Westways

king mind," said the rector, who in the confessional of the evening pipe saw more and more plainly that this was a divided house. The Squire could not talk politics with Ann, his wife. She held a

was too young to be interested. The rector was intensely anti-slavery and saw but one side of the ominous questions which were bewildering the largest minds. The increasing interest in his nephew was, therefore, a source of real relief to the uncle. Meanwhile, the financi

when John, aged sixteen, came down to breakfast, as he took his seat Ann came beh

ceived a pair of silver spurs. "Oh! th

d laughing asked with both hands b

both-

N

he heart." Some quick r

of this being like

grown-up courtesies he had been taught, and bowed as he than

ne," sa

ny one," said Mrs. Ann.

me

rch. "That is mine, John." A thorough-bred horse stood at the door, sad

too full for the words he wanted to say. "

d Leila. "I rode him onc

have no name until he h

orse's neck. "Wasn't his

?" sa

es

n call h

ily, "By all means, Ann, call him Dixy if you like, and now

make friends with him. He may misbehave; never, sir, lo

said, "Your coffee will be cold. It i

ful it all was! "May I ri

o introduce yo

de with you?"

you at home. There is the raspberry

we shall not have

d-and Sunday. After that you may have her, and I shall be

Aunt

able. John heard of it later. The likelihood of unpleasant results from their mischief was discussed as they walked homeward. There were in all five boys from the village, with whom by this time John had formed democratic intimacies and moderate likings which would have shocked his mother. He had had no quarrels since long ago he had resented Tom McGregor's

, there will be

id William, the

s a foreman at the mills, "it was great fu

ratic in his associations and had shed much of his too-fine manners as the herding instinct

none of the fun." Then he asked anxious

enter, "I saw him, heard him shout to the Sq

it up," said a timid little bo

Grace, "guess yo

Tom, his former foe, said, "Shut up, Joe Grace,

the confession of partnership in the mischief,

relief Mr. Rivers was a guest. John observed, however, that Mrs. Ann had less of her usual gaiety, and he was not much s

y is a poor witness. I des

the boy. He stood for a moment silent. The Captain, impatien

sh. "I do not lie, sir.

returned Penhallow. "Th

d tell me a

went to swim with some of the village

rest, "Tag-tag-swimming? Who invented t

can dive to escape or come up under a fellow to tag h

c court-martial, and self-reminded said, "The tag h

t. He never can keep still. I proposed that I should hide i

dee

gathered up all my clothes and my shoes, and before I could get out he just yelled, 'John's drowned, I mus

d t

him; they caught him in the cornfield and took away my

ressing his mirth.

, but I

ve told Leila or your aunt. Luckily I received his news, and no one else. You

s,

for ten days." This was terrible. "Now, be

s,

g his laughter related the story. "The boy'

oy's looks I infer you

al jokes, and I have stoppe

o talking politics and of the confusion of

l was closed for a week. At breakfast he made believe to be contented in mind, and asked in his best manner if his uncle had any errands for him in Westways or at the mills. When the Captain said no and remarked further that if he wished to walk, he would find the wood-roads cooler than the highway John

n the village, John; and do get your hair cut, and

s for visiting Westways than his uncle's order. H

ady said little, the girl very well knew that her aunt thought her husband had been too severe. She stood on the porch, vaguely troubled for this com

d-nature of perfect health. What more there was time would show. Westways knew well these two young people, and Leila was simply Leila to nearly every one. "Quite time," reflected Mrs. Ann, "that she was Miss Leila."

gh yet,"

w." He was a little unea

cher at the mills, I wish to say that it is because a p

th the Squire's order about the swimming. He waited until his aunt should be t

these years you won'

hts are rea

nd the boys they are real careless. What with Hannah's asthma keeping me awake and a lot of fools loafing around an

en justice. But if the butcher knew it or not, she was offered what she liked a

asy to decide. I've alwa

new, alas! what

chanan. Was you wanting a saddle of lamb to-d

litics and your weights i

ous of having bought a vote or not, it was pretty clear to her nephew that Peter Pol

f the shop and said, "There's to be no swimming for

y're playing ball back of the c

d to John to come and play. He was not so minded, and was in haste to get through with a disagreeable errand. As he hesitated, Pole eager to d

ghty mea

right and you know it. I don't l

y, broke in, "Who told the Sq

nother lad; "he just kept

turning to John, "did you tell

is boxing-master's advice, the more mad you are the cooler you keep yourself. He replie

