Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1897)
T H E TORCH OF REASON, SILV E R T O N , OREGON, TH U R SD A Y , JU N E 17, 1897. whole chicken for some poor devil “ You’ve a chance now to m ake “ But I sh all,” said Will. “ I of a m inister, and he eats it all up. it up, am i t h a t’s better than with don’t take things on tru st. I [ a ROMANCE BY SAMUEL P, PUTNAM.] Well, it’s the only comfort they do those who’ve been hum bugged all ‘‘You feel th at you have come have in this world, and I don’t their lives, am i expect to have big believe in going to the bottom . She m ust explain. If you won’t out of darkness into light?” blame them for m aking the most of pay for it <»u« of the celestical bank. go, 1 will.” “ I guess 1 do! i t ’s do comparison! it. I don’t begrudge any m inister They don’t know th a t its notes are “ As you like. I t ’s nothing to I was in a cave before, and was an a square meal. He shall have one protested ami its vaults em p ty .” me. I know what I should do. In eyeless fish. I can truly say, I every time he comes iieie. I find “ I will make it up,” said Pippins. an hour, I will forget her.” was once blind, but now 1 see. th a t’s the best way to shut bis “ This is a com fortable world, alter W ill hurried off to see Blanche, The books I read are a series of su r m outh.” all, even if we have to work for a while C harlie rem ained to tm dure prising revelations. I’ve read Bobbins showed them his stock, living. I have to keep at it twelve his torm ents as best he m ig h t.” P arker some, and Em erson; and it and took them through his waving hours a day. T h a t’s too long, hut “ I cannot forget her,” said C h ar seems as if I was roam ing through fields of grain, with all the ardor of even with th at 1 enjoy life. T here’s lie. “ 1 cannot. Fool, fool th a t I a new world packed with precious a hoy. Pippins enjoyed his visit nothing like taking hold am i push am! O~ woman, why are y«»u so jewels. T here’s a Down-East, t<> the utm ost. These two “ sa in ts” ing things along ami bearing your vain? Why do you sm ile and stab? queer sort of fellow I ’ve happened converted into “ sinners” made a part. T h a t's my destiny, and I I could not have believed it. O nly across—Thoreau. He comes right very en tertain in g couple. It was a glory in it. I c a n ’t do good in a little while ago, she was the star, from nature, right from the trees constant surprise to them th at there any other w ay.” the glory o f my life. How I and rocks and the waters; and how was so much enjoym ent in this The great city was aflame with worshipped her, shining before me keenly he describes! Then, I’ve a sphere, independent of any other. m yriad lam ps as they approached., with cloudless beauty! Now,she is few serm ons here by F rothingharn, They had so long looked upon this Charlie and Will hastened to their like the blasting orb of death. and some by Chadwick and Savage; world as a dream y spot th at, when lodgings. C harlie was eager t«» Through storm and ra in , with bit and 1 revel in them as I would in they found what riches it contained, call upon Blanch«*, ami hav«* a littl te r arrows, she drives me to despair nuggets of gold—such fresh, broad, th ey were alm ost intoxicated with ehat about his d a \ ’s visit. There 0 m anhood, how little you seem beautiful views of m an, of the delight. It was like a couple of was a note aw aiting him. He tore when love strikes you! A w om an’s universe, of w hat we are, despite starving men finding a rich and it open hastily, and persued it. He) hand is stronger th an a g ia n t’s. I our ignorance of whence we came unexpected repast. stood lik«* one transfixed by some) could meet death yet I cannot meet or w hither we are going! I do wish “ W hat a happy time it will be, sudden pain. this blow. It is horrible, so h or every C hristian could know what a when the whole world is save»! that “ Am 1 aw ake?” said he. “ W hat! rible.” fool he is and how much he loses wav!” said C harlie, as they went is this? W hat does it m ean?” Will returned. by believing those old wives’ hack to toe city. Again, h«* read the note c a re fu lly ,1 “ W hat news?” gasped C harlie. tales.” “ Yes, wake up and get rid of its while his whole fram e trem bled. “ Her housekeeper says she has “ W h y d o n ’t you tu rn m issionary night-m are,’’said Paddle. “ I su p “ Oh, curse her, curse her!” he I gone to England. But she is p u z and preach to th e m ? ” pose this good tim e is com ing, hut cried. zled, and declares there is some “ T h a t’s not niv forte. I’d ra th e r people are so stu p id .” “ W hat is it? ” said Will. th in g wrong about it. Blanche work. I just like to dig. I like to “ It may come all at once. Who “ T h at is it. ’ And he thing the) went out yesterdy as usual. About be among the cattle and horses i would have thought th a t Bobbins note upon th e lloor. “ She w ould j noon, the housekeeper received a and the pigs. I enjoy the life that would have walked up ami gone to have been more m erciful, if she had telegram th a t her m istress was de is in them , and believe th at labor work like a m an? I can’t help! stabbed me to t h e heart with a tained. About