The Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 187?-187?, 1874-05-02

opened, before | had time TO ring, by
melancholy footman, who, walking be
fore me with the elaborate delicacy O
an Agag, noislessly ushered me in th
study. twas my lot to be again roote,
to the spot with amaSement. By tn
bookcase in shaded corner OF th,
room, with his head bowed low upol
his hands, knelt the philosopher. Her,
was long step from the siege OF Troy
from the simple wrath of ohildlikt
hero to the most complex embarrass
ment Of an heir OF all the ages. Wha
should l do? The dismal menial hai
fl d to the shades, without a word
without even glance into the room
If l retreated, left my friend unaided
and remained ignorant of the cause oI
his strange conduct. II advanced,
was again the intruder on scene mo-
prepared for my inspection. In an ag
ony OF hesitation ] fell to brushing my
hat with my elbow; but not finding the
expected relief in the occupation, I was
about to desist, when nay hat decided
what my head could not, by felling
with crack on the floor. The effect
was electrical. Without one glance at
the intruder, the philosopher made a
grab at the nearest bookshelf, dragged
out volhme which had not been touch
ed for half a century, and hunted for
nothing in its pages with frantic eager
ness. He was still at it when I stood
over him and Noted without wonder that
he held the book upside down; then
with tue poorest imitation of surprise
which have ever seen, he rose and
grasped my hand. "You found me on
the track of something" he said 81
was looking it out in-in-"
Here it occurred to him that he did
not know the name of the venerable
tome which he had 80 rudoly disturbed,
and with a heightened color aud sud
den change OF manner he turned quick
ly to me and said, "My child is ill.,"
felt positively guilty. l had been an.
cry with that baby for making my wise
friend foolish, for not being a boy, for
being called "noble woman" Was
it rot shameful that a great hulking
brute should sneer st weak thing that
could not answer with a taunt? Were
not my clumsy sarcasms enough to
crush so delicate plant The poor lit
tie "noble woman" was in danger, and
1 could do nothing to help her. There
were tears in the eyes which had looked
into mine for comfort, but I had moth
ing ready to say.
"I could not stand being alone" he
muttered, after a short silence Z" the
doctor is with her now, and in a mo-
ment / may hear that my little daugh-
ter muslin fact may hear the worst"
While he was speaking, l seemed to
have fifty consoling remarks to offer
but when he stopped, no one sentence
would disengage itself from the rest
What l blurted out at last seems almost
ridiculous as l look back on it.
"You must hope for the best" I
said "you know she has youth on her
side."
These words where scarcely out of
my mouth when I heard a measured
step upon the stairs presently the
door was opened by the noiseless foot.
man, and the most famous of London
physicians entered the room. My friend
leaned heavily on my arm, but lie looked
at the man of science with seeming
calm.
"I am happy to say" said the physi-
clan, cheeringly, "that our little friend
is going on as we'll as possible"
"And she is out of danger?"
"She never was in il"
"Never in dangerP" cried I, almost
disappointed.
"She has nothing the mater with
her," he replied" v" but a slight iaver
ish cold. have seldom seen finer ~
mora healthy child, Good morning. |"
I never was more annoyed. Here was
a waste of my finest feelings. Here
was 1 stirred to the depth, we'll nigh
moved to tears by a baby's fevefish
cold. OF course l was very glad that
It was no worse but nv friend was too
absurd, and I could not spare him.
"Won't you resume your studies ?" l
asked, sarcastically, pointing to the
disturbed book, which was lying on the
ground at our feet. His humility might
have disarmed me. "I am afraid I've
been fool" he said; "but if you had
seen her all flushed an1 breathing hard /;
and then she was so small and fragile. "
"Yes, for a noble woman," 1 re-
marked. He received the dart meekly.
"Philosopher," said I, suddenly, deter
mined to rouse him at any cost, "when
/ entered this room you were engaged
in prayer" His color certainly deep
ened. "May I ask" inquired, with
an appearance of Difference, whether
you were addressing yourself to the
Personal First Cause or the Unknowa-
ble-but perhaps you were merely bow
ing to tie rational order of the Uni
verse"
He made gesture of impatience, but
answered, still with studied modera-
ton. "I was alone and in trouble"
"And the efficacy of prayer?" I
asked.
"For heavens sale," cried he, burst
ing into excitement, "stop your iargon
Nothing shows such ignorance of sub.
iect as having all its cant phrases on the
top of your tongue. Can't l speak to
God without expecting to be paid for
it?"
This was turning the tables. If he
was going to take to questions, / knew
I should end by admitting myself fool.
So to avoid Socratic dialogue I put
nv hand on my friends shoulder and
said "You are good man, philoso-
pher; may you and the noble woman
| live thousand years. "
"Tbank you," he said, simply; =" and
now you must let me go and sing a
pecan with the nobler woman, my pa
tient Penelope, my sweet wife"
So he went with long strides over the
asphodel meadow, and I betook myself
to my tent full Of pleasant thoughts.
A Kentucky horse jockey has hit up
on rubber tube running from the bill
to the sea- Of the sulky, where there If
attached a rubber bag for water or spir'
| a. f,.o,,, xyb;ob tho trnttnr can drink