The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-08-14
ELlNOR NORTON.
CHAPTER XIV.

Aapiui5 ahhgt uAltbh-Einus MhtIt ne
went, SO keen WAS the misery aud de
spair which seemed crushing his heart
Absorbed as he was, he almost came in
collision with another gentleman as he
turned a corner sharply i've minutes
later, and, hastily aPologizing, he was
met 10y the hearty response:
''Why, is it you, Stoddard? How
are you, old fellow? / haven't heard
Of you for long while till to-day but
heard capital things of you then, you
may be sure. congratulate you on
having so much mettle."
And Franks old college chum, Jack
Lawton, shook his hand so.warmly and
smiled at him so cheerily that his face
relaxed its stern expression, and he an
swered Jack more pleasantly than a
minute before he would have believed
possible.
"How came you to get into such a
scrape with that old wretch >" said
Jack, when, after a few words of greet
irg and mutual Inquiries, they walked
on together.
Frank made the necessary explana-
tions, and then changed the subject as
quickly as possible.
"What are you doing now, Jack ?''
said he taking life as easy as ever ?''
"Oh, yes" said Lawton "ft isn't
worth while to do anything else, you
know. To be sure, 1 am in the Office
d q hrnf i'm,
agine, don't wear out Coke or Black
stone, nor any Of the rest of them, very
much. I'd be a fool II ! did, when
there's no need Of il. Leave that sort
Of thing to the fellows that have got to
grub OF starve, l say. / don't want to
crowd them out, when I don't need
money and they do. What are you
about, Stoddard ? Flooding along,
suppose, like a deacon, digging into
Plato and Aristotle aud the rest OF those
old mummies AS if your life depended
on it. I've been expecting to hear Of
your appointment 10 professorship
somewhere, for that's the only place in
which you could ever find use for so
much knowledge as you've got slowed
away"
Nonsense, Jack" said Frank. 81
haven't learning enough to hurt nle,
nor TO do ne much good, either, am
afraid; and I've neglected the OLD
WORTHLESS you named sadly since left
Harvard ! have been trying to study
law since J came back from Europe, but
feel ashamed Of myself TO think have
accomplished so little" and the young
mans brow was clouded as he thought
Of all that had iuterfered so much with
his studies.
"Well, Stoddard, I'll give il up" saiC
his friend. "Nou always was mystery
TO me, but this freak is the worst of all
You must love TO dig for the sake 0
digging. Now, don't, thank fortune
aud IN lucky dog I don't have to j
would 90 bard with me il did"
"Oh, well, Jack, we can't all be but
terflies, you know, and your life wOul'
be harder for me than mine," sal
Frank but he thought to himself
perhaps, after all, those who fioa
idly with the current are happier thar
those who are forever struggling vi
stream against IL. I wonder if Their
ever is, i'm this world or another, an,
recompense for the trouble and miser!
one endures if he tries to do what seem
right and honorable"
"Stoddard, what under the sun all
you p" said Lawion. curiously. "Yol
look as glum rs if you'd beei
Tilted" but, warned by strange lool
on his friends face, be continued
lightly, "or hRzed, or as If you needed
pony or as il the cholera was coming
II it isn't any Of these dreadful things
pray tell your humble servant just wha
it is, for don't want 70 be overw helmel
by some fearful catrastophe, even ol
your account, and though hard the ne
cessity, would even give you up rathe
than be your companion in misfortune
Adieu, a fond adieu," said the fuu
loving scamp, with mock sadness, ex
tending his hand.
Jack" said Frank, 81 ought to d
thankful to you for your nonsense, for
need something to make me laugl
This unpleasant affair I've been mike
up in hasn't improved my temper an
more than my appearance. Come an
let Us have some dinner" he added, al
he went into a restaurant, not the on
however, in which he had uuintentiol
ally overheard the slander that b,
caused so much trouble. He cou
never bear to enter that again.
The two friends ehatted of old tim
as they sat over their dinner, and JAG
at least, did ample justice to the me
but Frank did not, for he could L
shake of the miserable feeling I'll
haunted him, though be tried hard
seem pleasant and cheerful. Perhaps
his friend had been more equal in mi
and character, he would have found
certain relief in his society," but TIN
was little in common between the iu'
lent, careless, reckless Jack LawtOn a
our studious, ambitious, thought
friend. They had CHANGED to be roo
mates at college, and Frank, believi
that Jack had a better heart than
showed the world, gave him a lari
place in his regard than he could e.
have attained in less Intimate CO
partnership. Jack ordered wine,