Crossing the foot log, he walked on until he came to a
rise of ground just where the road made a sudden turn.
Then he wheeled, dashed the tears away, and took a last look at the
place where he was born and had always lived.
Shut in by wild and rugged mountains, far from the world's great life,
humble and homely, it was still the only place on earth where the
orphaned lad had felt that he had any natural right to be. And now,
even this slender thread had been rudely severed by his nearest living
relative.
"Good-by, old home," said he audibly, as he waved his hand in a
farewell gesture. "I hate to leave you when it comes to the pinch, but
if I live I'll make my way somewhere's else. There's other places
beside these mountains where a boy can get on, I know."
He resumed his way, forcing back the tears, and soon found his emotions
subside.
A conviction that he had acted right throughout the altercation with
old Bras, helped him to bear more cheerfully the hard fact that he was
not only homeless but almost moneyless. This last misfortune did not
press on him heavily, as in that secluded region people were
universally hospitable. Ralph had never paid for a meal or a night's
lodging in his life.
As he happened to take an easterly course he kept it merely because it
would lead him to the lowlands and the towns as quickly as any other
route.
He had at once resolved to leave his native mountains. Inexperienced
as he was, he instinctively felt that there were better things in store
for an energetic lad in other parts of the country than he would be apt
to find anywhere near his home.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25