The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1919-03-06


blushed and Mary and her mother
and the boy John looked at me and
laughed.
"Puer pulcherrime r. Mr.. Hacket
exclaimed with n kindly smile.
Uncle Peabody would have called II
a "stout snag." The schoolmaster had
hauled II out Of his brain very deftly
and chucked It down before me In q
kind Of challenge.
"What does that mean7" I asked.
"You shall know In a week, my son."
he answered. 81 shall put you into
the Latin class Wednesday morning,
and God help you to like II as well as
you like Sally"
Again they laughed and again !
blushed.
Hold up yer head, my brave lad"
he went on. "Ye've a perfect right to
like Sally II we've heart to.
"a lad In his teens
VIII never know beans
II he hasn't an eye for the girls"
II was n merry supper, and when II
ended Mr.. Hacket rose and took the
green chair from the table, exclaim-
ing:
"Mlchael Henry, God Bless your
Then he kissed his wife and said:
maggie, you wild rose Of Erin I've
been all day in the study. I must take
walk or I shall get an exalted abdo-
men. One is badly beaten In the race
o. life when his abdomen gets ahead
Of his toes. Children, keep our young
friend happy here until I come back,
and mind you. don't forget the good
fellow In the green chair"
Mary helped her mother with the
dishes, while sat with a book by the
freside. Soon Mrs. Hacket and the
children came and sat down with me.
Lets play backgammon" Mary pro-
posed.
81 don't want to-" said John.
"Don't forget Michael Henry" she
reminded
"Who Is Michael Henryr I asked.
"Sure, he's the boy that has never
been born" said Mrs. Hacket. "He
was to be the biggest and noblest of
them-kind an helpful an CHEEKY
hearted an beloved o. God above all
| the others. We try to live up to him."
/ He seemed to me a very strange and
wonderful creature-this invisible oc-
/ cupant of the green chair.
| know now what l knew not then
that Michael Henry was the spirit Of
/ their home-an ideal Of which the
empty green chair was a constant re-
mnder.
We played backgammon and cold
maid" and Everlasting" until Mr..
Hacket returned.
The sealed envelope which Mr..
Wright had left at our home. a long
time before that day. was In my pocket.
At last the hour had come when l
could open IL and read the message
of which l had thought much and
with a growing interest.
/ rose and said that i should like to
go to my room. Mr.. Hacket lighted
candle and took me upstairs to a
little room where my chest had been
deposited. There were In the room a
bed, chair, a portrait of Napoleon
Bonaparte and small table on which
were dictionary, Bible and a num-
Der of schOolbooks.
'These were Mary's books" said Mr.
Hacket. 81 told your uncle that ye
could use them an welcome"
l sat down and opened the sealed
envelope with trembling hands and
found In II this brief note:
Dear Partner: l want you to ask
the wisest man you know to explain
these words to you. / suggest that
you commit them to memory and think
often of their meaning. They are from
Job:
"'His bones are full Of the sins of
his youth, which shall lie down with
him IN the dust
81 believe that they are the most
impressive In all the literature have
read.
"Yours truly,
"SILAS WRIGHT. JR."
/Coot;nnol paUt xxyaak