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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1919)
PAGE SIX TKE DAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM, OREGON. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21; 1919. THE LIGHT IN THE ELFARINfr' A TALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY -IN THE TIME OF SILAS WRIGHT By IRVING BACflELLEFL AVTHOt Of tSEN HOLDEN. DDI AND L DARREL OF THE BLfSSED BLE K1EP1NO W VITH UZZJE, ETC ETC me at the pur or my appeffrrnra I met Betsy Price one of my school mates on the street. She was very cordial and told me that the Dunkel bergs had gone to Saratoga. "I got a letter from Sally this morn ing," Betsy went on. "She said that young Mr. Latour wag at the same ho tel and that he and her father were good friends." I wonder If she really enjoyed stick ing this thorn Into my flesh a thorn which mndi it difficult for me to fol low the advice of the schoolmaster and robbed me of the little peace I might hare enjoyed. My faith In Sally wav ered up and down until It settled at Its wonted level and reassured me. It was n perfect summer morning nd I enjoyed my walk over the famil iar road and up Into the hill country. The birds seemed to sing a welcome to me. Men and boys I bad known waved their lints In the liayflelds and looked at me. There are few pleas ures in this world like that of a boy petting home after a long absence. My heart beat fant when I saw tho , bouse and my unr le and Purvis coming In from the twenty-acre lot with a load of hay. Aunt Deel stood on tho front steps looking down the road. Now and then her waving handker chief went to her eyes. Uncle Pea' body came down' the standard off his load and walked toward me. v ,"Sny, stranger, have you seen any thing of a feller by the name o' Bart Itaynes?" he demanded. "Have you?" I asked. "No, sir, I ain't. Gosh n'mlghtyl Pay ! what have ye done with that boy of onr'n?" . "What have you done, to our hou.'ie?" I asked again? "Built on an addition." "That's what I've done to your boy," I answered. "Thunder an' Iightnln' I How you've raised the roof!" bo exclaimed as he "Thunder an' Llghtnin'I How You've Raised the Roof I" grabbed my satchel. Dressed like a statesman an' blgger'u a bullmooso. I can't 'rastle with you no more. But, say, I'll run ye a race. I can beat ye air carry the satchel, too." We ran pell-mell up (he lane to the steps' like a pair of children. Aunt Peel did not speak. She Just put ber arms around me atal laid her lenr old bead upon my breast. Uncle I'ouhody turned away. Then what a Bilencct Off li the edge of the wood - Ik ud I heard the l'alry Hutu of a wood thrush, "Purvis, you drive that load on the floor an' put up the bosses," Uncle IVnbody Minuted In a moment. "If you don't Ilka it you can biro 'mother man. I won't do no more till after dinner. This slave business la pluyed out" "Ail right," Purvis answered. "You bet It's all right. I'm for abo lition an' I've stood your domineerln', nlgger-drlver ways long enough, for one morula'. If you don't like It you can look for another inau." Aunt Deel and I began to laugh at this good-natured, make-believe scold ing of Uncle Peabody and the emo tional strain was over. They led me Into the house, where delightful sur prise awaited me, for the rooms had been decorated with balsam bonghs and sweet ferns, A glowing mass of violets, frunied In moss, occupied the tenter of the table. Tho houso wns filled with the odors of the forest, which, as they knew, were dear to me. I liitd written that they might expect mu snmo time before noon, but I I'Cgned thwu not to meet me In Can ton, as I wlthed to walk home after my long ride. So they were ready for ISiC. Jrrpif.ir.her ""V they .fe't the, e"'h on my bacit aau now iouu.f u.ty sui"- vcyed It '.'Couldn't buy them goods 'round these parts," said Uncle Peabody. "Nor nothln' like 'en no, sir." "Feels a leetle bit like the butternut trousers," said Aunt Deel as she felt my coat "Ayes, but them butternut trousers ain't what they used to be when they was young and limber," Uncle Peabody remarked. "Seems so they was get tln' kind o' wrinkled nn baldheaded like, 'specially where I set down." "Ayes! Wal I guess a mnn can't grow old without his pants growln' old, too ayes !" said Aunt Deel. "If yer legs are In 'em ev'ry Sunday they ketch It of ye," my uncle an swered. "Long sermons are hard on pants, seems to me." , "An' the longer the legs the harder the sermons In them little seats over 't the school house nyes!" Aunt Deel added by way of Justifying his com plaint. "There wouldn't be so much wear In a ten-mile walk no!" The chicken