The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-05-26
ONE SUMMER AFTER
NOON.

GOuIS Is an Olu-IaSnlOneu ldfln |
house which stands with its orchards |
and fields between wide tidal
river and the sea-. Summer board
ers have brought the usual changes
to it-tennis courts, colored walters
and an annex Of IL row Of new cham
bers filled with the inevitable ash
furniture from Grand Rapids.
Old Iseral Prout is not quite
awake to the change yet, nor salts
fled to reap IA larger harvest from
these frivolous college boys and
pretty girls than he ever did from
meadows of salt hay. He sits about
uncomfortably, and talks to the old
er men among the boarders. He
especially affected the company,
last summer, ofan old, shabby fell
low named McCann, who had, as he
told Isreal, but two weeks holiday
in his yearly grind, and had come
to spend it in deep sea fishing.
One day twinges of rheumatism
kept him from goins out to the
Banks, and he sat with Isreal, smok
ing, on the shore of the inlet, watch
ing the young men racing in their
sailboats.
"Who is that?" he asked nodding
towards u young fellow who SIT
apart on the bank. Il have not
seen him before"
"No. He's neighbor's son.
Widow Riddell. She's had hard
luck. Only had this boy, John, an
be took to books from II baby.
Could do nothin' at farmin.' Shrewd,
sensible boy, too. Worked his way
through college, and went abroad
for two years as tutor for some rich
mans sons. Got place after that
in big insurance house in Phila-
delphia, an then took typhoid, an
lost it, He's been laid on the shell
for nigh a year. You see he looks
porely yit But he's ready for work
if he could git it. 1t isn't easy tC
git. He's been tryin' right an left
Got no influence. When you gi
of the percession, I s'pose 'taint easy
to catch step ag'in."
"No, l Isuppose moi" said McCann
"What did he do in this house?"
"Talked to the furriners that hat
business. Then queer LIMOGES come
meteral to John. EFF he'd taken a
much interest in farmin, as il
French, it 'ud hev served his turr
better"
A year ago John would have beel
in one of the boats, shouting, laugh
ing, cheering. Now he thought
how could any grown man care 70
such folly? Why, look at him
shelved at twenty-threel For si'
months he had been scheming
struggling, begging for work-n'
charity, but work. An able-bodie'
man, no fool, educated, on fire will
eagerness to see his knowledge anC
help the world-yet not even allow
ed to earn his livingl There was nj
chance in this country for younI
man without capital or influence
none! Men who owed him kind
nesses had turned Il cold shoulde
on him when he asked for work
1t was cold, selfish world, and tn
true secret was to care only 70
yourself in i'll
The fact was that the lad hat
+ made his first plunge into disar
: pointment so common in life, an,
the child of it stuck TO his heart. II
had received Il lot of letter tina
e morning, all refusals. His mothe
had coaxed him to 60 over to Prut'
, and see the race. hoping to chee
} him up.
"You must see something of folk
> John. Bessy may be there by thi
81 time"
6 What was the little artist to him
e What home had he to offer hel
Il Two years ago he had planned -
But he had come to please hi
- mother. How dull the sky was
> The marshes were fiat and hideou
q in the deaden light, the creeks blac
and sluggish. The very tiger-hiit
Il and marsh-mallows by the pat
wearied his eye.
AS he sat on the bank, groups
II girls in their airy gowns fiuttere
II through tho trees; on the pier wei
e. two or three portly old gentlemen
" judges, bank presidents, million
aires, no doubt purse-proud and mi
erly. He hated them all. "EveI
man for himselfp he muttere,
g stretching out his legs as an Italia
le organ-grinder tried to pass hir
John would not bulge.
ID The man was ridiculous enoug
r. On his heels were steel spurs, wit