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About The Monmouth herald. (Monmouth, Or.) 1908-1969 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1919)
TRe Light in the Clearing ATtl.ofth. North Country In th Tltm 2 Silas Wright IRVING By BACHELLER A.lh.r tItn HeMM."D'ri ! I,-''b.ml ollh. Hl) Itl.." Ktf Ih U WlU LUta," u. (CowMM, KIT, Into Bwktlkr) Next morning 1 wrnt rtnwn into tn tnsln ilreet of the vlllng Mora lrir Ini for home. I wuiU'd to how It looked tud, lo b quite frank, I winted me of lln people of ('anion to see how I IcxikKj, for my cluthoa were of tin brut cloth tod cut la the litest fwnhlon, Many stopped me tod thnok mjr hnnd men and women who had neves noticed m before, but there wai a quality In their tmllea that I didn't quite enjoy. I know now that they thought nie i little too grand on the outalde. What I item aouled lot thone Yankee! were I "All ain't gold that glitters." How of en I bad beard that Terilon of the old motto I "Why, you look like the aenalor when he It Just Htln' home from the capital," aold Mr, Jeulaon. They were not yet willing to take me at the par of my appearance, : I met Bety Price one of my school. matet on the street. Hhe waa very cordial and told me that the Duokel . bergs bad (one to Raratnga. "I got letter from Bally this morn ing," lifts went on, "She eald that ' young Mr, Latour waa at the game bo te! and that be and ber father were ' good frlendi," ' I wonder If the really enjoyed itlck Ing thli thorn Into my fiend a thorn which made It difficult for me to foe , low the advice of the achoolmaater and robbed me of the little peace I might bare enjoyed, My faith In Rally wav ered up and down until It nettled it lta wonted level and reassured me. . ' It wai a perfect summer morning - and I enjoyed my walk over the famll , lar road and up Into the bill country. The blrda aeemed to alng a welcome 1 to me. Men and bya I bad known 1 waved their bat In the hayBelds and looked at me. There are few pleae urea In thli world like that of a boy, getting home after a long absence. My heart beat fast when I aaw the bouse and my uncle and l'urvla coming in from the twenty-acre lot wlta a load of bay. Aunt Deel stood on the front steps looklug down the road. Now and then her waving handker chief went to her eyes. Undo Pea body came down the standurd off bis load and walked toward me. "Bay, stranger, have yon seen any? thlni of a feller by the name o' Burt Bnynesl" be demanded. "Have Jour I liked. "No, sir, I ain't Oosh a'mlghtyl Bay I what have ye done with that boy of our'nr "What have you done to our house!" I asked again. "Built on an addition." "That's what I've done to your boy,' I answered. "Thunder an' llghtnln' I How you've raised the roof I" he exclaimed as be folk. do; "Thunder sn' Llghtnln' I How You've Raised the Roofl": ernbhed mv satchel. Dressed like tstesmsn an' blMter'n a bullmoose. I can't 'rastle with you no more. But, say, I'll run ye a race. I can beat . an' cam the satchel, too." , We ran pell-mell up the lane to the atepa like a pair of children. ' innt rwi did not sneak. She Just put ber arms around ine and laid her iir.nr old hend iinon my breast. Uncle Poabody turned awnj. Then what a alienee 1 Off In the edge of the wood 'land I beard the fairy flute of a wood thrush, . ' i 'Purvs, yon drive thnt load on the i floor in' put up the bosses,"' Uncle Peabody shouted In a moment. "It you don't like It you can hire 'nother man. I won't do no more till after ' dinner. This alave business Is played , 01UV !"''-- " "All rliht." Purvis answered. "Tnu bet It's all right. I'm fer abo lition an' I've atooo your uouiineenu , nlgger-drlver ways long enough fer one niornln'. If you don't like It you can look for another man." Aunt Deel and I began to lough at this good-natured, make-believe scold ing of Uncle I'eabody and the emo tions! strain waa over. Tliy led me Into the house, where delightful sur prise awaited me, for the rooms had been decorated with balsnm boughs and sweet ferns. A glowing mass of violets, framed In moss, occupied the center of the table. The house was filled wltb the odors of the forest, which, as they knew, were dear to me. I hsd written that they might expert m seme time before noun, but I begged them not to meet me In Can ton, as I wished to walk home after my long ride. Bo they wire ready for me. I remember bow they felt the cloth on my back and bow proudly they sur veyed It "Couldn't buy thrm goods 'round these parts," said Uncle Peabody. "Nor notbln' like 'em no, sir." "Feels a leetle bit like the butternut trousers," aald Aunt Deel as she felt my coat "Ayes, but them butternut trousers ain't what they nsed to be when they was young and Umber," Uncle Peabody remarked. "Beeiua so they was get tin1 kind o' wrinkled an' bsldheadvd- llki, 'specially where I set down." Ayes I Wai I guess a man can't grow old without til prints grown' old, too ayes 1 snld Aunt Deel. "If yer legs are In 'em ev'ry Bundsy thoy ketch It of ye," my uucle an swered. "Long sermons ars hard on pants, seems to me." "An' tho longer the legs the herder the sermons In them little seats over t the schoolhoiise-iajes I" Aunt Deel added by way of Justifying bis com plaint "There wouldn't be so much wear In a ten-mile walk-no!" The chicken