The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1919-02-13
CHAPTER ~.
In the Light Of the candIea


One day the stage. on Its way to
Ballybeen. came to our house and
left n box and a letter from Mr..
Wright. addressed to my uncle. which
read:
"Dear Slr-I send herewith a box
Of books and magazines In the hope
that you or Miss Baynes will read
them aloud TO my little partner and In
doing so get some enjoyment and
profit for yourselves.
"Yours respectfully.
as. WRIGHT. JR.
"P. S.-When the contents Of the
box have duly risen into your minds
will you kindly see that II does a
like service to your neighbors In
School District No. n s. w. Jr."
II guess Bart has made friend o.
this great man-sartin ayes" said
Aunt Deel. Il wonder who'll be the
next oneT
The work OF the day ended, the
candles were grouped near the edge
OF the table and my aunt's armchair
was placed beside them. Then sat
on Uncle Peabody's lap by the fire
or. as time went on. In my small chair
beside him. while Aunt Deel adjusted
her spectacles and began TO read.
remember wildly the evening we
took out the books and tenderly felt
their covers and read their titles.
There were "Crulkshanks' 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. or 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 or to touch the corner of
an eye with a corner of her handker-
chief In moments when we were all
deeply moved by the misfortunes OF
our favorite characters. which were
acute and numerous.
In those magazines we read of the
great West-"the poor mans para
dlse"-''the stoneless land Of plen-
ty"; OF its delightful climate. of the
ease with which the farmer prospered
on fits rich soil. Uncle Peabody spoke
playfully Of going West, after that.
but Aunt Deel made no answer aud
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 becomei
One evening neighbor had brought
the Republican from the post-office.
j opened II and read aloud these words
In large type at the top Of the page:
"sllas Wright Elected to the u. 8.
Senate"
swell I want to knowi" Uncle Pea
body exclaimed. THAT would make
me forgit Il II was goin' TO be
hung. Go on and read what II says"
1 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 letter of Mr..
Wright 20 Azarish Flagg Of Albany.
written when the former was asked
to accept the place:
II am too young and too poor for
such an elevation. 1 have not had
the experience In that great theater Of
politics to qualify me for a place so
exalted and RESPONSIBLE. prefer