The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-08-25
rest of us for a while, but soon the talking was mainly done by Tompkins.


 that four years ago Lext August. was ,raveling this way then, and reaching here Saturday evening. was in the pork business at that time, as clerk, and had to stop of here to see man for the firm. pu, up a, the best hotel, feeling as com tortable and indifferent as 1 ever did in my life. There was no, the shadow of an idea in my mind of what was going to happen. On Sunday morning l walked abou; to"n, and i; began 10 come down or me-.
 What. the town:'' asked Mrs. Penn Der
 No t: the s;ranges. and mos, unac- coun,able feeling ever had in my life. answered Tompklns 1t was thirteen years since had said good-by in college. t had long ago become apparen; to me that the ideas with which 1 had gradu- ated were visionary and imprac,ieable. comprehended tha, the college professors were no; the great men had once thought them, and tha. q college presi- As the confidential clerk of a large pork house in Chicigo l felt equal to the next man. whoever he might De. If a professor had me, me as 90; of the cars here Saturday night. i, NO i'd have been easy for me to snub him. Bat Sunday morning. as familiar ooleets began ,o appear in the course of my walk. ,he strange feeling of which have spoken came over me. 1. was the feeling of old .lmes. The white clouds the blue lake. this wonderful scenery, thrilled me and called back the college dreams"
 As he spoke. ny old classmates voice ,reinblei
 You remember tha. used to like Horace and \,lrgi. .ud Homer. he remarked. sst,:ns Gp. crossing his feet tailor fashion. and looking appealingly a; me.
 repl.ed. enthusiastically and truly. ;a..t he had bee, one ef o9y bes, lovers ot the poets.
 . N ell. continued TompSins, that SQnday morning those things began to come back to me. l. wasn't exactly de lgh,fu. My old ambition 10 do some thing grea, n the world awoke as if from a long sleep. As prolonged my walk he old associations grew stronger. When l came near the college buildings i, seemed as ii still belonged here. The hopes of an ideal career were before me as bright as ever. The grand things was going to do, the volumes of poems and ether writings by Tompkins. and his marvellous successes were as clear as day. In short. the whole thing was con- lured up as If 1t were a picture. lus, Is i, used to be when 1 was a student in the college. and ii was too much for me"
 Tompkins seemed to be getting a lit- tie hoarse, and his frank face was very serious.
 Timothy" suggested MT. pember. may be you could tell us what that big rock is. ou, in the lake
 Why. father, don't you remember: That IS rock Dunbar." said Mrs. Penn Der.
 II guess i, is, said the old gentleman, musingly.
 Well" resumed Tompkins. '' as Twas saying. on one side were Homer and Tompkins. and on the other was pork. canno; explain II. but somehow there i, was. The two pictures, thirteen years apart. were brou sh; so close ,o ge,her ,ha; they ;oucheti. l. was some;hins 1io 10; pretend to understand. Managing ,o get by the college buildings. ! came up to this spot where we are now Nou will infer that my eyes watered badly. and to tell the truth they did. Ot course Il Is ail very well. explained Tompkins. un- crossing his legs. turning upon h,s side. and propping his head on his hand again. =" of course. 1t is all very well 10 rake down the college ani say Alma Mater doesn't amour; to anything. The boys all do 1t, and they believe what they say ior the hrst i've or s.N years lf;er they leave here. But we may as well under stand that if we know how to slight the old lady. and don, go to see her for a dozen years. she knows how to punish She had me acreSs her knee las, Sunday morning m ] way ,ha, 1 would have though, impossible. Alter an hour controlled myself and went back To the hotel brushed my clothes and started for the ehareh, with lump in my ,hroa; all the while. My ,flm business SUI, did no, seem So nea; and hobby IS usual The two pictures. the one oi the poets and the other ot pork. were in my mind. l shied along the sidewalk in a nervous condition, and reaching he church with oai being reco snzed. managed la get Il sSsAA ttSsAt NnC NAplt &OltG UCttNc tllN senses: l knew tha; l was changed. probably pas, all recognition. bu, around me saw the faces of my Burlington friends exactly as they had been thirteen years before. 1 dld not understand then. as do now. iha, young man Tn busi- ness Tn Chicago will become gray-headed
 n len years. though he misa, have lived quiet lite in Vermont for a quarter oi d century withou; changing a hair
 :" IL IS the same with horses" suggested Mir. Pember. Six years on a horse-car m New York abou: uses up an average horse. though he would have been good for fifteen years on a farm
 Exactly said Tompkins. You can imagine how tel, tha, Sunday, with my hair half whi,e-washed."
 "lou know always said you nigh, nave begun oo!oring your hair, Timothy" said Mrs. Pember. kindly.
 "les. replied rompkins, with an un- easy glance at me; "bu, didn't do it.