The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-02-08
THE PROFESSORS STORY
Springfield Sunday Republican.

THE PROFESSORS STORY.
Springfield Sunday Republican.
Taking tea the other evening with an
old acquaintance, now professor in an
New England college, the conversation
recalled some of the friends of our
younger days, and he surprised me With
this remark: "a woman's sympathies lie
nearer her heart than her love, unless
her love is born of them" But no sur
prised me more by the story he told to
prove it.
guess it was seven years, he said,
that our chair of astronomy remained
vacant. You knew of DR.. Merdon. It
was justly that the world finally gave
him fame. Well, after his death the
trustees were at loss to fill his place.
A weak man could have been insuffer.
able thore.
Do you remember his family? Charm
ing wife and daughter. They spent sew
eral years abroad, after his death,
and when they returned not
withstanding that the widow still wore
mourning, the number of our little so :ial
events was doubled. The daughter had
string of young millionaires after her
constantly. Female society, perhaps
you know, wasn't unlimited, and it was
with foundation of truth that the fell
lows grimly joked about calling on the
girls their fathers bad courted before
them. Charlotte Merdon was as fascin-
ating a girl as her mother had been, so
said the old folks, and it was to her that
Prof. Lutz quoted from Horace, 20
daughter, more beautiful than thy beau
tiful motherv' when he brought down
on himself the ridicule of the mountain
day party. Yes, she could have had her
pick from dozen very rich boys, and |
think she would have taken it, too, if
she hadn't discovered that her mother
was trying to influence her in their favor.
At the senior party that year, Char
lotte held her court, as she had every
where. She was surrounded, remem-
Der, by the rich fellows of Charlie Eli
otis set. Elliott was happy that night.
Charlotte had been unu ;ually gracious,
and her mother had made her favor
clearer than ever.
Over near the door sat the last man to
be expected at a presidents party, Brent
Seymour. He was senior the year be-
fore, and taking postgraduate study at
the observatory Merdon had built short
ly before his death,-a town boy, who
supported his mother and worked his
way through college. and not often seen
in society. and his ill-6tting clothes and
embarrassed manner attested it. Elliott,
looking about the room for subject for
his next brilliant remark to Miss Mer-
don, caught sight of him.
I'D" said he turning to his cllum, II
tell what will be great sport. Bring Sey-
mour up and formerly present him to
Miss Merdon. It will confuse him. He
won't know what to do, and there'll be
deuce of a scene"
The chum complied and in a moment
had the reluctant Seymour by the arm.
The scene that followed must have been
the poor student stood before the belle.
It was not unlike the tableau of the beg
gar and the princess. Her easy attitude
contrasted strangely with his painful
awkwardness. Elliott had not miscal-
culated. The effect was immediate. All
eyes we're turned toward the couple and
a smile went around.
Charlotte Merdon saw it, and her
cheeks famed. She had OWNED the
heartless joke. To the surprise of those
about her she begged Seymour to be
seated insisted that he should be
seated. Then she tried to draw him into
the conversation. But it was impossible.
Embarrassment seemed to have driven
his wits away. Only one remark he
ventured. CHANGING alta portrait on the
wan, ne s1ammerea OUT, '"Inars gooa
picture Of 4oR the The portrait
anything but agood likeness OF the pres
ident as he then appeared. The unfor-
tunate remark caused another smile.
Elliott was delighted. His joke was a
splendid success. Poor Seymour twist
cd shout in his chair and hung his head.
His discontinue was complete.
Miss Merdon took deliberate look at
the picture, and did not smile. EYES,"
ness of him just after graduation. Have
yon seen the presidents flowers, Mr.
Seymour Let me show them to you"
Rising, and excusing herself, she led
the young man into the green house, adj
joining the parlor.
The devil" said Elliott. II didn't
look for anything like that"
Seymour, rescued in this way from
his trying ordeal, hardly knew what to
say, or do. He felt as if milestone had
been taken from his neck. The rain
and the manner of the relief worked
strangely on his sensitive nature. He
felt that he was in great debt to his como
panion. He wanted to kiss the hem of
her garment. He wanted to cry. He
knew he was feeling and acting like
fool. He expected that he should make
greater fool of himself than in the par
lor. But some way he didn't care. He
had lost all fear Of the beautiful girl.
Her act of mercy had brought her near
er than years ofacquaintance could. He
talked rapidly of the flowers, for he knew
Of them. and Charlotte listened,-
listened wondering why she cared to
listen, little thinking that her sympathy
had brought the awkward student near
or than he would have been had she
known him half her lifetime and neve,
seen him W pain. So when he pointed
worked, the queerlv shaped building
moonlight, just over the campus Oh the
hill, she wondered why it was that
she asked him to take her there, to ex-
act a promise from him that, on the very
next evening, he would conduct her
through the building, that had been
built after her fathers orders. She
persuaded herself that it was desire to
see some manuscripts of her fathers
which Seymour told her had been left
there. Perhaps it was.
Notwithstanding her mothers mild
remembrance, the next evening found
her with Brent Seymour in the telescope
room of the observatory. The roof had
been let down and she was watching the
stars.
~ wonder if father often studied them
from this room," she said.
whenever the sky was clear"