Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-10-05

But though Rl6nda handed 1T to
him, his cup might as well have been
filled with alOes as with fragrant old
Mocha, for all he knew of the favor
of the beverage he drank The world
had a bitter taste tonight.
He determined to keep his misery
to himself, for after all was it not his
own fault? He had met a lovely girl
at the seashOre, had rOwed and
walked, had driven and danced with
her, had slipped the sweet foam from
the cup of life without thinking OF
what might come next; had he even
so much as asked whether she were
heartfree or not? 1t was owing to
his own carelessness if the dregs were
/ bitter
However, a vigorous young man of
five and twenty has not yet drained
the cup of life; as a general
| thing he has to quaff it for 40
/ or even so more years. So Waldo
/ Catlin summoned his courage to his
aid and went about his daily work
| just as usual. He argued as ably to
his weaker self as he ever did in later
years tor any of his clients.
''I'l not go to WillOwdale again.
unless business calls meimperatiVeIv,
| fancy for Bienda," he said to himself
Ills easy for man to say what he
! will or will not do; what ne really is
to do is decided for him by a power
mightier than his own finite viii.
Waldo received note from Mrs.
Jameson cordially inviting him to q,
birthday party which she was plan
ming to give Olga; he, however.
y,yr.O4-o "a ! Al
fered gayety on the plea Of great
stress Of business.
Here is a chance to prove to my
self how strong lam, " he sOlilOquized
as he sealed the envelope, stamped
and addressed it.
He was in q hurry to catch a train,
so he then hastily changed the coat
he was wearing, putting on a thicker
one, as the day was cold, and being
pre-Occupied with thoughts of the
girl he was determined to forget, he
neglected to remove his nOte-case,
letters, etc, from the pockets of the
discarded garment, and so took with
him no papers or memoranda save
the letter for Mrs. Jameson, which he
intended to mail as he went to the
train, but quite forgot.
He stopped at his bankers and drew
some money, and then caught his
train "by the skin of his teeth" in
half an hour he was q senseIess body
lying under a. tree beside the public
highway. There had been q collision
between his train and a down freight,
nobody to blame. Of course. and he
was stunned and injured.
When kindly hands lifted him up
!
on his person; save that letter to
Mrs. Jameson; so, as the accident
took place but a few miles from VIII
lOwdale, he was carried to the house
which he had been so sure that he
would not again enter for a long
time
His Injuries proved to be not very
serious and consciousness was soon
restored; therefore the family could
nurse him without anxiety as to the
probable result Of the accident. And
such nursing he had not had since
his mother had died, 10 years ago.
Mr.. Jameson came to his room !
regularly three times a day to tell |
him lots of business news Olga /
watched the clock and gave him his /.
medicines and tOnics with unfailing /
prOmptness. Mrs. Jameson fused |
and ''purred" over him, Madge /
showed him her dolls and her pictures, |
Blenda-well, Blenda did not talk so /
much as the others, butshe read to |
him most unweariedly.
Waldo realized that he was in /
clover; he was So well content, in /
spite of sundry aches and pains in his
bruised head and lacerated shoulder .
and thigh, that he almost forgot that |
he had rival, and successful one at
that perhaps. But he was recalled
to a knowledge Of his existence one
day when he had been so comfort
ably invalided about a week.
go, Blenda," cried Madge, as she
came dancing on tiptOe into the
sunny upper room where Waldo was
lying on a sofa drawn up near the
CHEEKY crate fire, 'tMr. Parker has
come hOmep'
''Has he?' exclaimed Blenda, with
evident pleasure. as he down stairs?
Please excuse me a few moments,
Mr.. CatHn; 1 viii return presently and.
finish reading the paper to you"
Catiin recalled the prOverb which.
says children and fools tell the
truth and determined to boldly
question Madge about Mr.. Parker,
and so know the worst without more
delay. He thought ne ought not to
say bluntly, SIS your sister engaged
to that Parker feIlOw?' but would
dexterOusly lead up to the question;
so he carelessly remarked:
''Isn't it odd, Madge, that as often
as have been here 1 have never seen
your Mr.. Parker?"
''Odd? Well I should smileI'' she
replied with true schoolgirl slang.