Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-12-17
A PRESCRIPTION.

Eessed Of some money and good deal Of
ability. But something else In turn pos
sessed him-namely, passion. II was not
passion that led him into any folly, un-
less overwork be counted az dissipation
1t was not the passion that controls or
mOlds nine-tenths of the human race The
object Of his alteration had its origin In
the most intense heat imaginable, but It's
radiance was cold and impersonal. He
cared more for the sharp, quick, selfish
sparkles from a dynamo machine than for
the light Of wit or tenderness in a woman's
eye. The passion that possessed him was
for electricity.
IL can't understand this at all, said his
friend Reed, picking up in Brenton's rooms
one day pamphlet filled with long math-
ematical formula and strange designs of
Instruments. Cant understand it any
more than / can your absorption in this
pursuit. How can you 20 ON with such
horribly dry readingl
Brenton replied, The dryness of the
reading, my boy, only increases the thirst
for knowledge"
''Of course said Reed After an in
Ftant he laughed and added: "Oh, / under
stand that: it's joke But don't you ever
get tired outi"
Yes" Brenton admitted. The fact is
I'm tired now for almost the first time.
Somehow Pm losing interest In my
studies. My head doesn't work well, and
don't know what the trouble isn
Better see DOCTOR Reed advised
And Brenton went to his physician that
very evening A few days later Reed was
surprised to meet him at a dinner party,
Tor his friend was a man who seldom went
out. Brenton was extremely gay and
seemed TO throw his whole heart into the
affair. What he was throwing into the
conversation with his neighbor, pretty
Miss Paret, Reed could not tell, but shs
was evidently pleased
We'll, old fellow" Reed said TO him
when they were smoking, you seem in
such good trim, take it you are all right"
There's nothing in the world the mat
ter with me-" Brenton answered buoyant-
~. Doctor said 20. Let us live and be
hsppyr
This rollicking manner was so unusual
In him that Reed began TO think that there
was something the matter He worried
himself about his friends brain. Reed was
bever troubled about his own brain,
although he frequently rollicked and went
much into society. But his concern for
Brenton deepened as he met him day after
day and night after night at receptions,
dinners and even at balls The worst
shock was still TO come. One remarkable
midnight he found himself sitting opposite
Brenton at select little poker party in
the house OF friend, and they parted at 8
In the morning, Brenton having bet freely
and lost a couple Of hundred
Look here, Arthur" said Reed, on the
loorstep, feeling it his duty TO speak, this
lint the sort Of thing for you at ALL You
font know how to play poker, and you
can't afford TO pay for your ignorance"
Steady now, Reed, 4" answered Brenton,
who had drunk nothing but settler during
The night. IL am all the richer for having
lost two hundred and odd dollars
well, but your work" Reed insisted,
with the fatherly benevolence inspired by
bis wonted drafts Of champagne at the
card table How can you 20 along in this
drive and attend to your work."
II don't do any" said Brenton.
"But-but your electricity, mean, " said
Reed.
Brenton looked severe. Don't mention
that word 70 me, said be. II know moth.
ing about electricity"
OF course after that there was but one
conclusion for Reed to draw-his friend
was insane. IL was perfectly natural that
Reed should devote his time 10 society;
that he should frequent clubs, duck sup.
pers and poker parties; that he should
know nothing about electricity, and very
little about anything else. All this foi
him was healthy and reasonable, but fol
Brenton TO be in the same condition and dc
the same things was pure insanity. Let
Us be just TO Reed. He felt keen sorrow
tor the fact, but he decided that his duty
for the present was to keep the mournfu
secret to himself
Other people did not seem TO suspect IL al
all Brenton had large circle Of noncop
Quoting or unelectrical friends, who hae
long been trying TO draw him into theil
gayeties and were only too glad that b,
had at last hearkened TO their persuasions
They knew he was bright. They were re
joiced to see him take his proper place and
rapidly become a favorite. The Parets es
pecially were pleased. They. as every on,
knows, were immensely rich. Old Mis-,
Sarah Paret, who, with no need for money
had become a sort Of receiving reservoir o.
the family wealth, was looked upon witt
great interest by all the branches which
.cted as distributing reservoirs, and old
Miss Sarah had long ago taken a great
fancy 70 BrentOn.
! suspect her Of having for some tint
planned a match between him and hei
niece, Lily Paret-the one he had sat next
10 at the dinner have mentioned Mis-
Sarah was too proud. too rich and too
maidenly TO divulge this amatory plan
bot suspect her all the same. IL gave
her great delight TO see the interest in tbs
young man which Lily showed. And, a.
Brenton paid a great deal Of attention L
Lily Paret, nearly every one began Z
agree that he had forsaken science for 10
ciety, and that, instead Of deyoting him
self 10 units Of electrical measurement, h'
would doubtless very soon begin an exper
lment with two lives made unit by mar
mage.
Lily had always been Indifferent to th'
admirers who had presented themselves
3uring the two or three seasons since she
dab "a In her raar