dark, there came a is the great reformer of the world.” laughing, when 1 think of his tussle (Jigger.” note th a t Miss Kennedy had de “ I suppose so,” said Laddie. with Ingersoll, and how dem urely “ T here’s nothing wrong here,” I . ‘ Still, thought is necessary, and parted for E ngland. I have the he walked aw ay.” said W ill, as he picked up the note note with me. Is th a t B lanche’s education. There are those who “ We expected to c«m»juer,” ami read :— m ust help us think and feel our handw riting?” said Pippins. “ We prayed I d o n ’t I best. Then, work becomes most “ It is,” said C harlie. “ She says M r . C h a rles M orton :— know how m any days ami nights, noble: otherw ise, it m ight be a It pains me to write th at I m ust she leaves at once, and desires and read the com m entaries ami drudgery.” not see you again. I have changed I things to he kept in order u n til she studied Hebrew till our heads ached. “T rue,” said F arm er Bobbins. my plans. I t is not necessary for returns. W as there ever such a W'e thought we were fully arm ed “ E v e ry m a n to his taste; and now me to inform you in what respect. freak?” and equipped. W hat fools we were! dinner. H ere’s mv wife, friends; Please do not seek me. I shall “ I th in k you are a hit b lin d ,” We had a chain of argum ent th a t here’s the table, and I like each not be at home. It is all right: I said W ill. “ 1 don’t th in k th a t’s nobody could get aro u n d ; hut, man to help him self.” and, w hatever mav have been he- her h an d w ritin g .” when we came to hitch it, we had A royal d in ner they had, for a h at a fool you are!” said tween us, let it he forgotten. nothing to hitch it to, ami there is royal appetite they had, and Mrs. C harlie. “ I have her notes and B lanche K en n ed y . where we got llnored, and all we Bobbins- knew a thing or two about letters. Compare them . Don’t they couhl » I« » was to lug our chain hack c h a pter X X I. cooking.” look alike? W hat are you th in k again and hang «»urselves. But we “ I loved her so m uch!” cried ing of?” “ Did your wife get converted did better. W ’e t«»ok a new start, C harlie. “ How can I endure it, along with you, Bobbins, and join “ 1 am th in k in g thev are very ¡»ml tnen our chain of logic led us this hitter, h itter disappointm ent! the Church of H u m a n itv ? ” skillful forgeries.” right where Ingersoll is.” W hat does this m ean? Could she “ Not exactly. She clung to the “ Bill, w hat is the m atter with “ \ o u m ust have found it pretty I have loved me? It seems as if I you—try in g to ease things off? old notions. I d id n ’t argue with her. I told her my ex p e rien ce with tough work in your theological should go mad. Oh, love is so But you c a n ’t do it. beautiful, am i so terrible when it Ingersoll. She laughed, hut said career?” “ You are wrong, C harlie, utterly fiees aw ay! W hy «lid she not let nothing. W hen we first came out “ I did. I had to wear «»hl clot beg wrong. You are hasty as you were here, she went to the praver-ineetin’ and hoard myself, and was general me alone? Now, sh«* has crushed once before. You d id n 't give me. I am like on«* accursed.” p retty regular. But she doesn’t go ly half-starved. But I thought Blanche a fair chance. How do “ I cannot see through th is ,” said you know hut this is some plot, and now, and I notice she likes to read Jesus would pay m et and so I stood mv hook*. You know women want it I taught in Sunday-school, W ill. “ There’s som ething behind. th a t she you love is in danger and to have th eir own way about things, and went ar.iund preaching hear We m ust see Blanche at once.” needs your m anhood?” “ I cannot see her,” said Charlie. she’ll convert herself much quicker and there in school-houses farm “ Pshaw, th a t’s nonsense. I know than I can.” houses and broken-down churches; “ She has wronged me; for she has better. I ’ve seen too much of deceived me, and she has m urdered “ Don’t the m inisters try to con and once in a while I’d make out woman. I hey are heartless things. vert v o u ? ” to get tip a revival, then I’d live my soul.” W hat does she care for me, a poor “ Bear up like a m an, C harlie. “ Oh, yes, since I’ve got rich. high for a spell. I’d have mine«* m iner?” They d id n ’t seem to care about it pies ami plum puddings along with Y ou d o n ’t know w hat it is y e t.” “ She cares everything for you. “ Don’t know? Yes, I do. I before. They com»* her«* by shoals. m y r«»ast beef, while the excitem ent I ’ve seen her, and I tru st her. She I ju st feed them, and let them go. lasted. G enerally, however, it was have been the sport of a cruel, reck has a noble heart. I would not You ought to see them feed. It’s poor pav, and, if I must sav it less woman. She is tired of me vield her thus lightly. I ’d go She fun Nohodv can eat like a dam n poor preach also. I wonder sooner than she thought. through fire, but I would know the m inister: he has an ap|>etite like a n«»w th a t I ever acted so like a con- w ants to lx* rid of me w ithout tru th . I would not desert her on whale. W hy, I frequently cook a fonnded dunce.” ceremony. I will not trouble her ” such evidence as th is.” GOLDEN THRONE