pie was baking and the strawberries were ready for the Bhort cake. "I've been wallerln' since tho 'dew was off glttln' them, berries an' vl lets ayes !" said Aunt Deel, now busy with her work af the stove, "Aunt, you look as young as ever," I remarked. She slapped my arm and said wiili mock severity: "Stop that 1 W'y! Tou know better -ayes !" How vigorously she stirred tho fire then. . "I can't return the compliment my soul I how you've changed ayes 1" she remarked. "I hopo yon ain't fit no more, Bart. 2 can't bear to think o' you flyln' at folks an' poundln' of 'em. Don't seem right no, It don't !" . , "Why, Aunt Deel, what In tho world do yon mean?" I .asked. "It's Purvis' brain' that does the poundln', I guess," said my uncle. "It's kind o' got the habit. It's a reg' lur beetle brain. To hear him talk ye'd think he an' you could clean out tho hull Mexican nation barrlu' acci dents. Why, anybody would suppose that yer enemies go to cllmbln' trees as soon as they see ye com In' an' that you pull the trees up by the roots to git at 'era." . I "A certain amount, of such deviltry I Is necessary to the comfort of Mr. Purvis," I remarked. "If there is no body else to take the responsibility ' for It he assumes It himself. Ills imag ination has an Intense ciuvlng for blood mid violence, It's that type of ; American who, egged on by the slave power, Is hurrying us luto trouble with Mexico." Purv is came In presently with a ' look in his face which betrayed bis knowledge of tho fact that all the cob- webs spun by his fancy were now to bo brushed away. Still ho enjoyed them while they lasted and the re was a kind of tacit claim In his manner , that they were subjects regarding i which mj honest man could be expect- cd to tell the truth. j As we ate our dinner they told mo that an escaped slave had come Into a neighboring county and excited the ' people with stories of the auction block and of negroes driven like yoked oxen on plantations In South Carolina, whence he had escaped on a steam- ' boot. "I b'lleve I'm goln' to vote for abo- lltlon," said Uncle Peabody. "I won- der what Silo Wright will say to that." ' "He'll probably advise against It; the' time Isn't ripe for so great a change," was my nnswer. "He thinks that the whole matter should be left to the glu- clul action of time's forces." Indeed I hnd spoken tho view of tho sounder men of the North. The subject lilted them with dread alarm. But the attitude of Uncle Tenbody was significant The sentiment In fa-; vor of a change was growing. It was : now to be reckoned with, for the abo- lltion party was snid to hold the bal- anco of power In New York and New England and was behaving Itself like a 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, so I hitched my white mare on the spring wagon and drove to the village for my trunk. Every week day after that I worked In the fields until the senator arrived In Canton about the middle of August, On one of those happy days 1 received a letter from old Kute. dated, to my surprise, lu Saratoga. It said: "Dear Barton Paynes: I thought I would' let you know that .my fnther Is deud. I have come here to rest and buve found some work to do, I am bet- ter now. Have seen Sully. She is very beautiful and kind. She does not know tlrnt I am the old witch, I have changed so. The others do not know it is better that way. I think It was the Lord that, bro-.ight me here. Hejiirj way 6T IaS Ingres re ot some people. my boy. Do yon remember when I be gan to call yon my boy you were very Uttle, It Is long, king ago since I first saw yon In your father's dooryard you said you were going to mill on at butterfly's back. Tou looked just as I thought my boy would look. Ton gave me a kiss. What a wonderful gift It was to me then t I began to love yon. I bave no one else to think of now. I hope you won't mind my thinking so much of yon. "God bless yon, "KATE FULLEBTON." I understood now why the strong will and singular Insight of this wom an had so often exercised themselves In my behalf. I could not remember the far day and the happy circum stance of which she spoke, but I wrote her a letter which must bave warmed ber heart I am sure. Silas Wright arrived In Canton and drove up to our home. He reached j our door at eight In the morning with his hound and rifle. He had aged rap Idly since I had seen, him last His hair was almost white. There were many new lines in his face. He seemed more grave and dignified. He did not lapse Into the dialect of his fathers when he spoke of the ancient pastimes of hunting and fishing as he bud been wont to do. "Bart," he snid when the greetings were over, "let's