The Dermott news., 1919-05-15
CHAPTER XIV.
| Use My Own Compass at a Fork In
the Road.

der into manhood-a serious, eager.
of the young those days.
Mr.. Wright came up for days fish
ing in July. My uncle aud took him
up the river.
While we ate our luncheon he de-
scribed Jackson and spoke of the fa-
nous cheese which he had kept on n
table In the vestibule of the White
House for his callers. He described
his fellow SenatorS-Webster, Clay.
Rives. Calhoun and Benton. / remem-
Der that Webster was. in his view. the
least of them although ut his best the
greatest orator We had delightful
day. and when drove back to the vii
lage with him that night he told me
that I could 90 into the Office of Wright
& Baldwin after harvesting.
at will do for a start" he said. "A
little later | shall try to find better
place for you"
My life went on with little in 1t
worth recording until the letter came.
l speak of ii as the letter." because
of its effect upon my career. 1t was
from Sally, and it said:
Dear Bart: It's all over for long
time, perhaps forever-that will de
pend on you. | shall be true TO you,
il you really love me. even II have to
wait many, many years. Mother and
father saw and read your letter. They
SHY we are toe young to be thinking
about love and that we have got To
stop it. How can | stop 1t? | guess
would have to stop living. But We
shall have to depend upon our mem
cries now. l hope that yours is rs
good as mine. Father says no more
letters without his permission, and he
stamped his foot so hard that | think
he must have made a dent in the floor
Talk about Slavery-what do you think
of that? Mother says that we must
walt-thnt 1t would make father n
great deal of trouble If II were known
that | allowed you to write. | guess
the soul of old GrimShaw is still fol-
lowing you. Well, we must stretch out
that lovely day as far rs We can. on
the third of June. 1914. we shall both
he twenty-one-and l suppose that we
can do as We please then The day
Is long way of. but l Will agree to
meet you that day mt eleven in the
morning under the old pine on the
river where ! met you that day and
YOU told me that you loved me. II
either or both should die our souls Will
you Will solemnly promise. write these
words and only these to my mother
Amour omnia vincit, but do not sign
your name.
SALLY"
What serious matter Il seemed to
me then, l remember that ii gave
Time rather slow foot. wrote the
words very neatly and plainly on
sheet OF paper and mailed 1t to Mrs.
punkelberg. l wondered II Sally would
stand firm, and lonGed to know the
secrets of the future. More than ever
ness in some great matter. as my
friend in Ashery lane had put 1t.
was eight months with Wright 4
Baldwin when | WIS offered "A clerk
ship in the office OF Judge WeStbrook.
ut CohleSlill, in Schoharie county, at
two hundred year and my board. |
knew not then just how the offer had
come. but knew that the senator must
have recommended me. l know now
that he wanted reliable witness of
the rent troubles which We're growing
acute In Sehoharie, Delaware and Co
mmhia counties.
1t WAS trial To go so far from
aunt and uncle agreed that II was for
the best"
How it wrung my heart, when Mr..
Purvis and got into the stage ut Can
ton, TO see my aunt and uncle standing
by the front wheel looking up ut me.
How old and lonely and forlorn they
looked Aunt Deel had her purse In
her hand | remember how she took a
dollar out OF 1T suppose K was the
only dollar she had-and looked at II
moment and then handed 1t up to
me.
You better take It." she said. I'm
fraid you won't have enough"
How her hand and lips trembledi I
have always kept that dollar.
couldn't see them as we drove away.
The judge rece we'd me kindly and
gave Puryis job In his garden. l
was able 10 take his dictation Ia sound
hand and spent most OF my time in
taking down contracts and correspond
ence and drafting them into proper
form, which had the knack of doing
rnther neatly. | was impressed by the
immensely OF certain towns In the
neighsorhood. and there were some
temptations In my way. Many people,
and especially the prominent men. In
dulged in ardent spirits.
We had near us there a little section
of the old world which was trying, In a
half-hearted fashion. to maintain It.
self in the midst of democracy. II
vas the immortal life of the PATRONS
IA relic of ancient feudalism which