The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-08
LEN GAuSETT.
BY oPIE P. READ.
CHAPTER XXII.

Saturday evening. A violent storm was blowing and the rain streaks-they could scarcely be called drops-woven into great gray sheets, swept over the fields
 My gracious alive, Len,' exclaimed Mrs. Gansett, you are not going out in such a storm as this
 Yes, promised Colonel Bently that l would come over and stay all night with him.
 Done what2 asked old man Gansett, looking up from an old leather-covered book
 Promised Colonel Bently that would come over to his house this even ing and remain all night with him
 But you ain goin' to do it. air you?' Yes"
 " Sich time as this2' exclaimed the old man throwing down his book and staring at Len Wy, he'll think you re outen your senses if you go at sich time as this. Set down an we'll have a snack to eat pretty soon" , No, my mind is made up., v Well, replied the old man, taking up his book, if your mind is made up I've got no more to say.
 Now, Bob, interposed Mrs Gansett, that's allus the way. You air allus ready to give in without argument that mout result in good. Len, you'd be drownded in the rain, my child, an be- sides that, the horse; would almHt be blinded an mout run away with Sou.' |" l am going to walk"
 " Let him alone, said the old man. There you go again"
 Let him alone.
 II do wisht you'd hush body never can say nothin' without you have
 Let him alone.
 The old lady fiounced into rocking chair. Len passed out into the storm. Why, Gansett, exclaimed Colonel Bently as he conducted the young man into the library, " is it possible that you have come at such time Come, you must change your clothes immediately I'll get you the best in the house"
 "I brought extra clothes in water proof bag which left in the hall
 Well, you are indeed a man of pro vision. Put on your dry clothes. Go into the room just across the hall" Now, l suppose you are ready for supper" said the colonel when Len, having put on dry clothing, returned to the library
 |" l am not hungry, still, I am always ready to eat at your table" :,
 Thank you. By the way, I have some excellent brandy. Better try some"
 No, can get along better without it
 U l cant agree with you, Gansett how ever, we'll not argue the point"
 The colonel seemed to be in the best of spirits and, during supper, enter tained Len with anecdotes and humor- ous bits of his experience. After sup per, when they returned to the library Len waited, not without feeling of i'm patience, in the hope that the colonel would introduce the important business at which he had so vaguely hinted a few days before, but one anecdote con tinued to follow another until the clock struck eleven. Gradually the colonel grew more serious He drew Len out on many subjects.
 "The philosophy of circumstances shapes every life" said the colonel
 But it should not be so" Len re- joined. Every life should shape cir cumstances."
 That, my dear boy, would bring about an endless conflict, in that differ ent lives would try to give different shapes to circumstances. l do not be- lieve that man can shape his destiny, but thus much do believe. I believe that we often miss an end simply be- cause we are unable to discover it and because we have no one tUly 6int it out.