Connecticut western news., 1919-02-27
CHAPTER XII.
The Thing and Other Things.


 late in the afternoon of New Years day. The schoolmaster was lying on big lounge in corner of their front room with the children about him. The dusk was falling.
 "Welcome, my laddie buck! p he ex- claimed as I entered. "We're telling stories O the old year an you're just in time for the last O them. Sit down, lad, and God give ye 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, I was soon to learn, he was highly accomplished, for we had a few rounds together every day after that. He keenly en- joyed this form of exercise and I soon began to. My capacity for taking pun ishment without flinching grew apace and before long I got the knack of countering and that pleased him more even than my work in school, have sometimes thought.
 God bless ye, boyI' he exclaimed one day after l 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." I wondered a little why he should say that, and while I was wondering he felled me with a stinging blow on my nose.
 "Ah, my 1ad-there's the best thing I have seen ye do--get up an come back 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.
 "Now. boys, I'm going to ask ye what ye want to do in the world,' he said. Don't be afraid to tell me what ye may never have told before and I'll dc what can to help ye."
 For some months I had been study ing a book just published, entitled, "Stenographic SOund-Hand," and had learned it's alphabet and practiced the use of it. That evening I took down the remarks of MT. Racket 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 familiarly with the children.
 "Since the leaves fell our little will 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: Will Uncle Sam yield to temptation or cling to honor? He has i chosen the latter course and we may 1 still hear the applause in distant gal | leries 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 tbis letter to me out of a full heart:
 "'Your fellow townsman, Silas Wright, is now the largest figure in Washington. We were all worried by the resolution of Henry Clay until it began 1 to crumhle under the irresistible attack of MT. Wright On the 16th he sub nitted a report upon it which for lucid and accurate statements presented in the most unpretending manner won 1 universal admiration and will be re- membered alike for it's 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, con- l pelied by the irresistible force of argu- rLent in the report of MT. Wright, was obliged to retire from his position, his resolution having been rejected by a vote of A to 1.'"\
 With what pride and joy I heard of this great thing that my friend had ac- Complished
 Going out with the crowd that eve ming, I met Sally and MT. and Mrs. Dunkelberg. The latter did not speak could walk home with her she an- swered curtly, "No, thank you"
 have got 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. It was a thing as intangible as heat but as real as fire and more terrible, 1t seemed to me. I felt it first in the at : titude of my play fellows. They de- nied me the confidence and intimacy which I had enjoyed before. They whispered together in my presence. In all this had not failed to observe that Henry Wills had taken leading part. The invisible, inaudible, mysterious thing wrought a great change in me. It followed me through the day and lay down with me at night. I wondered what had done. carefully surveyed ny clothes. They looked all right to lne. My character was certainly no worse than it had been. How it preyed upon my peace and rest and happiness that hidden thinO1