Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-02-21
CHAPTER XIV.
I Use My Own Compass at a Fork In
the Road,


Swiftly now l move across the Dor
der into manhOod--a serious, eager
? restless manhood. II was the fashion
of the young those days.
Mr.. Wright came up for a days fish.
Ing in July. My uncle and l took him
up the river.
While we ate our luncheon he de-
scribed Jackson and spoke of the ia.
nous cheese which, he had kept on q
table in the vestlbule of the White
House for his callers. He described
his fellow enators-Webster, Clay,
Rives, Calhoun and Benton. remem-
Der that Webster was, in his view, the
least Of them, although at his best the
greatest orator. We had d delightful
day, and when drove back to the vii
l6ge with him that night he told me
that could go into the office of Wright
& Baldwin after harvesting.
ut will do for a start" he said. "A
little later sboll try to find better
place for you"
Ny life went on with little In II
worth recording until the letter came.
/ speak of 1t as "the letter." because
of Its effect upon my career. 1t was
from Sally and 1t said
Dear Bart: It's all over for long
time, perhaps forever-that will de-
pend on you. | shall be true to you,
If you really love me, even If have to
wait many, many years. Mother and
father saw and read your letter. They
say we are too young to be thinking
about love and that we have got to
stop it. How can stop it? l guess l
would have to stop living. But we
shall have to depend upon our men,
cries now hope that yours Is as
good as nine. Father says no more
letters without his permission, and he
stamped his foot so hard that l think
he must have made dent in the floor.
Talk about slavery-what do you think
Of that? Mother says that we must
wait-that ii would make father
/
that l allowed you to write. | guess
the soul of old Grimshaw is still fol-
lowing you. Well, we must stretch out
that lovely day as far as we can. On
the third of June, 1874, we shall both
be twenty-one-and l suppose that we
can do as we please then. The day
is long way off, but l will agree to
meet you that day at eleven In the
morning under the old pine on the
river where / met you that day and
YOU told me that you loved me. II
either or both should die our souls will
know where to find each other. II
you will solemnly promise, write these
words and only these to my mother
Amour Omnia vincit but do not sign
your name.
SALLY"
What a serious matter 1t seemed to
me then! | remember that it gave
Time a rather slow foot. | wrote the
words very neatly and plainly on a
sheet Of paper and mailed it to Mrs.
Dunkelberg. wondered If Sally would
stand firm, and longed to know the
secrets Of the future. More than ever
| was resolved to be the principal Wit
ness in some great matter as my
friend in Ashery lane had put 1t.
was eight months with Wright &
Baldwin when | was offered a clerk
ship In the Office of Judge Westbrook,
at CObleskill, In SchOharle county, at
two hundred year and my board.
knew not then just how the offer had
come, but knew that the senator must
have recommended me. | know now
that he wanted reliable witness OF
the rent troubles which were growing
acute In Schoharle, Delaware and Co.
lumbia counties.
1t was trial to 90 so FER from
home, as Aunt Deel put it, but both my
aunt and uncle agreed that it was "fOr
the best"
HOW 1t wrung my heart, when Mr..
furVis and got into the stage at Can
ton, to see my aunt and uncle standing
ny the front wheel looking up at me. |
How old and lonely and fOrlorn they
looked! Aunt Deel had her purse In
her hand. l remember how she took a
dollar out Of 1T suppose 1t was the
only dollar she had-and looked at 1t
a moment and then handed 1t up to
me.
You better take It," she said. I'm
'rraid you won't have enough"
How her hand aid lips trembledi
nave always kept that dollar.
couldn't see them as we drove away.
The judge received me kindly and
give Purvis job in his garden. I
was able to take his dlctation In sound
hand and spent most of my time in
taking down contracts and correspond
ence and drafting them into proper
form, which l had the knack Of doing
rather neatly. I was impressed by the
Of certain towns In the
neighborhood. and there were some
temptations in my way. Many people,
and especially the prominent men. In.
1ulged In ardent spirits.
We had near us there a little section