Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-24

watched. essaying to save any who
even now might survive. Little to
guide them in their efforts as they
rowed, now in this direction, now in
that A white hand here, and there
dark, indistinguishable object; mass
of floating wreckage, 10 be avoided.
and yet again u figure clinging 10
broken spar. That was all-little, in
deed, but still enough TO reward them
for their work. Then, tired and over
laden, they rested on their oars till
morning till the first dawn showed
the haggard faces OF these few sur
vivors.
A sea-gull sailed leisurely overhead
as the golden sunlight broke and rip
pied over the calm sea; so soon will
the old world smile again over mans
little tragedies! Only a small boat.
on the wide immensity. lay like a rec
objection faint memory of last
nights dream.
Sonnet hing of all this it was that
Paul Jennings told his friend as they
sat In his rooms in the Temple.
This past had been long buried; he
had never thought to see resurrec-
tion on earth. SO much part Of his
being was 1t that il had been like open
ing an old wound; but chance word,
an overheard remark that that's lit
tie Jennings, fellow that bolted and
left the girl lie was going to marry to
be drowned. don't you remember2"--
had brcnght all the misery OF it surg
Ing back So keenly To his memory that,
for a time. all else was O'ershadOwed.
Instinctively he came to his old friend
with craving for present sympathy.
"Is that all9" said Greg, knocking
the ashes out Of his pipe
Paul nodded.
oh hin of course you had
right to arrange it how you liked.
And you left her?"
Don't ask me, sgd. Yes; was
powerless. 1t was at the ve,y last. |
did all that | could. but she was right,
it must have been death for both of
us, and ! had promised her He
shaded his eyes from the fire as that
scene rose before him. And when
they picked me up, then l thought
| had wholly failed"
do you think you've done any good
by telling me all this?"
mo. said Paul, YEARLY. 81 failed
for little while in my belief. only
thought should like some one in the
world to understand it all rightly
They smoked quietly little while;
then Greg broke the silence. "As to
that, why, knew it all dozen years
ago OF course heard the common
talk at the time. and putting two and
two together. just drew my own con-
clusion.
Paul stared at him. You never
spoke of it?'
mo; | left that to you"
Thank you. sgd; that was like
you"
but now. after all. said Greg
| contemporary, putting away ut his
pipe. 81 think, as far as you are con-
cerned, you might have left it alone
even now. This all happened nearly
thirteen years ago; well, it's dead and
buried for better or worse. What can
it matter to you what another fool
likes to say? What is the good of it all
now?n
What is tie good of It all? What is
the good of any thing, SYDNEY"
'Ah, there you're getting beyond
me, old fellow I'm not going into
ultimate conceptions at this time Of
night. Perhaps might help you,
though-there just behind your head!
Hand me that Schopenhauerw
When, in the morning, Paul had a
characteristic scrawl from Greg, ask
ing him to go and hear Faust that
evening. he knew instinctively that he
should go, and he went Without q
IL L.