you and me go and spend a day In the woods. I'll leave my man here to help your uncle while you'ro gone." We went by driving south a few miles nnd tramping in to the foot of the Stillwater on our river a trail long familiar to inc. The dog left us soon after we took It and began to range over thick wooded hills. We sat down among small, spirelike spruces at the river's edge with a long stretch of water In sight while the music of, the hound's voice came faintly to our ears from the distant forest. : "Oh, I've been dreaming of this for! a long time," said the senator as he! leaned back agalnsj; a tree and. filled I Ids lungs and looked out upon the wn-i ter, green with lily pads along the adge and flecked with the last of the white blossoms. "I believe you want to leave this lovely country." "I am waiting for the call to go, C said. "Well, I'm inclined to think you are tho kind of man who ought .to go," he answered almost sadly. "Tou are needed. I have been waiting until we should meet to1 congratulnte you on your behavior at Coblesklll. I think yon have the right spirit that is the nil-Important matter. You will en counter strange company In the game of politics. Let me tell you a story." lie told me many stories of his life In Washington, Interrupted by a sound like that of approaching footsteps. We ceased talking and presently a flock of partridges came near us, pacing along over the mat of leaves in a lei surely fashion. We sat perfectly still. , A young cock bird with his beautiful . ruff standing out, like the hnlr on the ! back of a frightened dog, strode j toward us with a comic threat In bis mnnner. It seemed as If ho were of half a mind to knock us Into the river. But we sat as still as stumps and he spared us and went on with the others. The baying of the hound was nearer now. Suddenly we saw a big buck come down to the shore of the covei near us and on our side of the stream. He looked to right and left. Then he made a lung leap Into the water and waded slowly until It covered him. He I raised his nose nnd laid his antlers ! back over his shoulders and swam, quietly downstream, his nose Just j showing above tho water. Ills antlers ' "ere like a bit of driftwood. If we, bad not seen him take the water his j antlers might easily have passed for j a bunch of dead sticks. Soon the buck slowly lifted his head and turned his ; neck and looked at both shores. Then ' very deliberately ho resumed his place under water and went on. We watched him as he took the farther shore be-1 118 llDd rondo off In the woods "B"1"- j "I couldn't shoot at him, It was such j " beautiful bit of politics," said the j senator. I Soon the hound reached the cove's ; edge and swam the river and ranged up and down the bank for half an hour before he found the buck's trail again. " "I've seen many a rascal, driven to water by the hounds, go swimming away as slyly as that buck, with their horns In the air, looking as Innocent a bit of driftwood. They come la 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 bear him say that they came In from both shores. ! "Jut what do you want to. do?" he i asked presently. ! "I should like to go down to Wash-' Ington with you nnd help you In any way that I can." "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 bave o great many letters to write. I'll try thinking out loud while you take them down in sound-hand. Then you can draft them nently nud I'll slgu them. You bave tact' and good manners and can do many of my errands for me nnd cave me from those who have no good reason for taking up my time." -You will meet the best people and tle worst. There's Just a chance that It '3" come to something worth while who knows? You are young yet It good training and you will wit ness the making of some history now and then." What elation I felt t Again the voice of the hound, which ""I been ringing In the distant hills, waicomtng neargr . .. I- "We must keeij wafcB another deer J coming," said the senator. ! We bad only a moment's watch be fore a .fine yearling buck came down to the opposite shore and stood look ing across the river. The senator raised his rifle and fired. The buck fell lo the edge of the water. , "How ahall we get himr my friend 'asked. j "It win not be difficult," I answered ! aa I began to undress. Nothing was difficult those days. I swam the river and towed the buck across with a beech with In his gambrel joints. The hound Joined at before I was half across with say bur den and nosed the carcaat and swan on ahead yelping with delight We dressed the deer and tara I had the great Joy of carrrytaf aim w my back two miles across the ceao try to the wagon. The senator wished to send a guide for the deer, but I In sisted that the carrying was my privi lege. "Well, I guess your big thighs and broad shoulders can stand it." said he, "My uncle has always said that no man could be called a hunter until he can go into the woods without a guide and kill a deer and bring it out on his back. I want to be able to testify that I am at least partly qualified." 