Hugh Pendexter

“ Too proud to ask for a pension she sought to support herself, until the man who sent the volunteers on their way to the firing line with his patriotic speech ringing in their ears, had foreclosed the mortgage on her little farm and stamped her as a pauper. ”

“ And the old man's face grew stern again.
“Nothing, father, unless you can buy brains,” said Joseph wearily.
“I'm buying brains when I pay for your schooling,” said the father proudly. Then he added joyfully, “And to think he is going to do it all out of his head and don't want no books, nor nothing!” ”

“ In the Shadow of Daniel Webster
BY HUGH PENDEXTER
“Philetus, I've brought Melindy Briggs home,” timidly announced Mrs. Carr to her husband, who was busy in the tool-house storing away some farm implements.
“What! Brought old Mrs. Briggs here?” he asked in a sour voice, while his gnarled features were drawn down in evident displeasure.
“Yes; she's in the house now,” repeated Mrs. Carr, her faded face taking on a look of unusual determination.
“But she's a pauper. Good Lord! ain't we enough to do without turning our place into a poor farm?” rasped the farmer, his bushy brows contracting. ”

“ She married a Philpot”—and so on, until Philetus had retired in disgust.
Joseph, the son, was not at home. By saving and pinching, his parents had sent him through a nearby academy and had at last got him fairly started in college. Joseph was not unusually brilliant. He was an average sort of a boy, whose life on the farm had made him a valuable man for the football squad. But knowing his father's hopes and his mother's prayers he honestly strove to excel in his books, and thus far with poor success,
“If he'd only take a prize,” Mr. Carr would moan. ”

“ Briggs would never consider herself in that light, and daily prayed that death might intervene between her and the poor farm. It was then that the child friend of her girlhood looked her up and asked her to come and live under the Carr roof tree. Mrs. Briggs accepted, never dreaming but that Philetus' welcome would be as warm as his wife's. ”

“ Now he writes he's dreading the prize debates, when he oughter be kicking himself in gratitude. If he'd take that prize he'd get the next year's schooling without no expense to me.”
“Mebbe he will,” Mrs. Carr would say, knowing full well her son's defects.
On the day after Mrs. Briggs' arrival, the fond mother, with many tears, told of Joseph's lack of ability and his father's wishes.
“If Philetus would only be satisfied with having him a good boy, and a healthy boy, I'd be happy. But no! He wants him to win prizes that he can't git. I know he can't. ”

“ There he met a dear old lady, a third cousin to Daniel Webster, who took him aside and started him on the right line. If she had not been a cousin to the great orator, if she had not been visiting in the young man's home, if he had not gone home—and originally he planned not to go—if he had not met her, he could not have spoken here to-night. ”

“ His efforts to frame a speech attracted the attention not only of the women folks, but also of the father. Philetus, with a pleased smile on his rugged face, stole up to the kitchen door and held up his finger to admonish silence. “He's let loose. Joey's tearing it off by the yard. ”