Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-02-14
CHAPTER XII.
The Thlnq and Other Thinos.

/ returned to Mr.. Jackets house
late in the afternoon Of New Years
day. The schoolmaster was lying on a
big lounge in corner of their front
room with the children about him. The
dusk was falling.
welcome, my laddle buckr he ex-
claimed as / entered. "Were telling
stories O. the old year an you're just
In time for the last O. them. Sit down,
lad, and God give We patience! It'll
soon be over"
After supper he got out his boxing
gloves and gave me lesson In the art
of self-defense, in which, / was soon
tc learn, he was highly accomplished,
for we had q few rounds together
every day after that. He keenly en-
1oyed this form of exercise and soon
began to- My capacity for taking pun
ishment without flinching grew apace
and before long l got the knack Of
countering and that pleased him more
even than my work in school, have
sometimes thought.
God bless We, boyp he exclaimed
one day after had landed heavily on
his cheek, we've nice way O sneakin'
in with yer right. I've notion ye
may find it useful some day"
l wondered little why he should
say that and while l was wondering
he felled me with a singing blow on
my nose.
"Ah, my lad-theres the best thing
] have seen We do--get up an come
bacE with no mad in ye," he said as he
gave me his hand.
one day the schoolmaster called the
older boys to the front seats in his
room and among them.
Nov. boys, I'm going to ask We
what We want to- do in the world" he
said. Don't be afraid to tell me what
y6 may never have told before and I'll
dc what / can to help ye."
For some months l had been study
ing a book just published, entitled,
"Stenographic SOund-Hand," and had
learned its alphabet and practiced the
use of it. That evening / took down
the remarks of Mr.. Hacket In sound
hand.
The academy chapel was crowded
with the older boys and girls and the
tCwnfolk. The master never clipped
his words in school as he was wont to
do when talking Familiarity with the
children.
"Slnce the leaves fell our little viii
lage has occupied the center Of the
stage before an audience of millions
in the great theater of congress. Our
leading citizen-the chief actor-has
been crowned with immortal fame. We
who watched the play were thrilled by
the query: WIN Uncle Sam yield to
temptation or cling to honor? He has
chosen the latter course and we may
still hear the applause in distant gal
lerles beyond the sea. He has decided
that the public revenues must be paid
in honest money.
my friend and classmate, George
Bancroft, the historian, has written
this letter to me out of full heart:
~Your fellow tOwnsl,an,
Wright, is now the largest figure in
Washington. We were all worried by the
resolution of Henry Clay until it hogan
to crumble under the Irresistible attack
of Mr.. Wright. On the 18TH he SUBJ
mitted report upon 1t which for lucid
and accurate statements presented In
the most unpretending manner won
universal admiration and will be re-
membered alike for its intrinsic excel
lence and for having achieved one OF
the most memorable victories ever
gained in the United States senate.
After long debate Clay himself, COM
PEELED by the Irresistible force Of argu-
ment in the report of Mr.. Wright, was
obliged to retire from his position, his
resolution having. been rejected by
vote of "A to l."
With what pride and Joy heard OF
this great thing that my friend had ac-
cOmplished!
Going out with the crowd that eve
ming, met Sally and Mr.. and Mrs.
Dunkelberg. The latter did not speak
to me and when l asked Sally If 1
could walk home with her she an
swered CURLY, mo, thank you"
have got a bit ahead of my history.
Soon after the opening Of the new
year-ten days or so later it may have
been-I had begun to feel myself en-
compassed by a new and subtle force.
1t was a thing as intangible as heat
but as real as fire and more terrible, 1t
seemed to me. felt 1t first in the at
titude Of my play fellows. They de-
MED me the confidence and intimacy
which 1 had enjoyed before. They
whispered together In my presence. In
all this had not failed to observe that
Henry Wills had taken a leading part.
The invisible, inaudible, mysterious
thing wrought a great change in me. II
followed me through the day and lay
down with me at night. / wondered
what had done. / carefully surveyed
my clothes. They looked all right 10