pie was bsklng and Ilia strawbcrrlca were ready for the short cake. "I've been walterln' since the dew wss off gltlln' them berries an' vT lets ayes I" said Aunt Deel, now busy with ber work at the stove. "Aunt, you look as young aa ever," I remarked. Bhe slapped my arm and eald wltb mock severity: "Stop that I Wl Ton know better -eyes!" How vigorously she stirred the Are then. "I can't return the cwnpllinenl my soul 1 how you've changed ayes I" she remarked. "I hope yon ain't fit no more, Dart can't bear to think o' you flyln' at a an' poumlln' of 'em. Don't seem right no. It don't I" Why, Aunt Deel, whst In the world you mean?" I asked. It's rurvls' brain that does the poundln', 1 guess," said my uncle. It's kind o' got the habit It's a reg lar beetle brain. To hear blm talk ye'd think he nn' you could clean out the bull Mexican nation -barrln' accl nts. Why, anybody would suppose that yer enemies go to cllmbln' trees ss soon as they see ye comln' in that you pull the trees up by the roots to sit at 'em." . . ' "A certain amount of such deviltry Is necesKary to the comfort of. Mr. Purvis," I remarked. "If there Is no body else to tke the responsibility for It he assumes It himself. Ills Imag ination bus an Intense ' craving" tor blood and violence. It's that type of Amerlcnn who, eggod on by the slave power, Is burrylug us Into trouble with Mexico." rurvls came In presently wltb a look In his face which betrayed bl knowledge of the fact that alt the cob webs spun by his fancy were now to he brushed , away. ' 8U1I he enjoyed them while they lasted and there was kind ot tacit claim In bis manner that they were subjects regarding which no honest man could be expect ed to tell the truth. As we ate our dinner they told me that an escaped slave had come Into i neighboring county and excited the people with atorles ot the auction block and ot negroes driven like yoked oxen on plantations In South Carolina, whence be had escaped on a steam boat. "I b'llcve I'm goln' to vote for abo lition," anld Uncle Peunody. ' "I won- der what Bile Wright will say to that" He'll probably advise against It ; the time Isn't ripe for so great a change,' was my answer. "Hd thinks that the whole matter should be left to the gla cial action of time's forces." j Indeed I bad spoken the Mew ot the Bounder men of the North. The subject filled them with dread alarm. But the attitude of Uncle Peabody was significant The sentiment In fa vor of a change was growing, It. was now to be reckoned with, for the abo lition party was said to hold the bal ance of power In New York and New England and was behaving' Itself like 1 bull In a china shop. After dinner I tried to put on some of my old clothes, but found that my nakedness bad so expanded that they would not cover It, bo-I hitched my white, mare on the spring wagon and drove to the village for my trunk, Every meek day after) that I worked In tho fields until the senator arrived lb Canton about the middle ot August OA one ot those happy days I received a, letter from old Kate, dated, to my surprise, la Saratoga. It said "Dear Barton Baynes: I thought I would let you know that my father Is dead. I have come hwe to rest and have found some work to do. I am bet ter now. Have seen Sally. She 1b very beautiful and kind. She does not know that I am the old witch, I have changed so. , The others do not know It 1b better that way. I think It waa the Lojd that brought me heip, ( He has. a ss comlnt nearer. way of taking care ot some people, w, mui. kll ...ph-enother imt my boy. Do yon remember when I be- , Mld gan to call you my boy-you were very w, , , -....... Wit,h little. It Is long, long sgo since I first for t M rearMng Dttck mi down saw you In your fatber'a dooryard- , th op,,,, tbot ni tood look. yon said you were going to mill on a , i0f0M tht Th Hnator butterfly's bsck. Too looked Just as I rillwl) hl ,D)1 ttti n blltk tnougnt my ooy wouia iook. ion give M lo ttlf rt ,be waler me a kiss. Whst a wonderful gift II waa te me then I I began to love yon. tfM I have no one tise to wiua or now, i "How shall we get blmr my friend It will not be difficult," I answered hope you won't mind my thinking m , b(.sa mirfM 'N(rthlD WM much of you. "Clod bless yon, "KATE FULLERTON." I understood now why the itrony will and singular Insight pf this worn an had so often exercised themselvet In my behalf. I could not remembei the far day and the happy clrcum at a nee of which she apoke, but I wrote ber a letter which must have warmed ber heart I am sure, Bllas Wright arrived In Canton and drove np to our home. He reached our door at eight In the morning with bis hound ind rifle, He bad iged rip Idly 1 1 rice I had seen blm list Bl hair wit ilmost white. There were meny new lines In bis face. H seemed more grave ind dignified. He did not lapse Into the dialect of bit father! when he spoke of the ancient pastimes of hunting and Ashing as he cad been wont to ao. "Hart," be snld when the grrtttntf were over, "let's you and me go anc sfend a day In the woods, nl leavt my man hen to help your uncle wbllt you're gone." t We went by driving south a few miles and tramping In to the foot of the Stillwater on our river a tni. long familiar to me. The dog left or soon after ws took It and began U rcnge over thick wooded hills. We sat down among small, aplrelike sprucet at the river's edge with a long stretch of water In sight wblie the music of the bound's Voice came faintly to out ears from the distant forest "Oh, I've been dreaming of this for a long lima," snia we senator as nr leaned back against a tree and filled bis lungs ind looked out upon the wa ter, green with Illy puds along the edge and flecked wltb the last of tbr wblte blossoms. "I believe you went to leave this lovely country, "I am waiting for the call to go,' I aald. 