82 THE COUNTRY BOY 



for once to tell him the truth, as it sometimes 

 hurts. He said, "Homer, will you please tell 

 me what has happened? Have you had any 

 trouble at home? Speak up plainly." "No," 

 I said, "nothing wrong there." "Then tell 

 me what this strange departure means. I got 

 up early, called you, and you were not in your 

 room. Tell me just the plain truth." 



"Well, I'm here learning the shoemaker's 

 trade of Frank Simeral, and I started in to 

 saw." "You're what?" said Father. "I'm 

 learning the shoemaker's trade." He made 

 me repeat it till it sounded ghastly, then taking 

 me by one hand he squeezed it gently and 

 affectionately when he said, "Homer, look me 

 square in the eye." I thought on that particu- 

 lar occasion just a stab over the shoulder would 

 do, but he said, "No, right in the eye. You 

 know, don't you, that I sold the most beautiful 

 farm you or any one else ever saw, mainly that 

 you might live here in Silverton so that if by 

 any chance you didn't turn out to be a cartoon- 

 ist, you couldn't say that I hadn't done all 

 that was in m)^ power to do for your art educa- 

 tion. You know that, don't j^ou?" "Yes," I 

 said. "Then do you think you are playing me 