'Tour uncle didn't say anything about fetching the deer across a deep river without a boat, did he?" Mr. Wright asked me with a smile. Leaves of the beeches, maples and basswoods yellowed by frost hung like tiny lanterns, glowing with noon day light, above the dim forest aisle which we traveled. The sun was down when we got to the clearing. "What a day.it has been!" said Mr. Wright when we were seated In the wagon. "One of the best In my life," 1 an swered with a joy In my heart the like" of which I have rarely known in these many years that have come to me. Wo rode on In silence with the cnlls of the swamp robin nnd the hermit thrush ringing in our ears as tho night fell. "It's a good time to think, and theru we take different roads," said my friend. "You will turn Into the future 'lid I Into the past." 'Tve been, thinking about your uncle," he said by and by. "Ho Is one of tho greatest men I have ever known. You knew of that foolish gossip about him didn't you?" "Yes," I answered. "Well, now, he's gone about his busi ness the same as ever and showed by his life that It couldn't be true. Not a word out of him ! But Dave Ramsey fell sick down on the flat lnst winter. By and by his children were crying for bread and the poormnster was going to take charge of them. Well, who should turn-up there, Just In the nick of time, but Delia and Peabody Baynes. They fed those children all winter and 'kept them in clothes so that they could go to school. The strange thing about It Is this : It was Dave Ramsey who really started that story. He got up In church the other night and confessed his crime. His conscience wouldn't let him keep It. He said that he had not seen Peabody Tsaynes on Wt road the day the money was lost but had only heard that he was there. He knew now that he .couldn't, Jiave. been there. Gosh t'almlghty 1 'as your uncle used to say when there was nothing else to be said." It touched me to he soul this long delayed vindication of my beloved Uncle Tcabody. The senator ate supper with us and sent. his hired man out for his horse and buggy, When he had put on his overcoat and was about to go he turned to my uncle nnd eald : 'Teabody Baynes, If I have had any success In the world It Is because I have had the exalted honor and con sciousness that I represented men like you." He left us and we sat down by the glowing candles. Soon I told them, what Ramsey hnd done. There was a mo ment of silence. Uncle Peabody rose and went to the water pall for a drink. "Bart, I believe I'll plant corn on that ten-arce lot next spring darned If I don't," he said as he returned to bis chair. None of us ever spoke of the matter again, to my knowledge. CHAPTER XVIII. On the Summit My mental assets would give me a poor rating, I presume, In the com merce of modern scholarship when I went to Washington that autumn with Senator and Mrs. Wright. Still It was no smattering that I had, but rather a few broad areas of knowledge which w ere firmly In my possession. My best asset was not mental but spiritual, if I may be allowed to say It,1 In all mod esty, for, therein I claim no special ad vantage, saving, possibly, an unusual strength of character In my aunt nnd uncle. Those days the candles were lighting the best trails of knowledge all over the land. Never has the gen eral spirit of this republic been so high aud admirable as then and a little later. It wns to speak, presently In the Immortal voices of Whittler, Emer son, Whitman, Greeley and Lincoln. The dim glow of the candles bad en tered their souls nnd out of them came a light that filled the land aud was seen of all men. - The rallronds on which we traveled from Utica, the great cities through which we passed, were a wonder and .an Inspiration to me. I was awed by the grandeur of Washington Itself. I took lodgings with the senator and his wife. . ...... , . "Now, Bnrt," said he, when we had arrived, "Pin going to turn you loose ferre for a little while before I put har ness on yoTT CAt huouf for a weeF 5r eo and get the lay of the land and, the feel of it. Mrs. Wright will be your guide nntil the general situation has worked its way Into your conscious- It seemed to me that there was not room enough In my