the shadowy hillsmen were getting ready to swoop down. And it was the
dawn of the twentieth century of the Christian era that Burnham
watched, the dawn of the one hundred and twenty-fifth year of the
nation's life--of the one hundred and seventh year of statehood for
Kentucky. And thinking of the onward sweep of the world, of the nation,
North, East, West, and South, the backward staggering of his own loved
State tugged sorely at his heart.
In chapel next morning John Burnham made another little talk--chiefly
to the young men of the Blue-grass among whom this tragedy was taking
place. No inheritance in American life was better than theirs, he told
them--no better ideals in the relations of family, State, and nation.
But the State was sick now with many ills and it was coming to trial
now before the judgment of the watching world. If it stood the crucial
fire, it would be the part of all the youth before him to maintain and
even better the manhood that should come through unscathed. And if it
failed, God forbid, it would be for them to heal, to mend, to upbuild,
and, undaunted, push on and upward again. And as at the opening of the
session he saw again, lifted to him with peculiar intenseness, the
faces of Marjorie and Gray Pendleton, and of Mavis and Jason Hawn--only
now Gray looked deeply serious and Jason sullen and defiant. And at
Mavis, Marjorie did not turn this time to smile. Nor was there any
furtive look from any one of the four to any other, when the students
rose, though each pair of cousins drifted together on the way out, and
in pairs went on their separate ways.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account