The diamond drill., 1919-03-01

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began 10. Ny capacity for taking pun
ishment without fiinching grew apacS
and before long / got the knack OF
.counterIng and that pleased him more
even than my work In school. have
sometimes thought.
"God bless ye. boyl" he exclaimed
one day after had landed heavily on
his cheek, we've nice way o. sneakin'
I'm with yer right. I've a notion ye
may find II useful some day."
wondered a little why he should
say that, and while i was wondering
he felled me with stinging blow on
my nose.
"Ah, my lad--there's the best thing
I lave seen ye do-get up an com}N
back with no mad In. ye." he said AS he
gave me his hand.
one day the schoolmaster called the
older boys 10 the front seats I'm his
room and among them.
"Now, boys. I'm going 10 ask We
what We want TO do In the world" he
said. Don't be afraid TO tell me what
We may never have told before and III
uG W0ht Cu0 W ntip sS.
For some months had been study
ing a book just published. entitled.
"Stenographic Sound Hand" and had
learned its alphabet and practiced the
use OF II. That evening l took down
the remarks Of Mr.. Hacket in sound
hend.
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 VIII I
lage has occupied the center OF tho
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
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
this letter 10 me out OF a full heart:
"Your fellow townsman, Slas
Wright Is now the largest figure In
Washington. We were all worried by the
resolution of Henry Clay until IL began
10 crumble under the irresistible attack
OF Mr.. Wright. On the 10Th he sub
nitted a report upon IL which for lucid
and accurate statements presented IN
the most unpretendlng 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 a 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 n
vote OF "A 10 l."
With what pride and JOY heard Of
this great thing that my friend had ac-
compllshed
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 II
could walk home with her she an
swered curtly. mo, thank YOU"
have got a bit ahead of my history.
Soon after the opening OF the new
year-ten days or so later Il may have
been-I had begun 10 feel myself en-
compassed by q new and subtle force.
IL was a thing as intangible AS heat
but as real as fire and more terrible. IL
seemed TO me. l felt IL first In the at
tltude Of my play fellows. They de-
MED me the confidence and intimacy
which had enjoyed before. They
whispered together In my presence. In
all this had not failed to observe that
Henry Wills had taken n leading part.
The invisible, inaudible, mysterious
thing wrought great change In me. 1t
followed me through the day and lay
down with me at night. | wondered
what had done. l carefully surveyed
my clothes. They looked all right to
me. My character was certainly no
worse than II had been. How 1t preyed
upon my peace and rest and happiness
that mysterious hidden thing
One day Uncle Peabody came down
&c see me and | walked through the
village with him. We met Mr.. Dunkel-
berg, who merely nodded and hurried
along. Mr. Bridges, the merchant, did
not greet him warmly and chat with
him as he had been wont TO do. l saw
that The Thlng-as l had come 10
think OF it--was following him also.
How II darkened his facet Even now
can feel the aching of the deep.
bloodless wounds OF that day. could
bear IL better alone. We were trying
10 hide our pain from each other when
we said good-by. How quickly my
uncle turned away and walked toward
tho ~ A. A.. Al. .tI-