The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-01-09

took put the books and tenderly felt
their covers and read their titles.
There were "Cruikshanks' Comic Alma
nae" and Hoods Comic Annual;
tales by Washington Irving and James
X. Paulding and Nathaniel Hawthorne
and Miss Milford and Miss Austin /;
the poems Of John Milton and Felicia
Hemans. OF the treasures In the box
/ have now In my possession: A life
Of Washington, 1.-The Life and Writ
ings of Doctor Duckworth," 'The
Stolen Child" by "John Gait, ESQ.,;
'Rosine Laval" by "Mr. Smith; Ser
mons and Essays by William Ellery
Claiming. We found In the box also,
thirty numbers Of the United States
Magazine and Democratic Review"
and sundry copies Of the New York
Mirror"
Aunt Deel began with 'The Stolen
Child" She read slowly and often
paused for comment or explanation or
laughter OF to touch the corner of
an y with a r Of her handker-
chief In moments when we were all
deeply moved by ne misfortunes Of
our favorite characters, which were
acute and numerous.
In those magazines we read Of the
great West-"the poor mans para
dIse"-"the stoneless land of plen-
ty"; of its delightful climate, of the
ease with which the farmer prospered
or its rich soil. Uncle Peabody spoke
playfully of going West, after that,
but Aunt Deel made no answer and
concealed her opinion on that sub
ject for a long time. AS for myself,
the reading had deepened my inter
est in the east and west and north
and south and In the skies above
them. How mysterious and inviting
they had become!
One evening a neighbor had brought
the Republican from the p~Ost-ofice.
l opened 1t and read aloud these words
in large type at the top Of the page:
"Silas Wright Elected to the U. S.
Senate"
"Well l want to know!" Uncle Pea
body exclaimed. THAT would make
me forgit 1t If / was goin' to be
hung. Go ON AMI read what 1t says"
I read the choosing Of our friend
for the seat made vacant by the res
ignation of William L. Marcy, who
had been elected governor, and the
part which most impressed US were
these words from a letter Of Mr..
Wright TO Azariah Flagg Of Albany,
written when the former was asked
to accept the place:
II am too young and too poor for
such an elevation. I have not had
the experience in that great theater Of
politics to qualify me for a place so
exalted and responsible. l prefer
therefore the humber position which
l now occupy"
That's his way" said Uncle Pea
body. "They had hard work to con
vince him that he knew enough to be
Surrogate"
"Big men have little conceit-ayes"
said Aunt Deel with a significant
glance at me.
The candles had burned low and I
was watching the shroud Of n OF
them when there came a rap at the
door. 1t was unusual for any one to
come to our door In the evening and
we were a bit startled. Uncle Pea
body opened 1t and old Kate entered
without speaking and nodded to my
aunt and uncle and sat down by the
fire. Wildly I remembered the day
Of the fortune-telling. The same gen.
dc smile lighted her face as she
looked at me. She held up her hand
with four fingers spread above 1t.
ayes" said Aunt Deel, "there are
four perils."
Ny aunt rose and went into the
but'ry while I sat staring at the
ragged old woman. Her hair was
white now and partly covered by a