Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
JENKINS PROPHECY.
Also an Account of How It Was
Fulfilled.

ALSO an Account OF HOW IL vas
Fulfilled.
My friend Jenkins drew another of
my Office chairs toward him. laid his
drawn spiral of smoke from the lips
from which he had just removed the
stem of a meerschaum pipe which was
my chronic envy. I had in vain en-
deavored to beg, purchase. or purlOin
the said pipe.
mo use, old boy" had been his in
variable reply. This pipe belonged
to the old Student Lagen,' and I cling
to it as to sort of sacred relic"
Zach! those old Vienna days! How
merry they were. and how full of
wOrk!''
Jenkins, M. D., lay back in his
chair and watched the spirals expand
and grow dim until they blended with
the general murky tint of the atmos-
phere in my inner Office. and unused.
We had spent the preceding two hours
or more preparing specimens for the
microscope, and now that the evening
was well on its way, had laid aside
work for our customary goodnight
smoke. Our friendship had been a
strange enough one. Meeting first at
Bilroth's Klinik in Vienna, the ex-
change of a casual remark inspired by
the feeling of camaraderie among stu
dents of the same sciences, had led to
an acquaintance full of pleasure to
both.
I had left him there. with face
pointed to the Orient. when 1 turned
my reluctant steps Parisward on my
return to America.
Goodbye, old fellow. I may write
to you some time, but not now.''
When have made the welkin ring
with the name of the famous DIR. Jen-
kins you will surely hear from me;
until then I shall be too busy to carry
on much correspondence. Peace be
unite you.
He wrung my hand in parting, while
the merry look in his eyes. that made
one forget for the nonce that life was
not all a joke. dimmed little.
land to you, peace" and turned
away.
Three years passed, and walking
rapidly around the corner of Chestnut
street in the early dusk, on my way to
my Office in Twelfth, l ran uncere-
mOniously into a pedestrian coming
with equal momentum from Twelfth to
Chestnut.
Il beg pardon, sir! L didn't see
you." said l, hastily, as 1 recovered
from the rebound and was rushing
past him.
Its only fair to suppose you
wouldn't have bumped yourself against
me TO your own detriment if you had
seen me. sir; so l accept your apology
in its entirety"
II turned in amazement to see what
manner of man was my late opponent
who should answer my an'e'sde honor
able in this wise, and we both burst
into hearty laugh.
I'VE were both bit shaken in the
conclusion. believe" continued he,
laughingly, .'but it did, if you'll par
don me, sound little asinine in you
to explain that you didn't see me.
May l ask. sir. if you run into people
that way when you do see them?''
As he had spoken l had turned
little. and the light from the street
lamp on the corner had fallen on nv
face.
Brown. as 1 live! Old boy, how
small the world is!''
.'Jenkins!'
A hand-clasp followed that bridged
the silent years and made us chums
again. and in Vienna
You shall come home with me for
the night" said l. Come; no re-
fusal. 1 dwell hard by. By the way,
which hotel are you at, Jenkins? and
I'll send around for your traps"
I'm not at hotel-my traps are
too numerous for transportation
l can't remain away from my Office to-
night, even for the pleasure of staying
with my long-lost Brown.
Off1ce?" 1 had stammered. Il
don't quite comprehend. In Phila-
delphia.
Precisely. You grasp the situa-
ton with amazing clearness. Six
teenth and Girard. Been there two
years."
And so it was. For two years we
who believed each other at the anti
podes had walked the streets of the
same great city. scarcely more than a
stones throw apart. How odd it ALL
seemed
We took up the old friendshin
where we laid it down and AGAIN
plodded on our way together. We