, of course, you told," returned the older lad. "If I wa

loose righteous anger. He had meant to wait, having been wisely counselled by his boxing-master to be in no haste to challenge his enemy, until further practice had made success possible; but now his risi

nd said, "I nev

way. The boys laughed. John flushed a little, and as Tom rem

es. The long lessons in self-defence had given him some conf

boy. In a moment the fight was

of the defence disappointed his attack. To hit hard, to rush in and throw his enemy, was all he had of the tactics of offence. The younger lad, untouched, light on his feet, was continually shifting his gr

ried the boys. "By Geor

ade a furious rush at the victor, a lou

the interruption. He was well aware that in the rough and tumble of a close he had not weight enough to e

furious, was collecting blood from his nose on his handker

ds, sir, when T

ings to village fights. "He won't do it," said John with a

u!" excl

ow the peacemaking business was clearly not blessed. "You are a nice pair of young Ch

sently what was this about. "Mr. Rivers, soon after I came that fe

these suns go dow

r. He wouldn't apologize to

ind

mething to-day a

hing

etty clear that he

you knew yo

t he didn't a

nk you conv

but I fe

etter, John?" and he laugh

was tired, but entire

the stable and had a t

eply regretted not to

ellbender." He put him in a bucket of water and carried him to the stable, where he was visited by Leila and Rivers, and later departed

e for? I asked Aunt Ann, and she said, 'Buchanan, of course'; and when I asked Uncle Jim, he said, 'Fremont'; but I want to u

to be bought and

m not bla

old Josiah

that. Why did h

free, I suppose, and not

ey pay slaves

about so freely. These intelligent children were in the toils of a question which was disturbing the consciences and the interests of a cont

ers says she is the most just woman he ever knew." It

talk about slaves. I

likes to be asked when we are a

queer, John,

d, "Or a gi

e, I tell you; they'

n. At last she said, "I'll tell you a queer thing. I heard Mr. Rivers say to uncle-I heard him say, we were all

d John; "I think it's a

rch until four days later, when Rivers came in after di

Squire?"

il the election is over. It always disturbs co

s you take a hand and are

t would hurt Ann more than I feel willing to do. Talk of something

tell you that John has had an

p, all attention. "He does

ut Tom

What ha

were in that joke on Billy. I fancy something was sa

. What else? I ought

aker. I stopped the battle, but he was not at all disposed to talk about it. I

ed-boys don't remember injuries that way." Then seeming to become conscious of Rivers' presence, he stopped

and John has been as u

earning

t to think. Now if my good Ann woul

t the every-day things of life. Her politics and religion are sacred beliefs not to be rudely jostled by the disturbance o

s of discussion; and by Heaven! my friend, I am sometimes ashamed to keep out of this business. So far as this State is concerned, it is hopeless. You know, dear friend, what you have been to us, and that to no other man on earth coul

d. "Like me,

ably curious lad, too. These Southern opinions about reclaiming a man's slaves bother the b

no escape from

know-I told her to ask Ann Penhallow-I have not he

oo severe. Then he thought of the boy's fight and smiled. The rector and he had disagreed. Was it better for boys to abuse one another or to settle things by a fight? The rector had urged that his argument for the ordea

Josiah, he heard the voice of his friend and fishing-companion,

moveless under the razor

sterday'

an't tal

hanan and Breckenridge.

Take car

Penhallow is. She is taking a good deal of inter

ot like it. "I c

slow at taking hints." The good-natured rotund preacher went on, amazin

k h

d woman, but not just a

's w

ing to me," said Josiah,

thro

u another trout-fly. Your turn," and he left the chair to Grace, who sat down saying with the persistency of the good-hu

er things," retu

e rector had gone and Josiah

me are fine. A fellow's got time to think between this and November. Pumpkins and leaky roofs do make a ma

pel roofed and no more willing than Mrs. Penhallow to admit that how he would vote had anything to do with the much needed repai

to get into a fight and a fellow got hold of them, you would have a bad time." Then as his uncle went away laughing, John knew that the Squire must

I am sorry to hear that a Christian lad like you should be fighting. I am sure that neither

is business. When I am insulted, I resent it." To be chaffed by his own uncle when under sentence o

laimed the preacher,

laughing. "Set

le of Westways kno

ir. Wish I'

the first time in his life. "Cut my

ain't even g

. There was a long silence

tist man hot. I don't l

ectable. My n

ame?" said John, having

t I keeps tha

y?" urg

John, I ran away, and-so it

one knows you must have

horse," he laughed aloud in a leisurely way. "Whe

and paid the barber. The cracked mirro

u're shorn. Makes old fellows

N

en wisely cautious, sa

no one, about m

nt, Mr. Josiah? She, like my

Mr. Josiah, and seeing later how much this pleased him continued in his quite courteous way to ad

out it if you don't

e here, I guessed I'd best change my name, so I said I was Josiah. Fact is, Mr. John, I didn't know Mrs. P

increasingly urgent in his demand for answers to the many questions life was bringing. The papers he read had been sharp schoolmasters, and of slave life he knew nothing except from his aunt's pleasant memories of plantation life when a girl o

sy, said, "What was y

d hurt anybody? Do you think she would send word to some one-

t-and they was good people too-all the people that owned me. They liked me too. I didn't hav

did you r

t, Mr. Woodburn says to me-I was leanin' against a stump-how will that colt turn out? I said, I don't know, but I did. It wasn't any good. My mind was took up watchin' a haw

to be free l

f it before-might have seen lots of

glad to

sir. I ain't altogethe

d for

ent into the shop as John walked away, leaving Josiah who would have liked to add a word more of caution and who nevertheless f

iah's confidence troubled and yet flattered him. His imagination was captured by the suggested idea of the wild freedom

uire's hair, and to his surprise Josiah did not