Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-26
afe Light
il, the
Clearing
4 Tale Of the North
Country In the Time
W SIlss Wright
~
HAVING DAcaELLEA
Asher q ~pSss psse1sa.- sp'n anl
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How It wrung my heart, when Mr..
Purvis and got into the stage at Can.
ton, to see my aunt and uncle standing
by the front wheel looking up at me
How old and lonely and forlorn they
lookedi Aunt Deel had her purse 10
her hnnd. I remember how she took
dollar out Of it, suppose 1t was the
only dollar she had-and looked at II
a moment and then handed 1t up to
me.
You better take It." she said. I'm
fraid you won't have enough"
How her hand and lips trembledi J
Aavs always kept that dollar.
lcouldn't see them a. We drove away.
The Judge received me kindly and
give Purvis 4 Job Ia his garden. I
was ah,. to take his dictation In sound
hand and spent most Of my time in
taking down contracts and correspond
ence and drafting them into proper
form. which had the knack Of doing
rnther neatly. I was Impressed by the
Immensely Of certain towns IN the
neighborhood. ana there were some
temptations In my way. Many people.
and especially the prominent men, in
duged In ardent spirits.
We had near - there little section
OF the old world which was trying, In
hsif-hearted fashion. to maintain IT,
! self In the midst Of . democracy. 1t
vas the immortal life Of the PATRONS
"a relic Of ancient feudallsm which
had its beginning IN 162D. when the
West Indies company issued its char
ter Of privileges and exemptions. That
charter offered to any member Of the
company who SHOULD, within four
years. bring fifty adults to the New
Netherlands and establish them along
the Hudson, a liberal grant Of land, to
be called q manor, Of which the owner
or PATRON should be full proprietor
and chief magistrate. The set ers
were to be exempt from taxation for
ten years. but under bond to stay In
one place and develop it. In the be-
ginning the PATRON built houses and
barns and furnished cattle, seed and
tools. The tenants for themselves and
their heirs agreed to pay him flxed
rent forever IN stock and produce ana.
further, to grind 1t the owners NIL
and neither to hunt nor dsh.
Judge Westbrook, in whose once I
worked, was counsel and collector for
the PATRONS. notably for the manors
Of Livingston and Van RenssalAsr-
two little kingdoms In the heart Of the.
great republic.
Ar. Louis Latour Of Js6teSou eoun-
u. whom had met In the company Of
Mr.. DunkelberE. came during my last
year there to study law In the once Of
the Judge, q privilege for which he was
Indebted to the influence Of Senator
Wright, I understood. He was . gay
Lothario, always boasting Of his lsvs
Affairs, and had little to do with him.
One day In May near the end Of ny
two years In CobIeskill Judge West
brook gave me two wits to serve on
settlers In the neighborhood Of Bald
. win Heights for nonpayment of rent.
He told me what knew, that there
was bitter feeling aga the PATRONS
in that vicinity and mat I might en-
counter oppositiou to the service Of
the wrlts. II so was not to press the
matter. but bring them, back and he
would give them to the sheriff.
~ do not insist on your taking this
task upon 4you,' he added. II want a
man Of tlct to go and talk with these
people and get their point Of view. II
you don't care to undertake itV'll send
another man."
II think I would enjoy the task"
said ia ignorance of that hornets nest
back In the hills. y
"Take Purvis with you" he said
"He can take care Of the tarses. and
as those back.country folk are little
,lawless 1t will be just Is well to- have
witness with you. They tell me that
Puryis Ii q man OF nerve end vigor."
I had drafted my letters for the. day
ard WAS about to close my desk and
start on my journey when Louis La
tour came in and announced that he
had brought tlc writs from the Judge
and was going with me. XII
II wouldn't miss it for thousand
dollars" he remarked. by Jove! I
think wen have Q bully time"
Il don't object to your going but
you must remember that am in com
mand," said, little taken back. for
I had no good opinion either of his
prudence or his company.
"The Judge told me that I could 10
but that I should be under your or
ders," he answered. I'm not going to
be fool. I'm trying to establish q
reputation for good sense myself"
We got our dinners and set out soon
after one o'clock. ] had read the
deeds Of the me, we were to visit.
They were brothers and lived on ad-
joining farms with leases which, Gov
cred three hundred and fifty acres Of
land. Their sgreat-grandfather had
agreed to pay yearly rent forever Of
sixty-two bushels Of good, sweet. mer-
charitable. winter wheat, eight yearlinE
cattle and four sheep In good flesh and
sixteen fat hens, Ill to be delivered in |
the city Of ALB : the first day Of !
January Of ea{ 30, feeling that |
/ was e4gagedi s% II cause. brave
y determined e the wits Z
possible.
1 rode IN silence, thinking Of sally |
and OF those beautiful days now reced-
Ing into the past and Of my aunt and |
uncle. had written q letter to them |
avnrv week and one or the other had |