'Well. I'm Inclined to think yon art the kind of man who ought to go, n answered ilmost ndly. "You irt needed. I hsve been wilting until c should meet to congratulate you on voiir behavior at Coblesklll. I think you have the right spirit mat ia w all-Important matter. Ion will en counter strunge company In 4he gam of nolltlcs. Let me tell you a story, l(i tnlrt me mnnv stories 01 nil un In Washington, Interrupted by a sound Ilk thnr of annroschlna footsteps. Wl tensed talking and presently a ncc of cartridges come near us, pacing ninnff over the mat of leaves In a iei- Hui-elv fashion. Weteat perfectly still. A young cock bird with nil nenuiuu. ruff standing out, like the hair on the lurk if a frk'btened (Jog, airoui toward us with a comic threat In W mnnncr. It seemed ns If he were ol linlt a mind to knock us Into the river But we set as still is stumps and hi spirred ns and went on with the others The having of the bound waa nenrei now. Suddenly we saw a wne down to the shore of the covt nenr us and on our side of tho stream He looked to rlaht and left Then h( made long leap into the water and wnded slowly until It covered him. at raised bis nose and laid his antlers back over his shoulders nnd swara onletlv downstream, nil nose Just shqwlng ibove the water. His antlers were like a bit of driftwood, u v had not seen him tuke the water his antlers might easily have passed tor n hunch of dead sticks. Soon the buck slowly lifted bis head and turned his neck and looked at both mores, inen very deliberately he resumed his placi under water and went on. We watched him ai he took the farther ehore be low us and made off In the woods again. "1 eoiildn't shoot at him. It was such a beautiful bit ot politics," laid the senator. Soon the hound reached the cove s edge and swam the river and ranged up and down the bank tor half an hour before b.e found the buck's trail again. "I've seen many a rascal, driven to water by the hounds, go swimming awny as slyly as that buck, with their hgrns In the air, looking as Innoceut as a bit of driftwood. . They come in from both shores the Whig and the Democratic and they are always shot at from one bank or the other." I remember It surprised me a little to hear him say that they came In from both shores. 'Jut what do yon want to do!' he asked presently. "I Bhould like to go down to Wasn- Ington with you and help you In any way that I con." : "All right, partner we'll try It," he answered gravely, "I hope that I don t forget and work you as hard as I work myself. It wouldn't be decent. I have n great many letters to write. I'll try thinking out loud while you take them down In sound-hand. Then you can draft them neatly and I'll sign them. You have tacUnnd good manners and can do many of my errands for me and rave me from those who have no good reason for taking np my time." , "You will meet the best people and the worst There's Just a chance that It may Come to something worth while who knows? You are young yet It will, be good training and you will wit ness the making of some history now and then." ' What elation I felt 1 Again the voice ot the hound, which bad been ringing In the distant hills, llflleult those days. I iwsm the river ind towed the buck across with a Necb wlths In bis lamtirei joints, ini bound Jomeo me before I wis belt s cross with my bur 1en and noted the carcass and iwam on ahead yelping with delight We dressed the deer and then I bad the great Joy of carrrylng blm m my back two miles across the coun try to the wagon. The senator wished to send a guide for the deer, but I In listed that the carrying waa my privi lege. "Well, I guess your big tblgbt and broad shoulders can stand It" said be. "My unc.li has tlwiys said that no mm could be celled a hunter until be n to Into the woods without a tuld ind kill a deer and bring It out on oil bsck. I waot to be 'able to testify tbst I am at least partly quill fled." "Tour uncle didn't lay anything ibout fetching the deer across a deep river without a boat, did ber Mr. Wright asked me with a smile. Leaves of the beeches, maples and bisswoods yellowed by frost bung like tiny Unterns, glowing wltb noon lay light above the dim forest aisle which we traveled. The sun wai down when we got to rtrrlni. 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I am selling two standard makes this year: The Deering and The John Deere Tried and tested thru years of service they have been improved until they lead the world in effi cient work and simplicity of operation. Time flies. If you need anything in this line you should act at once. V Plymouth Twine None better, I have an ample stock and can sup ply your needs in this line. ' : , MONMOUTH HARDWARE s ' J. E. Winegar Proprietor