consciousness for the great publie buildings and the pic tures and the statues and the vast ma chinery of the government Beauty and magnitude have a wonderful ef fect when they spring fresh upon the vision of a yenth out of the back coun try. I sang of the look of them in my letters and soon I began to think about thera and Imperfectly to understand them. They had their epic, lyric and dramatic stages in my consciousness. On afternoon we went to hear Sen ator Wright speak. He was to an swer Calhoun on a detail of the bank ing laws. The floor and galleries were filled. With what emotion I saw hint rise and begin his argument as alt ear bent to hear him! He aimed not at popular sentiments In highly finished rhetoric, as did Webster, to be quoted In the school books and repeated on every platform. But no words of mine and I have used many In the effort are able to convey a notion of the masterful ease and charm of his man ner on the floor of the senate or of the singular modesty,' courtesy, aptness and simplicity of his words as they fell from his Hps. There were the thunderous Webster, the grandeur of whose sentences no American has equaled ; the nglle-mlndcd CIny, whose voice was like a silver clarion ; the far seeing, fiery Calhoun, of "the swift sword" most formidable in debate but I was soon to learn that neither nor all of these men gifted of heaven so highly could cope with the suave, Incisive, conversational sentences of Wright, going straight to the henrt of the subject and laying it bare to his hearers. That was what people were saying as we left the-senate chamber, late in the evening; that, Indeed, -was whnt they were always saying after they had heard him ' nnswer an ad versary. He had a priceless and unusual tal ent for avoiding school-reader English and the arts of declamation and for preparing a difficult subject to enter the average brain. The underlying se cret of his power was soon apparent to me. He stood always for that great thing In America which, since then, Whitmanhas called "the divine aggre gate." and seeing clearly how every measure would be likely to affect Its welfares he followed the compass. It had .led him to a height of power above nil others and was to lead him unto the loneliest summit of accom plishment In American history. Not much In ray term of service there Is important to this little task ot mine. I did my work well, If I may believe the senator, and grew familiar with the: gentle and ungentle arts of the politician. One great fact grew In magnitude and sullen portent as the months passed : the gigantic slave-holding In terests of the South viewed with grow ing alarm the spread of abolition sen timent. Subtly, quietly and naturally they were feeling for the means to de fend and Increase their power. Straws were coming to the surface In that session which betrayed this deep un dercurrent of purpose. We felt it and the senator was worried, I knew, but held his peace. He kaew how to keep his opinions until the hour had struck that summoned them to service. The senator never played with his lance. By and by Spencer openly sounded the note of conflict The most welcome year of my life dawned on the first of January, 1844. I remember that I arose before day light that morning and dressed and went out on the street to welcome It I had less than six months to wait for that day appointed by Sally. I had no doubt that she would be true to me, 1 had had my days of fear and depres- sion, but always my sublime faith In her came back In good time. m, ... ,,,,, ,.,, Oh, yes Indeed, Washington was a fair of beauty and gallantry those (lays. I saw It all. I have spent many years in the capital, and I tell you the tins vl umi unio iiau manners nnu knew how to wear their clothes, but again the magic of old memories kept iny lady on her throne. There was one of them Just one of those others who, I sometimes thought, was almost as graceful and charming and noble hearted as Sally, and she liked me, I know, but the Ideal of my youth glowed In the light of the early morn ing, so to speak, aud was brighter than all others. Above all, I had given my word to Sally, nnd well, you know, the old-time Yankee of good stock was fairly steadfast, whatever else may be said of him often a little too Rteadfast, as were Ben Grimshaw and Squire Fullerton. The senator and I went calling that , New .Year's day. We saw all the great people and some of them were 1 more cheerful than they had a right I to be. It was a weakuess of the time. I I shall not go Into details for fear of j wandering too far from my main road. Let me step aside a moment to say, however, that there