The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-02-04

BY JOHN RkMLAp. rse.

name, ulu you ask 1t makes no difference
to you what it was-he was not pour chum-
he was never anybody's chum but mine.
"Where did meet him?" Well, I vii
tell you
One evening, long ago, the stage stopped
and alighted in front of certain Confer
ence seminary III a small country village. ,
long, long way from here. was aged seven
teen, and my father had sent me to that sem
mary to see eff they couldn't make some
thing of me-" They did. However, l have
survived it.
entered the Office of the principal and
stood, at last trembling from head to foot. in
the presence of that august parsonage
Young man," said he, in deep cultural
tones and witha whitening glance, "youne
man, your father has written to me to select
you good chum if possible, a religious and
studious you'll, (my fth.r always did
know my weak points. have done so. Here
he is. Master John Remlap, this is your fh-
ture chum, Master Sam -"
Ishook hands with the wonder and looked at
him. In memory l can see him now as he
looked then, not the tall, stately, handsome,
elderly gentleman he is to-day, but slender
youth, perhaps year my SENIOR with dark
hazel eyes, long neck, little pretty face, quite
beardless, figure SO slight that one feared
that u good puff of wind would blow him
away, and long black hair like an embryo
doctor of divinity's, that flowed unctuously
down his back. thought then that liked
him about as | do my lunch, nowadays, at
the dairy, "half-and-haf" But time went
by and, to make a long story short, liked nv
chnm better and better. One year rolled
away-another I'VE were prepared for col
lege Thither we went together, determined
never to separate. Through freshman wear,
sophomore, Junior, senior, up to that glad
Commencement time when we stood side by
side and received our shccp-skins," we lived
together in one room and slept together in
one bed In those six years of common lot
and cot and all chum and came to love
each other. That IL, he loved me and |
adored him, my nature being more ardent
than his. This he will never acknowledge,
but it has proven true now, for would never
have gone back on him as lie has since gone
back on me, never never But anticipate.
When at last we parted, it was with tears
He became preacher-and l. well, never
mind what bccame--not much of anythin.
and the years went by.
One day in tho spring time. I was readin
the appointments Of our conference III til
morning paper, when, joy of my eyes saw
chum's name. He had been stationed at
little village only six miles from my home.
rushed to see him. We embraced. We wer
happy once more. The only thing betwec,
us was the old difficulty, Sam did not smoke
Both of us had been wise, or otherwise, il
this that, in all these years, neither of II,
had taken to himself rib. SO nobody wa,
in the way of our uninterrupted companion
ship again. Each summer we rambled of
together on long journeys, far away. SO we
lived and loved, and the years went by.
Alas that life has no silver lining without
dark cloud also.
The cloud came. 1t was an envelope. ]
tore it open trembling. 1t contained several
daintily printed cards. On one was SANS
name. On another, woman's name, OH
third, "St. Joseph's Church., Jan. 8, 8 p NJ
Good reader, tainted.
" You wouldn't" wouldn't you? Why of
course gen wouldn't, why chould You? You
never knew Sam. Sam was never your clum.
Well, as l said, tainted, but went. | went
as have gone sometimes TO funerals, out of
respect to what was dcad-our old compan-
ionship.
knew that should hate that woman
But, for the first time in my life backed
down. AS she swept up the long aisle of
grand old st. Joseph's, tall, stately, gorgeous
ly appareled, and as she stood beside him
there at the altar and all that, / said to my
SELF yield, yield utterly. Sammie, you
have got about the incest one of her sex who
has gone through this ceremony for fifty
years, in fact, since my mother was married.
listened. The preacher read long rig
marole in a doleful voice. The chandeliers
flashed down their brilliant splendors upon
them. The organ tones were soft and low
Everybody seemed so happy, everybody but
one--I was miserable.
just then / leaped to my feet. The preach
or had said "if anybody could show any just
cause why they might not lawfully be joined
together, let him speak"
| stammered' out "I--I-I,' then stop
ped Nobody had heard me. / said to my
self 'John Remlap, aged AZ, now take time,
old boy don't make fool of yourself, but
don't be afraid say it right out loud, but
before had time to say q word, that preacher
went on. / sat down, overwhelmed with con-
fusion and chagrin. | had missed the golden
opportunity. After that the preacher ratified
on till he said that they were " husband and
wife together"
At last it was over, and chum lifted her
veil, and, gracious me. kissed her. What
Sam, my old Sam had heard him thou
sand times, say that he didn't believe in kiss
ing Had the fellow surrendered all the fun
damental doctrines Of his life? But that kiss
it broke my heart. 1t was the death OF our
old love- Another had taken my place mind
you, | didn't blame him, couldn't, had
seen her buried my face in my hands, and
pitied my lonely, forsaken self. l wonder if
anybody else ever felt so.
They passed out into the street. Passed out,
Sam did, for the first time in his life, without