Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-11-11

/
sion with which could not be content.
But as 1 look a light falls upon my
way. 1t came from gentle friendly
faces. Mostly It was the light that
shone out of the big honest, blue eyes
of young girl. 1 began to feel the
stir Of a new life in me. In a little
time the restless, daring, adventurous
human being that am was born. He
knew his way. No task was too great
for him. He had a strange faith in
his heart that no undertaking was be-
yond his strength. If 1t was an illu-
! sion 1t was worth having.
1 knew mean and sordid people.
These have almost forgotten. But
do not forget or underestimate the
kindly help of Mrs. Smithers, in spite
Of her narrowness. or the gentle sever
ity Of Betsy Spenlow, or the great
heart Of Bumpy Brown. Especially I
remember the keen intellect and IA
therly counsel of the beloved doctor
and the generosity Of Mr.. Converse
and Of Colonel and Mrs. Blake. Above
all these forces that have helped to
make me the man I am is that light
which, long ago, shone upon me out
Of girls eyes.
1 was a romantic young knight Of
! the age Of chivalry when, that day in
December, elated by my success In
| Amity Dam 1 came to Colonel Blake's
house. I sat down at the table with
Ruth and her mother. Cautiously 1
tried to ease the fullness of my heart.
"Forgive me if 1 look at you too
much" I said to the beautiful girl.
at is winter. There are no flowers.
The trees are bare and my eyes long
for something good to look at"
Mrs Blake smiled, saying: Il sug-
gest that you turn your eyes on that
portrait of lovely lady looking down
at you from the wall"
''She is very grand but her eyes tell
me no secret Her lips do not speak to
me. My heart beats no faster when
1 look at her."
These things tell so that those who
read may know that I had an active
Imagination and a spirit not quite
fitted to my time. Extravaganza in
dress and speech was the keynote of
my youth. The ladies liked me. Some
| men did not. Those who said that
| 1 was born liar have never under
stood me. They will not understand
me now when l say that there is no
one so uninteresting as a born truth
teller whose veracity has the precision
of mathematics. Mrs. Blake knew my
heart. She faced me about with these
words.
Dear boy, know that you mean
what you say but you are on forbid
den ground. Did I not warn you to
keep off the grass?"
She was smiling. My ardof had
amused her.
"Truel But when you gave me that
warning you thought that / was a
child. Since Colonel Blake has told
me that have done the work Of a
man. He does not know it, but have
helped to solve the mystery which has
baffled us so long. 1 present it to
J him"
She took my hand in hers-a gentle
motherly gesture. She said:
you are boy of a thousand
brave, thoughtful, keen-minded-a gen.
tleman. am proud Of you. But you
are only boy in years, even If you
are man in Accomplishment. You
must be patient and wait while be-
! fore you can be engaged to marry"
81 can wait but the thought Of 1t is
like a knife in my heart. shall
have to go away where | can not see
her. When l take her hand in mine,
when l look into her eyes, my heart
is telling her Of my love. 1 should
think that l might as well say 1t with
my tongue. Why not?"
/ wonder not that she laughed.
II think that you are born pleader,"
she answered. "The Judge decides
against you, but you can take your
case to higher court. Why do you
not appeal to the colonel?"
Ruth had been silent but amused by
these proceedings. I turned to her and
asked: Have 1 your permission to
appeal?"
/ think that she never looked SO
beautiful as when she turned to me
and answered quite seriously: "Of
course wen appeal. Mother knows
how to bride him."
II shall be scared. know what he
will do. He will remind me Of the
brass cannon and tell me that he uses
It to shoot at young fellows who want
to marry his daughter"
Then Mrs. Blake offered suggestion
which betrayed her sympathy. 1t was
this:
''You will say that you are not the
kind Of man who finds Encouragement
at the lannon's mouth"
/ arose and went to her side and
kissed her. knew that my case was
more than half won.
This much is taken directly from
the memoirs of the accomplished law
yer and statesman. II accurately re-
fleets the rnmautc fervor Of his tenn