Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-09-12
JOHN LONGS SACRIFICE
py WILLIAM BAYAnp HALE.

1t had been II bitter summer for John
Long. At least, it ought to have been
1t was Il miserable career, indeed that he
regarded, if b. cast his eye backward
over his life. After he had thrown away
several years and considerable money at
college, and bad wasted some months in
business office, he had employed him
self ms IL campaign speaker in far of
Statc-tirst On one side, but finally on
the other.
After the election, when he had used
all the money he had made and all lie
could borrow mt home, he had trampcd
TO Cincinnati, for miles aud borrowed Il
hundred dollars of his uncle Then,
with harum- scarum chum, he projected
magazine. The prospectus was bril-
liant; after the first number the editors
left the city, john going home and the
chum into sanctuary to develop some new
scheme
The new scheme Was developed. 1t
took the shape Of IL school for boys-thc
kentucky Classical College, it was to be
called. The chum aforesaid furnished
the capital this time. john procured the
degrees OF b. a. and Pin. D., they got
out glowing catalogue, and the Ken
lucky Classical College opened with fine
prospects on September 18th. BY Octo-
Der / two boys had come. They were
graduated with honors on the I'd, and
the faculty got home rs best it could
So John had been home all summer.
To be sure, he had not been idle He
had laid out trip through Europe
which he proposed to tramp after the
fashion of Bayard Taylor, writing letters
to dcfray expenses.
He had corrcspondcd with all the lead
ing Journals, but somehow had not sue.
cccdcd in imprcssng any sufficiently to
get an advance upon which to start
Then, too, he had opened the Great
Western Literary Bureau, which institu-
tion read, criticized and touched up man
uscripts for wouldb he authors, and did
other such literary work. This was what
the prospectus announced, however, il
waslneycr called upon to do any work.
" was becoming very apparent thing
that; john Long was ''no account Y And
he knew it well enough; none realized
more than he that he was NSsl,ssaryy. I'm I'm
'practicablcfand lazy; Reilaughcd at his
own own schemes, and had no faith in their
success, yet he vowed he would starvc
before he; would work like other men.
II ever he had a serious moment he ,nust
hare dispiscd himself: yet do not know
TINT he did.
He seemed to piquc himself on his
lack OF what we call common sense; he
avowcd himself brother to fools; he used
10 say that, like Lamb, his sympathics
were with the foolish virgins and the
1nan who built his house upon the sand.
have known him to spend his last dol
lar Tor theatre seat, or for dinner ut
nm uptown hotel, when he knew nc would
have no supper and no bed at night.
Ii John Long had hal the genius of
Poe or Goldsmith you might admire him.
We expect improvidcncc as to common
things in men of genius. But John was
only commonplace fellow; never did Il
brilliant thing that l know of. He
might have made successful man, us
men go; he was, perhaps, as bright rs
the average; but at Il certain point in his
lite lie failed 10 he impressed with the
practicalncss of living, and went Off into
ldling and dreaming.
Now, there was Arthur Brooks. The
two boys had ii fair start in life; I be-
lievc John was the more clever; but
Arthur always got on best. John was a
disappointment, even when he WAS a boy,
and 1t WAS so through all his life. He
lacked the element oil success.
John and Arthur were great friends;
they grew out of boyhood together, and
were loyal TO each other as young men
yes, even after they became rivals for the
affections of Lacy Harris. What Oil earth
had become OF what little wit John Long
had when he thought OF cntangling Il
woman In his own miserable existence I
do not know. But Lucy undoubtedly
liked him. You do not care to know
how great friends they became; how, of
all living beings, John poured out his
heart to her, and how tender and good
she was TO him. You might like
to know that She was beautiful, with IA
Dewiichins face and true eyes, and nil
that could be asked for in lovely girl.
An, they were good friends, John and
Lucy, and they talked of those things
that burdened most heavily their foolish
young hearts; the mystery of that life
INTO which they had been flung and that
frightened them when first they were
awakened to it, the awfulness of life and
OF the sceptre of life And so John
grew tc love the sweet girl with all his
heart. 1t is little enough good that can
be said of John Long, but his life was
the better that he carried through il al
ways pure love for Lucy.
He never told her of it. 1t is not 10
be doubted that he would have been fool.
lsh enough to have done so; but ono
evening, when he was home the last time
she told him as she would have told he,
brother of her bctrothal to Arthu,
Brooks. 1t was not till she was through
that the realization of what it was to join
flashed upon her. And John told her h,
gF8ould go away.
]ohTsleft that very night 1t may b,
3 Fiat after th,.t he would have liked t,
made man of himself, but his oil,
ST sla'Nts we're upon him. He wanderc,