The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-23


you well, if you were a man you could
VOTE Now don'tlets be children any longer.
We are at odds and acting foolish only be-
cause am not candid with you. Don't cry
another tear, but come and sit by me-"
She went gladly to the chair he indicated,
docile always when he chose to be serious.
"You see, Maria a fellow likes to be
thought well of. He don't want to announce
to the world nor to his wife, since both con-
cede him to be young, strong gifted, edu-
Gated, prosperous that he failed miserably
in his boasted profession, and that he now
gets only SIS per week. 1t sounds anoma-
lous. 1t reflects on his capacity 1t lowers
his standard. It's far pleasanter to be
thought pocketing big fees, and to be looked
upon as the possible guiding spirit in some
stupendous public scheme, isn't it"
II suppose So"
"a fellow in college has plenty of time to
initiate himself. It's only after experience
has punctured the wind bag that it is pos
sible to know its true size or carrying
capacity. Since graduated the world has
heard no voice from me except that OF
escaping gas. You and the friends IN
Clover-camp thought il the music of the
spheres. In Chicago they call me blow
hard.' It's vulgar, but it's pretty near the
truth, guess"
80. John"
"Why, Maria, i thought / was a great
man; didn't deceive you any more than
did myself. thought the whole world was
waiting for me, and that l could pick up
riches with one flexile condescension of my
spine. had only TO stoop-so, gaily, and /
had pocket full. But the world wasn't
waiting-I had to scramble hard for my Sl5
per week Interpretations at that"
Inf taI InhulO
81 was my own dupe and in my egregious
vanity / dragged along with me you, my
little winsome country sweetheart You
believed / was a great mana man of
affairs, didn't you, Mariap
81 believe yet you will be. John. am
sure you will"
81 ought to be to justify your faith, but
never shall. am just an ordinary, com
mon-place fellow, well and hearty, and
deucedly-yes, deucedly poor"
"But-John-don't you practicc-law."
"Maria, never had client. j do odd
jobs whenever can, to eke out my scant.
wages. Pm in debt, and just manage to
keep soul and body together"
1t took many minutes for Maria to adjust
herself to this confession.
"Why didn't you tell mel" was all that
she could say
~ have 0ften tn0ugnt III we naQ uttle
home-ever so little, it would be more like
living"
80, John, that's what say, ever so little,
out on the prairie-any where, except in
this coopy, dingy little room and with these
dreadfully common people. ! could econo-
mize there--I know could. You can get
such beautiful bargains in tin things, and
china is 30 cheap
80, but there's no chancel / couldn't
rent dry-goods box, much less buy one.
And IL could we'd have to live in the cram
nies with the mice for couldn't furnish it,"
"But papa could, and he would, too. You
know he said ON our wedding day. when we
were ready to live in good, sensible, old
fashioned way he would help US. I'll write
him this very day"
And she did; and the plain old country
squire came to the city, roamed through
the suburbs, bought little Queen Anne
dove-cote, and settled his bird of a daughter
and his promising but impecunious son-in-
law in il, feeling greatly relieved TO know
they had a home.
The furnishing made gala days for Maria,
and when they were finally established John
said:
"You can keep accounts you know, Maria,
I'll add the fgues for you, and what We save
now will be for the benefit Of" this he
whispereG--"JohnS Skipping. Jr."
CLARA DoTY BATES.