The rustler., 1891-12-11

ishcd his task. and rad aluud bis prose
medltatiuus Thea hc hesiiated. a.
though afraid q give voicr 10 his verse.
lie counted uu his hnrcr again and
then read thr following.
ruH LtrH kurrNN
a chfiiuE shadder naats uEuu thr alf.
An ola rerfuuf is narur aErurs the "a
1as tfsef. dlscoara1ga. staad uiih braucacs
Ths i.aoa ysar IN dsath IN -oua b. trus
ne heBss taai cane ~iih cary sprias are
dsal
Tle promises of sumner uufuinUedt
Ihe niEats ~ srft suchaatuaent ~ have fed-
Dries arr thr cess - sWeeiiJ thry eistiil-d
-hud tass uhea iirsd ufs shall uea- o. close
Hcw sadly shall ur Contemplate the past
We struggled hard ard fought % scifr the rusr
Aad o. dcathcluteh eaich the thou ~
last"
Just as the lawyer finished reading
he heard q slight noise. and, wheeling
about with a start. saw Young woman
standing Ia the door. Mr.. DismulSes.
hlushing n well a. his gnarlcd beard
would permit sprang 20 his feet and
stammerud an inquiry ~ to how long
the young woman had been standing
there.
Ever since you began 10 read. " she
answered
"Ah. but do you think Il was quite
proper, OF ! might say 1ady-IiItc, To
steal in upon me and snatch my private
correspondence
II confess my guilt. she said. bow.
ing gracefully and then advancing,
''but the truth is, came ON business,
and, hearing the first word Of your
meditations, couldn't interrupt you
felt a. one who. hearing note Of
strange and yet familiar music, wishes
10 hear the entire tune. / beg your
/ pardon"
"Sit down" said the lawyer tum-
bling a number Of books out Of a chair
She sat down, and Mr.. Dismules, re-
suming his chair. remarked:
"Iou don't mean 10 say that you
agree with my pessimistic sentiment2'
But / do mean 10 say IL, and why
shouldn't /? The world is fraud aud
| life Is its accomplice. / haven't lived a
great while. but ! have lived long
enough and studied profoundly enough
to know that happiness, or rather that
fluctuating and thoughtless condition
known as happiness, Is but the result
of ignorance But wretchedness we
know to be real II Is not aided by
side lights; Il is not bolstcred by argu-
ment-it stands alone us great truth
that needs no prop"
The lawyer looked at her in astonish-
ment She was not handsome, but her
form was graceful and her face was
pleasant She was evidently "A stu
/ dent-indeed, certain something about
her, an expression OF meditative wcari-
ness, proclaimed II.
IL am glad that have met you, said
the lawyer. "As a general thing pay
no attention TO women. They have "A
habit of smiling, the very stage car
] pentry of hypocrisy, and they pretend
10 be in exceeding good humor when n
moments thought should convince
! them that they nre mistaken. Where
were you educated?'
IL am not educated yet she an
swcrcd II was graduated at an east
crn school, but ! came away linowiG"
that the system Of training was wrong.
My mother and /, " she added, after a
short silence, "have just moved into
this neighborhood; and, Immediately
upon our arrival, we were confronted
by the necessity of engaging lawyer.
| didn't know where 20 go, and while
passing along here happened to see
your sign"
''l am very glad you called, not ON
account of the business you may bring
me, but because am really glad to
meet you. Shall go To your mother
house or can the business be transact.
ed hcre?"
81 should like for you to go with me
II II will not be too much trouble"
"No trouble at all, assure you"
Really, now" she asked, "or shall
] believe that you are playing the gal
liant hypocrite?'
"Miss-is it miss or madam"
"Miss"
"N>ll miss should be just as mi,
cradle mere as at your mothers house
therefore | should gain nothing by re
naming here. Are you ready to go?"
The business, triling in its nature
was soon transacted. The lawyer anC
the young woman, Miss BlalScmore
sat in the library
1.-The day is beautiful" she said.
YES" he replied. 1T is powerful
search light thrown on the earth to re
veal its misery. II there be tim,
when we should yield To the tempta
ton to be happy, it should be when ",
knew that our minute of death ha,
come. Men look with dread upor
death; but why should they? Suppos,
a man is suffering from AN acute pain
should he not welcome the physician
who brings rclicf?n
"Ile should" the young lady assent
ed, "and he will, If he be sensibl,
man. The experiment of life has beer
so thoroughly tried and the utter hol
lowness of human existence has beer
recorded by 30 many of the world'i
greatest thinkers that | don't see why
there should remain any doubt"
Were you ever happy?" he asked.
During my short term of giddnesi
the few years of early life wer,
| ,,ua..l l., =. .4...f e l..k 4.