell cted governor, and the
part which most impressed us were
these words from letter of Mr.
Wright 10 Azariah Flagg of Albany
written when the former was asked
to accept the place:
II am too young and too poor fol
such IN elevation. | have aOt haC
the experience in that great theater OF
politics to qualify me for a place sc
exalted and responsible. | 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-
y Surrogate"
big men have little conceit-ayes =
Y said Aunt Deel with significant
glance at me.
The candles had burned low and
l. was watching the shrOud of one OF
them when there came Il rap at tn,
= door. II was unusual for any one Il
O come 10 our door in the evening ant
d we were a bit startled. Uncle Pea
V body opened il and old Kate entered
= without speaking and nodded to m!
d aunt and uncle and sat down by III,
n fire. Vividly | remembered the da,
Of the fortune-telling. The same gen
b tie smile lighted her face as sh
4 looked at me. She held up her han,
with four fingers spread above it