Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-21
POOR DICK WARRINGTON.

OF the bOSt men In college, AT EnaG
time unusually rich IN promise. He
had Just seen one familiar companion
of his in the old days pass into new
Law Cathedral, outside whose gates
ne was lounging. The famous Judge
gave a glance at the disreputable LOAF
er as he went By, but never recognized
him; If he had done so he would prob
ably have spoken, for he was kind
ly hearted man. But this very fact
made the reprobate more bitter. Ii
his old friend had cut him there
would have been some ground for
declaimng against the hollowness of
mankind, but Dick Warrington knew
we'll enough that he himself had sunk
out Of recognition, and ones own
worthlessness is not so cheering asub-
iect of meditation as the worthlessness
of other people.
He pondered over neither, but only
gazed modify after the retreating fig-
ure his old comrade, and then turned
and sauntered into Long Acre. He
was nearing his lodgings; they lay in
a dlngy court half mile away, when
it occurred to him that he had forgot
ten his mission. He had come out,
18th the idle good nature that seldom
serted him, to buy wine for his land
.dy's husband dying, the doctors
said, of consumption. Dicks quar-
terly pay had just arrived from the
Social Hearth, for he contributed to
that shady serial. which is base imi-
tation of the Family Herald, with
none of its virtues and all its vices.
has few vices; for it is an excellent
periodical, and you may obtain from
the editor, for nothing, advice on any
earthly subject you choose to consult
him upon, which advice will always
be terse and definite, and improving.
Also, you may find essays on politics
and social science therein, if you are
intellectual-essays that inspire you
with a wish that the editor of the
Family Herald were happily control
ling the destiEies of our empire in
stead of the two patriotic cliques who
control it at present. While. as for
the tales = but this is no place to
rhapsodize. even over the Family Her
aid.
Warrington was on the staff of the
Social Hearth, which is, as every body
knows, a foolish and vulgar periodical.
whose criticism of life' is not worth
twopence. 1t paid very badly, but he
contributed more or less to several
other journals, of which Bow Bells
was the most respectable. It was a
marvel how he with his talent could
write badly enough to suit some of
these editors, He said 1t took prac-
tice, 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 yet there was bat
tered remnant of nobility in him,
hardly conscious of its own existence.
AS some old picture may lie long in a
dark lumber room hidden behind
great masses of rubbish till kind
hand opens the shutter, let's in the
fresh air and the sunshine, and dis
perses the piled-up lumber, chance
touch shakes away the covering from
the forgotten picture, scatters its dusty
veil, and, hardly dimmed by years,
its beauty CLEANS into light agatha
Turner, Velasquez, SO the spiritual
vlrtuOsO may come across strange
treasure trove, acts of chivalry, of
self-forgetfulness IN the most unex-
pected quarter. dear to his heart as
the Elzevir to the bibliomanlac. We
were human ElzevIrs once, maybe;
but, like the shabby volumes the book
hunter filings aside with dIsdain, we
have been very much cut down.
Dick bought the wine and returned
leisuSely to his lodgings. He stole
cautiously up the dark, crooked stairs
into the narrow passage, and as he
traverSed it q strange thing happened.
Through the venerable, ancient air of
a London lodging house that land
ladies always seem to fancy improves
with keeplng-and. indeed, it does
acquire a certain fine mellowness
wherein are combined the essences OF
many different odors-there came to
him the scent of hellotrope. With it
returned the memory of a day when
his sister had been to visit him at col
lege, and with her oAe of her friends,
a beautiful light-hearted girl, whom
Dick had cared for with transient,
boylsh passion. He had bought bou-
quets for them, and among the flowers
he gave to his sisters friend 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 invaid's room.
Mrs. Hartley was not there, but he
saw, standing at the bedside, a girl
dressed In the garb of private sister
hood, with cluster of flowers at her
brooch. Her figure was slender and
graceful, and he could see readily
enough that she was lady. His &C
quaintance included several women
who had taken the ''craze for human
ity and typhus fever" as he irrever-
emily expressed it, and Iris Enderby S
presence did not sstonish him, though
he noted her beauty with pleasure.
The hair was the deep brown that
has CLEANS of ruddier color, and her
eyes were clear and honest. and re-
garded one with very steady and
honest, and fearless glance. She turn
ed her head as Dick entered and took
him in completely, SO he fancied, in