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less formal； more democraticin a wordthan my father； I stood in awe
of him for a different reason； and this I know now was because he
possessed the penetration to discern the flaws in my youthful character；
flaws that persisted in manhood。 None so quick as Cousin Robert to
detect deceptions which were hidden from my mother。
His hobby was carpentering； and he had a little shop beside the stable
filled with shining tools which Willie and I； in spite of their
attractions； were forbidden to touch。 Willie； by dire experience； had
learned to keep the law； but on one occasion I stole in alone； and
promptly cut my finger with a chisel。 My mother and Cousin Jenny
accepted the fiction that the injury had been done with a flint arrowhead
that Willie had given me； but when Cousin Robert came home and saw my
bound hand and heard the story； he gave me a certain look which sticks in
my mind。
〃Wonderful people； those Indians were！〃 he observed。 〃They could make
arrowheads as sharp as chisels。〃
I was most uncomfortable。。。。
He had a strong voice； and spoke with a rising inflection and a marked
accent that still remains peculiar to our locality； although it was much
modified in my mother and not at all noticeable in my father； with an odd
nasal alteration of the burr our Scotch…Irish ancestors had brought with
them across the seas。 For instance； he always called my father Mr。 Par…
r…ret。 He had an admiration and respect for him that seemed to forbid
the informality of 〃Matthew。〃 It was shared by others of my father's
friends and relations。
〃Sarah；〃 Cousin Robert would say to my mother； 〃you're coddling that boy；
you ought to lam him oftener。 Hand him over to me for a couple of
monthsI'll put him through his paces。。。。 So you're going to send him
to college； are you？ He's too good for old Benjamin's grocery business。〃
He was very fond of my mother； though he lectured her soundly for her
weakness in indulging me。 I can see him as he sat at the head of the
supper table； carving liberal helpings which Mary and Helen and Willie
devoured with country appetites； watching our plates。
〃What's the matter； Hugh？ You haven't eaten all your lamb。〃
〃He doesn't like fat； Robert；〃 my mother explained。
〃I'd teach him to like it if he were my boy。〃
〃Well； Robert； he isn't your boy；〃 Cousin Jenny would remind him。。。。
His bark was worse than his bite。 Like many kind people he made use of
brusqueness to hide an inner tenderness； and on the train he was hail
fellow well met with every Tom； Dick and Harry that commuted；although
the word was not invented in those days；and the conductor and brakeman
too。 But he had his standards； and held to them。。。。
Mine was not a questioning childhood； and I was willing to accept the
scheme of things as presented to me entire。 In my tenderer years； when I
had broken one of the commandments on my father's tablet （there were more
than ten）； and had； on his home…coming； been sent to bed； my mother would
come softly upstairs after supper with a book in her hand； a book of
selected Bible stories on which Dr。 Pound had set the seal of his
approval； with a glazed picture cover； representing Daniel in the lions'
den and an angel standing beside him。 On the somewhat specious plea that
Holy Writ might have a chastening effect； she was permitted to minister
to me in my shame。 The amazing adventure of Shadrach； Meshach and
Abednego particularly appealed to an imagination needing little
stimulation。 It never occurred to me to doubt that these gentlemen had
triumphed over caloric laws。 But out of my window； at the back of the
second storey； I often saw a sudden； crimson glow in the sky to the
southward； as though that part of the city had caught fire。 There were
the big steel…works； my mother told me； belonging to Mr。 Durrett and Mr。
Hambleton； the father of Ralph Hambleton and the grandfather of Hambleton
Durrett； my schoolmates at Miss Caroline's。 I invariably connected the
glow； not with Hambleton and Ralph； but with Shadrach； Meshach and
Abednego！ Later on； when my father took me to the steel…works； and I
beheld with awe a huge pot filled with molten metal that ran out of it
like water； I asked himif I leaped into that stream； could God save me？
He was shocked。 Miracles； he told me； didn't happen any more。
〃When did they stop？〃 I demanded。
〃About two thousand years ago； my son；〃 he replied gravely。
〃Then；〃 said I； 〃no matter how much I believed in God； he wouldn't save
me if I jumped into the big kettle for his sake？〃
For this I was properly rebuked and silenced。
My boyhood was filled with obsessing desires。 If God； for example； had
cast down； out of his abundant store； manna and quail in the desert； why
couldn't he fling me a little pocket money？ A paltry quarter of a
dollar； let us say； which to me represented wealth。 To avoid the
reproach of the Pharisees； I went into the closet of my bed…chamber to
pray； requesting that the quarter should be dropped on the north side of
Lyme Street； between Stamford and Tryon； in short； as conveniently near
home as possible。 Then I issued forth； not feeling overconfident； but
hoping。 Tom Peters； leaning over the ornamental cast…iron fence which
separated his front yard from the street； presently spied me scanning the
sidewalk。
〃What are you looking for； Hugh？〃 he demanded with interest。
〃Oh； something I dropped；〃 I answered uneasily。
〃What？〃
Naturally； I refused to tell。 It was a broiling； midsummer day； Julia
and Russell； who had been warned to stay in the shade； but who were
engaged in the experiment of throwing the yellow cat from the top of the
lattice fence to see if she would alight on her feet； were presently
attracted； and joined in the search。 The mystery which I threw around it
added to its interest； and I was not inconsiderably annoyed。 Suppose one
of them were to find the quarter which God had intended for me？ Would
that be justice？
〃It's nothing；〃 I said； and pretended to abandon the questto be renewed
later。 But this ruse failed； they continued obstinately to search； and
after a few minutes Tom； with a shout； picked out of a hot crevice
between the bricksa nickel！
〃It's mine！〃 I cried fiercely。
〃Did you lose it？〃 demanded Julia； the canny one； as Tom was about to
give it up。
My lying was generally reserved for my elders。
〃N…no；〃 I said hesitatingly； 〃but it's mine all the same。 It wassent
to me。〃
〃Sent to you！〃 they exclaimed； in a chorus of protest and derision。 And
how； indeed； was I to make good my claim？ The Peterses； when assembled；
were a clan； led by Julia and in matters of controversy； moved as one。
How was I to tell them that in answer to my prayers for twenty…five
cents； God had deemed five all that was good for me？
〃Somesomebody dropped it there for me。〃
〃Who？〃 demanded the chorus。 〃Say； that's a good one！〃
Tears suddenly blinded me。 Overcome by chagrin； I turned and flew into
the house and upstairs into my room； locking the door behind me。 An
interval ensued； during which I nursed my sense of wrong； and it pleased
me to think that the money would bring a curse on the Peters family。