Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-02-19

leading cNizen-the chief actor-has
4 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
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 to me out of a full heart:
"sYOur fellow townsman, Sllas
Wright, is now the largest figure in
Washington. We were all worried by the
resolution of Henry Clay until it began
to crumble under the Irresistible attack
Of Mr.. Wright. On the 10th he sub
nitted report upon it which for lucid
and accurate statements presented in
the most unpretending manner won
universal admiration and will be re-
nembered 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'
nent 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 &C
complishedl
Going out with the crowd that eve
ming, l met Sally and Mr.. and Mrs.
Dunkelberg. The latter did not speak
! to me and when asked Sally IT
could walk home with her she an
swered CURLY, mo, thank you."
have got bit ahead of my history.
Soon after the opening of the new
year-ten days or SO later 1t may have
been-I had begun to feel myself en-
comprised by a new and subtle force.
It was 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 I had enjoyed before. They
whispered together In my presence. In
all this I had not failed to observe that
Henry Wills had taken a leading part.
The invisible, inaudible, mysterious
thing wrought a great change In me. 1t
followed me through the day and lay
down with me at night. I wondered
what had done. carefully surveyed
my clothes. They looked all right to
me. My character was certainly no
worse than 1t 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. ! saw
that The Thing-as had come to
think Of twas following him also.
How it darkened his face! Even now
l can feel the aching Of the deep,
bloodless wounds Of that day. could
bear 1t better alone. We were trying
to hide our pain from each other when
we said good-by. How quickly my
uncle turned away and walked toward
the shedsl He came rarely to the VII.
lage Of Canton after that.
May had returned-a warm bright
May. had entered my seventeenth
year and the work Of the term was
finished.
Having nothing to do one afternoon,
I walked out on the road toward Og-
densburg for a look at the woods and
fields. Soon I thought that I heard the
sound Of galloping hoofs behind me.
looked back and saw Sally round
ing the turn by the river and coming
toward me at full speed, the name OF
her pony flying back to her face. She
pulled up beside me just as had
imagined she would do.
'Bart, hate somebody terribly"
said she.
'sWhom?"
"A man who Is coming to our house
on the stage today. Granny Barnes Is
tying to get up match between us.
Father says he is rich and hopes no
will want to marry me. l got mad
about It. He Is four years older than
am. Isn't that awful? am going to
be Just as mean and hateful to him as
! can"
81 guess they're only fooling you," I
said.
"No, they mean 1t. I have heard
them talking 1t over.
"He cannot marry you"
"Why"
It seemed to me that the time had
come for me to speak out, and with
burning cheeks l said:
because / think that God has mar
ried you to me already. Do you re-
member when we kissed each other
by the wheat field one day last sum-
| ner?"
"Yes."
We had faced about and were walk
Inc back toward Canton. close by the
pony's side.
"May kiss you again?"
She stopped the pony and leaned
toward me and our lips met In kiss
the thought Of which makes me lay
down my pen and bow my head mo-
| ment while l think with reverence of
that pure, sweet spring of memory In
whose waters l love to wash my
spirit.