Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-11-06
A SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION.
BY GEORGE P. LATHROP.

Arthur BrentOn was young man pos
sessed of some money and good deal of
ability. But something else, in turn,
possessed him, namely, passion. 1t
was not passion that led him into any
folly, unless overwork be counted as
dissipation. 1t was not the passion that
controls or molds nine-tenths of the
human race. The object of his alteration
had its origin in the most intense heat
Imaginable; but its radiance was cold
and impersonal. He cared more for the
sharp, quick, selfish sparklcs from a
dynamo machine than for the light of
wit and tenderness of a woman's eye.
The passion That possessed him was for
electricity.
81 can't understand this at all, J." said
his friend Reed, picking up in Brenton's
rooms one day a pamphlet filled with
long mathematical formul9 and strange
designs Of instruments. Cant under
stand it any more than l can your absorp-
ton in this pursuit. How can you go on
with such horribly dry reading?"
Brenton replied: "The dryness of the
reading. my boy. only increases my
thirst-for knowledge" :"
"Uf course, " said Reed. After an in
slant he laughed, and added: "Oh,
understand that! It's a joke. But don't
you ever get tired out?"
eyes" Brenton admitted. "The fact
is Pm tired now for almost the first time.
Somehow, I'm losing interest in my stud
les. My head doesn't work well, and |
| don't know what the trouble is"
"Better see a DOCTOR" Reed advised.
And Brenton went to his physician
Chat very evening. A few days later
Reed was surprised to meet him at
dinner party, for his friend was man
who almost never went out. Brenton
was extremely gay, and seemed to throw
his whole heart into the affair. What
he was throwing into the conversation
with his neighbor, pretty Miss Paret,
Reed could not tell, but she was evident
ly pleased.
"Well, old fellow" Reed said to him
when they were smoking, "you seem in
such good trim, | take it you're all right. -"
"There's nothing in the world the
matter with me-" Brenton answered,
buoyantly. doctor said so. Let us
live and be happyW
This rollicking manner was so unusual
in him that Reed began to think there
was something the matter. He worried
himself about his friends brain. Reed
was never troubled about his own BRAIN
although he frequently rollicked and
went much into society. But his con-
cern for Brenton deepened, as he met
him day after day and night after night
at receptions, dinners, and even balls.
Brenton had large circle of non-con-
ducting OF unelectrical friends, who had
long been trying to draw him into their
gayeties, and were only too glad that he
had at last hearkened to their persua-
sions. They knew he was bright. They
were rejoiced to see him take his proper
place, and rapidly become a favorite.
The Parets especially were pleased.
They, as every one knows, were i'm
mensely rich. Old Miss Sarah Paret,
who, with no need of money, had be.
come sort of receiving reservoir of the
| family wealth, was looked upon with
great interest by all the branches which
acted as distributing reservoirs; and old
Miss Sarah had long ago taken a great
fancy to Brenton. | suspect her of hay
ing for some time planned a match be-
tween him and her niece Lily Paret-the
one he had sat next to at the dinner ]
have mentioned. Miss Sarah was toe
proud too rich and too maidenly to di.
vulge this amatory plan; but / suspect
her all the same. 1t gave her great de
light to see the interest in the young
man which Lily showed. And. as Bren-
ton paid greut deal of attention tc
Lily Paret, nearly every one began tC
agree that he had forsaken science fol
society, and that, instead OF devotinq
himself to units of electrical measure
ment, he would doubtless very sooI
begin an experiment with two live!
made unit by marriage.
Lily had always been indifferent tC
Che admirers who had presented them
selves during the two or three seasons
since she had made her social debut
And finally her parents and old Mis-
Sarah grew anxious at her lack Of yes
for the good things of the life to whicl
she was born. But when Brenton ap
peared on the scene and gave himsel
up to the pleasures of the world, hi
example seemed to do her good, and sh
became quite herself again. Or was i
herself with a little something added
Certainly, no one before had seen he
eyes sparkle SO brightly, or her cheeks
blush with so happy glow as now.
"And do you really think you will
give up permanently your secluded lifep