The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-19
DICK WARRINGTON.
How and Why He offered Up His
Worthless" Life.

He had been a gentleman once. and
a scholar, who had won honors at Cam
bridge, and was regarded as one of the
best men in a college at that time unu
sually rich in promise. He had just seer
rome familiar companion of his in the old
days pass into the New Law Cathedral,
outside whose gates he was lounging.
The famous judge gave a glance at the
disrepu:able loafer as he went by, but
never recognized him; if he had done
so. he would probably have spoken. fol
he was kindly-hearted man. But this
very fact made the reprobate more bit
ter If his old friend had cut him, there
would have been some ground for de-
claiming against the hollowness of man.
kind; but Dick Warrington knew well
enough that he himself had sunk out OF
recognition, and ones own worthless
ness is not so cheering subject of med
itation as the worthlessness of other
people.
He pondered over neither but only
gazed moodily after the retreating figure
of his old comrade, and then turned and
scattered into Long Acre. Hew near
ing his lodgings; they lay in dingy
court half mile away when it occurred
to him that he had forgotten his mis-
sion. He had come out, with the idle
good nature that seldom deserted him,
to buy wine for his laAdlady's husband
dying, the doctors said, of consump-
ton. Dicks quarterly pay had just
arrived from the Social Hearth, for he
contributed, to that shady serial, which
is base imitation of the Family Herald
with none of its virtues and with all its
vices. l. Thcf Family Herald, indeed, has
few vices; for it is an excellent periodi-
cal, and you may obtain from the
editor, for nothing, advice on any earth
ly subject you choose to consult him up
on. which advice will always be terse and
definite, and improving. Also you may
find essays on politics and social science
therein, it you are intellectual-essa
that inspire one with a wish that the
editor of the Family Herald. were happily
controlling the destines of our empire
instead of the too patriotic cliques
which control it at present. While, as
for the tales-but this is no place to
rhapsodize, even over the Family
Herald.
Warrington was on the staff of the
Social Hearth, which is. as everybody
knows. a foolish and vulgar periodical,
whose "criticism of life' is not worth
towpcnce. 1t paid very badly; but he
contributed more or less to several
other journals, of which BOsc Bells was
Che most respectable. 1t was a marvel
how he with his talent could write badly
enough to suit some of these editors.
He said it took practice; but on the
whole he succeeded admirably, and the
stories and articles he furnished to the
public showed better than anything
else how far he had fallen. And Vet
there was battered remnant of nobil-
ity about him, hardly conscious of its
own existence. As some old picture
may lie long in dark lumber BOOM
hidden behind great masses of rubbish,
till kindly hand opens the shutter,
lets in the fresh air and the sunshine,
and disperses the piled-up lumber, a
chance touch shakes away the covering
from the forgotten picture, scatters its
dusty veil, and, hardly dimmed by
years, its beauty CLEANS into the light
again, so the spiritual virtuoso may
come across strange treasure-trove,
acts Of chivalry. of self-forgetfulness in
the most unexpected quarter.
Dick bought the wine and returned
leisurely to bis lodgings. He stole up
tiously up the dark, crooked stairs into
the narrow passage, and as he traversed
it a strange thing happened. Through
the venerable ancient air of London
lodging house that landladies always
seem to fancy improves with keeping
and, indeed, it does acquire certain
fine mellowness wherein are combined
the essences of many different odors-
there came to him the scent of hello
trope. With it returned the memory OF
a day when his sister had been to visit
him at college, and with her one of her
friends, beautiful lght-hearted girl
whom Dick had cared for with a tran.
sient boyish passion. He had bought
boquets for them, and among the flow
ers he gave to his sisters friends was a
sprig of the dim, gray-purple blossom.
He did not pause to wonder why the
old scent came back to him in this
widely different atmosphere, but, pass
ing on, entered the invalid room. Mrs.
Hartley was not there, but he saw.
standing at the bedside, a girl dressed
in the garb of a private sisterhood,
with cluster of flowers at her brooch.
Her figure was slender and graceful,
and he could see readily enough that
she was a lady. His acquaintance in
cluded several women who had taken
the ''craze for humanity and typhus-
fever" as be .rreverently expressed it.
and Iris EhGerby's presence did not
astonish him, thoug Oh he noted her
beauty with pleasure. The hair was
the deep brown that has CLEANS of rud-
dier color. and her eyes were clear and
honest, and regarded one with very
steady and fearless glance. She turned
her head as Dick entered and took him
in completely, SO he fancied. in about a
second. There was nothing imperti-
nent in her scrutiny, but much that was
painful to a man whose inner life Lad
never been intended to bear investiga-
ton. Insight to character is all very
well for the people who have the insight,
but it is sometimes trying to the un-
lucky character; and SO Dick felt a.