River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-01-11


been on speaking terms-either in or
out of school. But the relationship be-
tween us was clearly understood. Some
times as he passed me in the street,
wearing grandly his sred college gown
and his college hat, while cfept along
with my gown on my arm, he would
give the a patronizing nod, that was all.
We,began Greek together under White
land. and moral philosophy under old
DR.. Plainstaines. 1t was the old story.
He was the pet pupil of both, the pro-
fessors. He drank IN learning like his
mothers milk. From the first Greek to
the second and third / followed him Ia
boriously-as clumsy f1edgeling follows
the fight of some splendid eagle, whom
it seeks to emulate inyain."
after we left college / lost sight of
him for some years. / believe he might
have received a bursary and gone TO
Oxford, but his father, proud as he was
of lis attainments, did not want to spoil
him for trade, and withdrew him before
he had completed his course. myself
took to pupil teaching, having not yet,
decided to try my fortune in literature"
"But one day, fired by sudden enthu-
siasm, wrote a long letter to the Glas-
cow Herald on some questions or the
day 1t was printed next morning IN all
| the glory of large type, and signed
Thomas Ereildoune." 1t was the proud
est day of my life, but, alas! it was des-
tined to be overloaded. Toward after
noon | entered coffee-shop and saw,
in the compartment next to me, his
head buried in the paper human fig
ure. The paper was the Herald, open
at the page containing my letter. | sat
blushing with all the pride of fresh
blown authorship. Presently the face
looked, and / saw, to my surprise, my
old schoolfellow, Sandie Macpherson.
Our eyes met but his stony orbs gave no
sign of recognition. Then he turned TO
the paper again and smiled Yes, he
was reading my letter. It, might aston
ish the public but it could not impose
upon him. There were Latin and
UIOch siIOtotiOaI-, IN Il, essed f-ssraarts of
moral philosophy; how ashamed l felt
| ofthem, as saw them come under his
baleful eyel He smiled again, placed
down the paper, paid his reckoning, and
walked out Of the shop withou! word.
| went home miserable man. / might
put on grand airs before the public, but
one man knew my measure. and that
man was Sandie Macpherson.
1T was no use arguing with myself
that the man was an idiot; that although
he was glib at uptaking what was taught
him, he had neither talent nor
originality. The memory of those
early days haunted me like shadow.
~ am not going to weary you-and
| myself-with history Of my. literary
struggles, till conquered the book-tas-
ter the magazine editor, and the pup
Usher, ard became a recognized pro-
Queer of the popular literary article:
Years passed away. In the course of
years | emigrated to London, on the in
vitation of John Still, the philosopher.
Then | published my first book. and, as
| have told you, it was a failure. | re-
trieved myself by my second, which was
about half as good, and not near so ear
nest, as the first. | still had Glasgow
and Sandie Macpherson in my. mind
when | failed or succeeded, but III
course oftime the impression grew dim
mer and dimnfer. 1t was one fine day
that john Still, returning from the north
where he had=been featuring on some
political subject, spoke to me as follows;
g By the way, Ercildoune; / met an
old schoolfellow of voursiin GLASGOW"
" |, indeed?" l said. feeling the blood
mount to my face in moment
A man named Macpherson, q small
tradesmaR, and member of the local
club which took me down. A prosy fell
low, and very sarcastic. He amused me
very much with his dry "reminiscences
ofyour schooldays and seemed greatly
astonished that you had made any mark
in the world
81 forced laugh, but felt hot and
cold all over"
"Do YOU remember him?" proceeded
Still. she remembers you wonderful
Typ
lessness. 81 believe there was lad of
that name in the class with me, but I've
almost forgotten him. lists long
time agop
"Hypocrite that l vast Did John Still
know that / was lying? He looked at
me for some moments with an amused
smile, as if he were calling up some
queer reniniscence: and IL could have
Drained him. Some little time after
that John Still and | fell out. lie wrote
criticism on Suckle's History of Civil
zation," and published it in the radical
Lambeth Review. l handled the same
book next quarter IN the CALIFORNIAN,
and turned stills arguments inside out
in no very complimentary fashion. SUI
was a sensitive man, and White AFTER
that he cut me dead in the street We
made up afterward, but were never the
same as before. ''Ell the day OF his
death never gave him any explanation.
[ car, no more for Suckle or his argu-
ments than for that fly on the wall!
Suckle, indeed-the poor, sally, over
crammed cockney gowk! The real cause
of NV attack on John Still was anger and
irritation. Sandie Macpherson, again,
was at the bottom of 1t all!'
"A year or SO after this went down
to Glas glow on business. BY that time
| had made name for myself, and my
visit caused stir In the city. ! staiG
with Sir Robert Mungo, the Lord Pro-
vost, a silly man, with staggering taste
for philosophy. After few days; l
rev very weary of being lionized, for
nearly every day there was grand din
ner. and | was bored to death with
admiration by folks of both sexes. One
forenoon, as | was wandering about the
streets. looking at the old houses. and
calling TO mini the places | had known
when lad, | passed down the Gallow-
gate, and saw the name of Alexander
Macpherson over small grocer's shop.
Now | was in a sympathetic mood that
day; the contemplation Of old scenes,
and the thought of the kindness OF my
countrvmen, had touched my heart, and
II melted suddenly at the name of my
old school fellow. Could it possibly be
the sana9 Before | knew what | was
| doing had entered the shop"
Eyes, | was right. There standing be-
hind the counter, was Sandie himself,
older, grimmer, but neat and clean as
usual As entered in, he was meas
uring out pound of moist sugar for
barefooted servant iassie, in pethcoat
and short gown.
mr.. Macpherson" / said, when he
had done.
"He looked up, and our eyes met. l
| saw in moment that he recognized me,
nut his face remained grim as granite,
and his eve was cold as ice"
That's my name" he replied.
Il smiled, and prepared to hold out
my hand"
| II think we were schoolmates togeth-
| err. Ny name is Ercildoune-Thomas
| Ereildoune. Do you mind me2"
| "He looked at me from head to foot.
| His eve rested on my old cloak, my
| broad brimmed hat, and he nodded
darkly, as he replied:
| 81 mind we well enough. Can ] serve
/ We with anything
! Nothing, thanks; or ly-I was passing,
| and I thought / should like TO remind
| you of our old acquaintanceship.
| "As / spoke Sandie proceeded leisure
| " with his business behind the counter
| opened his till and looked into it-took
| down piece of loaf sugar, and began
breaking it into small portions. He gave
a sort of grunt as finished my address
to him, and nodded again; then, after a
pause, while stood hesitating, he OBJ
| served quietly, surveying me critically
"a