were two clouds In the sky of the Washington society j of those days. One was strong drink ; and the 'other was the crude, rough-, coated, aggressive democrat from the frontiers of the West. These latter were often seen In the holiday regalia of farm or village at fashionable func-' tlons. Some of thera changed slowly, and by and by reached the stage of white linen and diamond breastpins and , waistcoats of figured silk, ft must be said, however, that their mo tives were always above their taste. The winter wore away slowly in hard work. Mr. Van Buren came down to see the senator one day from his country seat on the Hudson. The ez presldent bad been solicited to accept (Continued tomorrow) Here At Last! On account of the big demand we have had for-, Boy's shoes, we have been trying to secure a good ; line, and that line is Buck-Hecht shoes a shoe that is made on the Munson last, an army pro duct, and is one of the best shoes you can buy for Boys. These shoes are made under the Good year welt process and. is as smooth inside as any High Grade shoe. No nails or composition 'insoles, nothing but solid leather throughout. Don't buy shoes for Boys before you see this shoe. We have the genuine Buck-Hecht Army shoes and selling at $6.90 and $5.95. LOGGERS ' We have one of the best logger's shoes on the mar ket, which is the only shoe made today from gen uine kip leather. This is the well known "Fores ter Shoe", that is guaranteed to be absolutely waterproof, to hold calks and wear like iron or monev refunded other words no better shoe on the market, we carry them on both regular and spring heels. Come and see them before you buy. PARIS SHOES HOME OF Two Seattle Contract Shops Agree To New Wages . Scattlo, Wash, Jan. 20. Two Seattle contract shops havo already sigacd an agreement to pay the new wage scale demanded by the metal trades council, for shipyard workers. The scalo ranges from $(i to $8 a day and covers all clas ses from common laborers to skilled mechanics. Metal trade officials declare that from three to six employers will ''line op" with tho council in order to pre vent the walkout of 25,000 shipyard workers at 10 o'clock tomorrow. David Rodgers, general manager of tho Skinner and Eddy shipbuilding cor poration said today: "Until tho men strike wo can say nothing. We aro still in the hands of tho government We have mado every effort but labor loaders aro arrogant and uareasonable. " , DEMOBILIZATION SPEEDY Tacoma, Wash., Jan. 21. The work of demobilization of the 13th division at Camp Lewis is proceeding with all spood today and it m expected 500 men a day will be discharged from now on. Orders from Wasington have been re ceived to demobilize tho cntlor division, involving about 10,001) men and includ ing all units except tho quarterniES ter department, the baso hospitals, re mount depot, camp provost guards, ord nance department and such otho utility units concerned in tho up keep of tho camp. ' The division headquarters and the brigade headquarters will continuo to function after the demobilization i completed or until further orders from tho war department. HAS REAL JTHEOSY. Washington Jan. 21. A Bed Cross worker who is still overseas serving wun a certain wen kuou uivisiuu m Franco which has seen aara liRiiting, ci:ums ne nun me prize wewv, wmcu tt "m11 dog-eared book. Wlien the book was olank H was placed by this Bed Cross man on the ountor Jf a Ec(J Croga outpo8t neur the fighting iine. Soldiers and officers caIin(j for tobacco, cigarettes, chocolate comfort bags and other commodities, Mr. Business As a matter of economy ycu should consult the Journal's Job Department before placing" your printing we are satisfying Salem's leading firms put us on your calling list. Phone 81 WEAR BETTE'S QUALITY i adopted it as a register. When a cus tomer called for anything he would af fix his signature in tho little book and writo a line or so of comment. Now it containes the signatures of men from almost every state and from all ranks of tho army, generals down to privates. Tho book boasts of tho names of such high notables as Maj. Gen. Billiard, Brirg. Gen. H. H. Hhics and Col. A. N. Stark. LIFT OFF CORNS! Doesn't Hurt a Bit! Sore Corns Lift Right Off With Fin gers. Magic! Costs Drop lit'b rrCczone on that taichy corn, insU i!v it't that corn stons h'-rtincr. then vnn n n,rnt out with the tinkers. Why wait? Your druggist eells a tiny bottle of Freczone for a few cents, suf- ficient to rid your feet of every hard eo Bfft cor Qr eflrn th(J toes, and calluses, without soreness or irritation. Freczone is tho much talked of discovery of the Cincinnati genius. JS if i f Man