The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-04-30

purposely left ajar, and of the hasty
| Happing of loose slippers which told
the startled slavey's fight into the
abyss below.
An unusual silence held my friends
house that morning. The door was
opened, before had time to ring, by
a melancholy footman, whe, walking
before me with the elaborate delicacy
Of an Agag, nOiselessly ushefed me
in the study. 1t was my lot to be
again rooted to the spot with amaze
ment. By the bookcase in a shaded
corner of the room, with his head
bowed low upon his hands, knelt the
philosopher. Here was Il long step
from the siege of Troy, from the
simple wrath of a childlike hero to
the most complex embarrassment of
an heir Of all the ages. What should
/ ] do? The dismal menial had fled to
the shades, without word, without
even a glance, into the room. If /
retreated, I left my friend unaided,
and remained ignorant of the cause
of his strange conduct. If advanced,
/ was again the intruder on scene
not prepared for my inspection. In
an agony of hesitation fell TO brush
ing my hat with my elbow; but not
| finding the expected relief in the Oc-
cupatiOn, l was about to desist, when
my hat decided what my head could
not, by falling with crack on the
floor. The effect was electrical. With
out one glance at the intruder, the
philosopher made q grab at the near
est book shelf, dragged out volume
which had not been touched for half
century, and hunted for nothing In
its pages with frantic eagerness. He
was still ut 1t when / stood over him
and noted without wonder that he
held the book upside down; then
with the poorest imitation of surprise
which l 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 1t occurred to him that he did
not know the name of the venerable
tome which he had 80 rudely dis
turbed, and with heightened colcr
and sudden change of manner he
turned quickly to me and said, "My
child is ILL.," i felt positively guilty.
l had been angry with that baby for
making my wise friend foolish, for
not being n boy, for being called a
"noble woman" Was it not shame
ful that q great hulking brute should
sneer ut weak thing that could not
answer with a taunt? Were not my
clumsy sarcasms enough to crush so
delicate plant? The poor little
"noble woman" was in danger, and
/ could do nothing to help her. There
were tears in the eyes which had
looked into mine for comfort, but l
had nothing ready to say.
81 could not stand being alone," he
muttered, after q short silence; "the
doctor is with her now, and in mo-
ment | may hear that my little
daughter muslin fact may hear the
worst"
While ne was speaking, 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 mt last
seems almost ridiculous as l look
back on it.
"You must hope for the BEST"
said; "you know she has youth on
her side"
These words were scarcely out of
my mouth when / heard q measured
step upon the stairs; presently the
Goor 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
looked at the man Of science with
seeming calm.
81 am happy to say" said the
physician, cheerily, that our little
friend Is going on as well as possible" "
"And she is out of danger?'
"She never was In it."
"Never in danger?" cried ], almost
disappointed.
her." he replied, "but slight fever.
ish cold. / have seldom seen finer
or more healthy child. Good NOR.
ning."
l never was more annoyed. Here
was a waste of my finest feelings
Here was / stirred to the depth, well
nigh moved to tears by baby's
feVerish cold. OF course l was very
glad that it was no worse; but my
friend was too absurd, and / could
not spare him.
|
i asked, sarcastically, pointing to tho
disturbed book, which was lying or
the ground at our feet. His humility
might have disarmed me; 81 an
afraid I've been a fool" be said
"but If you had seen her all flushed
and breathing hard; and then sh'
was so small and fragile"
"Yes, for q noble wOman," re
marked. He received the dart meek
ly. "Philosopher," said /, suddenl.
determined to rouse him ut any cost
when / entered this room you wer'
engaged in prayer" His color Ger
tainly deepened. "May ask" j in
quired, with an appearance of defer
ence, "whether you were addressin!
yourself to the Personal First Caus
or to the Unknowable-but perhap
.. you were merely bowing to the ra
! tiOnal order of the Universe?"
He made gesture Of impatience
but answered, still with studied mod
GRAFTON, 81 was alone and In grea
, trouble"
"And the efficacy of prayer? ."
|, asked.
"FOr heavens sake" cried Inc
bursting into excitement, "stop you
jargon! Nothing shows such ignol
/. ance Of q subject as having all II
: cant phrases on the top of your tongue
Can't speak to God without expect
: ing to be paid for it?"
This was turning the tables. Ii h
was going to take to questions, kne'
/ should end by admitting myself
!, fool. So TO avoid n SOcratic dialOgu
: put my hand on my friends shou
: der and said: "You are good mar
Il philosopher; may you and the mob
: woman live thousand years."
y "Thank you," he said, simply
Ie sand now you must let me go an
" sing pean with the nobler woman
4 my patient Penelope, my sweet wife,
:. So he went with long strides ov,
&c the asphodel meadow, and I betoc
:" myself to my tent full Of pleasaI
thoughts.
n. A apOrtsman has been the vicfi