Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-08-28
SYMPATHY ANDL LOVE.


our Younger days, and he surprised
me With this remark: "A woman's
syInpath,rs lie nearer her heart than
her love. But he surprised me more
by the story he told to prove It,
| guess 1t was seven years, ne sad,
that our chair Of astronomy remained
vacant. You know of DR.. Merdon.
1t vas Justly that the world finally
gave HIM lame, Well, after sls
death the trustees were at a loss TO I'LL
his place. y weak man would have
been lnsulferable there.
30 you remember his famllyf
Charming wife and daughter. They
spent several years abroad after his
death, and whea they returned, not
withstaudng that the widow still
wore mourning, the number OF our
little social events was doubled. The
dau.hter had a string of young mil
liouaires after her constantly. Female
society. perhaps you know, wasn't
unlimited, and it was with fOunda.
tiou OF truth that the fellows grlmly
iok,d about calling on the girls that
fathers had courted before them.
Charlotte Merdon was as fascinating a
girl as her m.ther had been, so sad
the old folks, and it was to her that
young Prof. Lutz quoted from Horace,
"Oh daughter, more beautiful than
thy beautiful mother" when 5e
brought down on himself the rldicule
of the mountain-day party. Yes, she
could have had the pick from a d0zeu
very rich boys, and | think she would
have taken it too, If she hadn't dis
covered that her mother was trying to
influence her in their favor.
At the senior party, that year, Char
lotte held her court, as she did every
where. She was surrounded, l re
member, by the rich fellows Of Charlie
Elliott's set. Elliott was happy that
night. Charlotte had been unusually
gracious and her mother had made
her favor clearer than ever.
Ed SAID he. turning to his chum,
Il tell you what will be great sport.
Bring Soy mour up and formally pre-
sent him to Miss Merdon. 1t will con
fuse him He went know what to
do and there'll be a deuce of a scene. -
The chum complied and in mo-
ment had the reluctant Seymour by
the arm. The scene that followed
must have been all that Elliott desired.
For moment the poor student stood
before the belle. 1t was not ualike
the tabeau of the beggar and the
princess. Her easy attitude contrasted
strangely with his painful awkward
ness. The effect was immediate. All
eyes were turned toward the couple
and smile went around.
Charlotte Merdon saw 1T, and her
cheeks famed. She had OWNED the
heartless joke. To the surprise Of
,hose 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 ne ventured CHANGING
at a portrait on the wall. he stammer-
ed out, That's a good picture Of the
president The portrait was taken
thirty years before AUD was anything
but a good likeness of the president
as he then appeared. The unfortun-
ate remark caused another smile Ell
lott was delighted. His Joke was a
splendid success Poor Seymour
twisted about IN his chair and hung
his head His discontinue was com
plete.
Mss Merdon took deliberate look
at the picture, and did not smile
Yes she said, lit is called a very
good likeness of him Just after gradu-
Q lt, q.
flowers Mr.. SEYMOUR Let me show
them tn YOU
Rising and eXcusing herself she led
the young mau into the greenhouse
adjoluiuL the parlor
THE devil. !" said Elliott. II d,dn't
look for anything like that
Seymour rescued i'm this way from
lis trying ordeal, hardly knew what
to say or do lie felt as If milestone
bad been taken from his neck. The
pain and the manner of relief worked
strangely ON his sensitive nature He
felt That he was i'm great debt to his
companion. He wanted to kiss the
hem Of her garment He wanted to
cry. He knew me was feeling and
acting like a fool He expected that
he should make a greater fool OF him
self tnan in the paror. But some
way he didn't care. lie had lost all
fear Of the beautiful girl Her act of
mercy had brought her nearer than
years of acquaintance could. He
talked rapidly Of he flowers, for he
knew of them, aud Charlotte listened
listened, wondering why She cared
to listen, little thinking that her sym
pathy had brought the awkward stu
dent nearer than lie would have been
had she known him half her life time
aud had never seen him in pain. So
when he pointed out the observatory
where he worked the queerly shaped
building that showed its dark outlines
in the moonlight, just over tile camp.
as on the hill, she wondered what il
was that prompted her to beg him to
take her there, to exact a promise
from him that, on the very next eve.
aing, he would conduct her through
the building that had been built after
her father orders. She persuaded
herself that it was a desire to see some
II I G. 2