Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-12
GENEROSITY.
rNsrA yyaer. 80 sslgrsvls.l


keroio-verv heroic. very noble and self
sacrificing. In the auditorium the women
had eli been crying their complexion of,
and the men. who were Just as much
moved. had had the additional excitement
o. trying 70 look a. IL they were not.
play had had different. effect on him;
BE feit stirred, awakened, exalted, and
almoss enyious. he had felt the grandeur
Of the story 30 keen " that he envied tho
great actor who had. played TIE hcros
part his opportunity Of self-sacrifice as IN
tenscly A. If the sacrifice had been .
Fate had been very kind TO Chris, Whe-
Nm. He was young. strong, and I'M;
prcssiyely handsome. He was rich. Wen
born. well hammered, and Thoroughly
we'll liked; but yet he was not exactly
content. because. impossible as u may
seem in the nineteenth century, ne Wouio
have liked 10 be hero. =.
He had tried such means of self-sacrifice
a appeared open to him: he he'd gone In
for Trimming when il was the rage, but he
aid not catch fever nor lose his life nobly
rescuine some one from ANYTHING disagree
able. moreover, several OF the ladies with
vhom he worked showed signs Of falling
in love with him, so he gave up stunning
He had tried politics. choosing an unpro-
pif;ous time TO attach himself to an I'M
popular party. but did not ma even tnat
snccessf,il rs means of selt-sacrifce. Tor
hiscolleapues simply worshipped him, and
none of his old friends made the least dit
ferencA IN their behavior toward hin.
Sone Of them indeed, were more con-
spicuously cordial than ever. either De-
cause they wished D. show that they, TOO.
wee capable Of magnanimity or because
tbey had been rather jealous OF ms popu-
iarifv while he had been on their own SIDE,
and they were glad 70 get rid OF him.
On this particular night be walked nome
ward feeling very disconnected indeed the
,sfh of romance and self-abregation
seemed closed against in he seemed
doomed to perpetual enloy yaic Nv wn was
so wrapped in his Own thoughts that ne
scarcely noticed when some one toucheu
him on the arm.
Halo. Davis he said absently, where
do You come from =!
"they told me there where you were. L
tried TO wait till you came in. bat got 80,
impatient couldn't keep still. so l came
Whelan was still only half recalled from
his own castle-building. All right; DO
you want anything ~ ne said.
Eyes, want-generpsity." . =,
Davis would rather have said Justice"
INT some instructive knowledge OF ms
fr;epd,s character told him that he would
be much more likely TO get what he want
ed If he called it by the more attractive
name
TO be Just is only ones duty. that Is why
ono so seldom doeS it: but there is some
thing fattering 10 ones vanity III the mere
? Wbelar was thoroughly interested now;
"You are In some trouble" he sad, ana
can help Won. Come into the Mall ana let
me hear"
Tbey walked along slowly in the shadow
of the trees. silent at first, but presently
Davis began his appeal.
Chris. old fellow" he said, we have
been friends long time"
1--WE have and mean to be, come what
may"
Whelan half expected a confession OF
murder. forgery, bigamy, or perhaps all
three, and was fairly reveDing IN the
thought of how steadiastly he would STAND
by his friend.
Davis went on.
lyon are q lucky fellow. Whelan; you
are rich. popular, IN good society. iavor-
lite with the best sort Of yemen 7. .. 81,
true, and he did not see any need to deny
it. "Well yes. what them"
"Op the other hand. / am-weli, not any,
thing to look at or 10 talk ola person OF
no account whatever. l want you to see
clearly how much that is worth having you
nave. ana now DItic HhNc WAN W. W
recognize this and be generous. :,
II have not many virtues, Tom, SAID
Wbelan. warmly, "but know what friend
shin is. and shall not fail you. Speak with
out any more preface; what form Is this
generosity to take!"
II want you to give up Madge Parry TO
me-"
"Good Cod" -,
Whelan stopped dead short in the mid
dle of n crossing. This sort of sacrlnce
had never entered his mind. Davis had
fairly to drag him ont of the track of the
cabs that we're rafting past; the two sat
down on seat in the shadow OF the trees;
Il am asking good deal, ! know" SAID
Davis, "but am asking IL of man who
can afford to give, and, as YOU said Just
now. don't think you will fail me. have
very little in the world; can't THINK you
would have the heart TO take from me the
little have, seeing. you have everything
YOU could desire. Any woman would fall
Ia love with you; there is only this one IN
ali the world for me. She was on the verge
of caring for me when you came on the
scene: she Will care for me agalnit she does
not sec you any more. Let me have TINS
one piece OF good luck, Chris-spare 1T TO
me out of your affiuonce. Iheres Lady
Lily Levison, who used 10 share your
Whitechapel wanderings, she'd have you
epy day. and small wonder; or McNa-
mara's daughter, the beauty-proud as she
is she would be prouder to marry, you.
Among all the women who would be
ready to marry you can't you ma some
one else, and leave Madge TO me! Why.
with all your advantages any woman who
was not fool would jump at YOU"
"You forgot one thing" said Whelan
slowly; "any woman won't do. am fond
of Madge Parry. No." he went on after
spause mo, Tom cant thu think tb OF !: had
been thinking of IT.
They sat silent for moment or two, and
then Davis tried again. :, .,
lyon remember that fellow in the Bible,
Chris, that we used TO hear about when we
were boys. The great man had Hooks ana
herds without number, you, know. Inc
poor man had only one little ewe-lamo.
You are in the position OF the rich man !;
don't take her from me-"
"lts altogether different" said Whelan,
whose Scriptural knowledge was vague
but practical, since he mixed the alieSory
with the fact and between the two made
out his case. Its altogether different;
Miss Parry didn't belong to you like the
lamb did TO the fellow in the story. and he
was cheated out of it. while no one is act
ing unfairly toward, you. You did intro
know You liked her. and If had the trial
was as free TO me as TO YOU"
"That's all true" said Davis, congratu-
lating himself inwardly on having taken
the right line at first. That's why | ask
you Tor generosity and not for justice.
Some men might say. / introduced you TO
the woman loved. trusting YOU not to
supplant me- but l don't; l ask you
20 give up to me. not because. l have
the best right, but because have the great
est need. love her as prosperous man
such as you cannot love. She stands in
stead Of everything else TO me. She is my
riches, my society, my ambition, as we'll as
NV love and what have TO offer: What
means have Of winning her love in CON-
parison with your Don't you see how ter
fibly handicapped should be in o contest
With you? What could happen to me but
defeat? And tell you that in this matter
defeat will be bitterer than death. 1t will
Do hard 10 bear--such blow from such q
friend, from my friend, too, who is armed
20 much better than ! that have no
chance against him."