Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-11-04
The paWned Watch.
BY RERECCA HARDING DAVIS.

was nothing to be seen there but II red
brick WALL about three feet distant.
Then they travelled wearily over the
walls of his room, with their soiled red
and yellow paper, the bare floor, the
cheap pine table piled with books, the
cot bed in the corner.
If one had even fire or u stove y
he muttered, kicking at the black gra-
ting Of the register, through which
feeble supply of warm air crept into
the room.
He took up his book. scowling i'm
patiently.
If take 5, 4 as the base'-and
again the book dropped on his knee.
-Four years of this -Four years of ut
ter solitude You've taken too big
contract, Dave You can't go
through with it = and he fell to staring
gloomily at the bricks outside Of the
window.
bdf III AClSiitA as % SOu'A's wy
used TO free, out-d life, to a big
house, with roaring iires,a to a large,
gay family of young people. lie had
been working for years for the money
to carry him through college, and had
come up to begin his course three
months ago.
He had not an acquaintance in the
great city. He rented his attic room,
bought his dinner for ten or fifteen
cents at cheap eating-house, and ate
crackers and cheese for breakfast and
supper. His clothes were coarse and
ill-fitting, aid he was painfully con-
scious of it, and held himself haughti-
ly aloof from his fellow students.
College lads are not apt to break
through any shell Of pride and sullen-
ness to tnd the good fellow beneath.
They simply let David alone, with a
careless Indifference more CALLING than
dislike.
He plodded silently from the college
to his bare room, and thence to the
miserable eating,house day after day.
Being naturally genial, friendly
fellow, the thought of the four long,
lonely years to come sckened him.
He threw up the window presently
and put his head out TO catch glimpse
of the street into which the alley OPEN
ed. A young man on horseback passed
at the moment. 1t was Jourdan
Mitchener, one of his class. He rode
blooded mare, and was fully equipped
in corduroy coat and kniokerbOckers,
cream .colored leggings, and gauntlets.
"A regular swell = thought Kershaw,
laughing good ,humoredly. He had no.
tIced this CI95us Of The college before.
He has a good, strong face. Well,
luck's uneyenly divided in this world y
taking up his book with sigh.
Half an hour later there was knock
at the door. David opened it, expect
ing to see his landlady, but there stood
Kitchener, smiling, whip in hand.
Mr.. Kershaw p lifting his hat.
Ashamed not to have known you be-
fore, but there are such lot of us fell
lows. you know. Thanks, yes,' taking
a chair. My mother saw your name
in catalogue, and sent me to tell You
that your mother and she were school,
mates and friends, 'Dlisy' and Lily
that sort of thing believe My moth.
er married city man, and for that
reason, during the years that have Dass-
ed.has lost sight of her old schoolmates
who lived away from the city,
And my mother married farmer,
and has been poor all of her life, inter .
rupted David, morosely.
Yes, yes. American life Up to-
day and down Tomorrow carelessly.
Something in Mitchener's manner
made his wealth and David's poverty
appear paltry accidents, to which they,
as men, were loftily superior. Before
they had been together ten minutes,
David fell his morbid gloom disappear.
He began to talk naturally and laugh
heartily. This Kitchener was thor
ough good fellow he wrote home that
night. WAS not conscious, apparent
ly, that he was worth dollar
The truth was that Jourdan fully APP
preciAted the value of his father s great
wealth, but he was well-bred and
courteous young fellow, and knew no W
to put poor and awkward lad at ease.
Kershaw was invited to dinner at
Mrs. Mitchener's on Sunday. lie went
about the next day after this dinner in
a daze of delight, as if he had been
passing through golden mist and had
brought some of it still clinging to him
He hummed tune, as he pored over
his problems. He did not see the Rare
floor and hideous wallpaper, but the
beautiful home in which he had been
treated as an honored guest. The Per-
sian carpets. the statuary, the table
brilliant with flowers and silver, evel
the delicious flavOrs of the dishes lin
gered gratefully on his long. starved