St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-01-12
We have had together. 70 think that

success could carry me beyond
your reach! I've been selfish-full o,
my own good fortune. 1t never struck
me till now. but-do you think that
would do anything to humiliate you:
can't bear the thought Of it. Why,
anything else after what we've said
about each other-eh, old falsifler? I'd
sooner never have done the Hero =,
al. ! can't tell you how it grieves me
old fellow. After ell these years t<
think that ! should do anything to es
TRANCE MS from each other"
We'll. never mind. Can't be helped,
said Maiden. getting up. with N
uneasy laugh. Its late. We shall
both think differently in the morning
perhapA Let's be OF home"
For some time Maiden hurried along
deep In full and desponding reflec
tions. So long as they both were 10
garded Is men Of equal mediocrity he
did not care, although al the while h<
was conscious OF his superior merit.
Aud to think that one single piece oi
work had made all the differences! AL
that had been done might in q moment
be undone, il an enemy Of Bob's-sup
posing him to have an enemy-could
get into the studio and maliciously
shatter the Hero" with . few blowd
of the mallet.
Next morning, when the faint
wintry sunlight looked in 1t Bannis
ter's little curtained window. 1t found
him lying awake In bed yawning
drowsily. He glanced at the clock or
bis mantelpiece. and saw that it wa.
nearly ten, and closed his eyes again
with . comfortable sigh. But just ..
he di0 20 he heard loud knock at the
street door below, followed . momen,
later by Ne murmur of hurried voices
then . souEd Of quick footsteps on the
stairs and somebody rapping sharply
on the door.
"Yes?" he sho.,ted.
Bob! Bob!"
"That you, ALI? Come in"
The door was pushed open. and
Maiden came hurrying in. with q
white. scared face and horrified lool
In his eyea
''Oh. Bob!" he exclaimed, breathlsss
ly. II have news for you. BAD news.
Terrible news."
"Eh? What is it?" demanded Bob
sitting up in bed.
"Why-why." stammered Maiden
s'when reached the studio this morn
ing. the very first thing I saw Is
went in was your Hero"
"Yes?"
''Smashed-smashed into atomsr'
Bob gave . long. low whistle.
SWELL" he said, speaking slowly and
thoughtfully, perhaps. after all, it..
the very best thing that could havs
happened to it."
"What! shouted Maiden, ''are you
dreaming? Are you mad?"
"No. I dare say I've been dream
ing" said Bob, quietly. what NEAR
is this-this accident puts Us on on,
old footing again. The breaking oi
the Hero ~ it were, restores what
was broken, or beginning to break, o1
our old friendship. I'd rather the
Hero broke than ocr friendship, All
Maiden looked at him earnestly fol
oA4AOAA CIV
Look here, Bob" he said, hoarsely,
II know what is in your thoughts.
You think did il. and you are making
excuses for me-"
mo. no, ALI"
"But you are. You know how jesl'
GUS and mean 1 was last night-wha,
Q brute l was-a selfish, unmanly
brute. And you think did it. 1t is
only natural that you should. But, on
my word OF honor, did not do it
did not do it!' cried Maiden, eagerly
and with tears in his eyes
81 know you didn't do it." said Bob
positively. =
"How can you know? Who should
you suspect but me, aft er all I said las,
night? I-who should have been the
very first to have congratulated you,
to be glad with you and proud OF you
to meet you with nothing but miser.
able envy and unfriendly, selfish re-
gretA Oh, Bob. lay awake last night
thinking about it; couldn't sleep. ]
was 90 ashamed of myself. Believe
me, old fellow, all my envy was only Z
passing feeling. springing out of my
bad luck. didn't really in my heart
feel what I said. II was only that
your good luck, by contrast. made me
more fully aware Of my own bad
luck"
81 knew i'll I felt sure of It'll" cried
Bob.
And I got up this morning, only
anxious to apologize for my miserable
conduct and assure you how truly
glad 1 was that you had made lucky
hit at last: and here-when l get ia
the studio-the first thing see Is the
Hero shattered to fragments" said
Maiden. ''And yet you don't seem ia
feel it half SO much ~ do"
"Well," said Bob. ''it IL = relief "a
me to think that there Is NO longer
anything to separate us. to make me
too proud to be your friend. or to hui
initiate you"
"Ah! you haven't forgotten my
words!" cried Maiden. "You think
broke 1t; but I didn't And shall
never rest until have found out the
villain who did 1t, 90 that l may re.
move from your mind every shadow Of
against me-"
my dear fellow. know you did not
do it. And l think know the villain
who did," said Bob. shrewdly.
"You do? Who did It? shall never
feel comfortable till find outl"
Don't say any more about II !
know perfectly who did it."
"How do you know? Who was 1T
You won't tell me? No; because you
think am the man. though you won't
own i'll"
Nothing of the sort / tell you ]
know who did it." cried Bob. "The
fact is. rs I walked home last night !
felt the injustice Of what you had been
saying, and what brute / was to take
. pride in what so Inundated You.
After all these years our old friend
ship was breaking up. and al through
me. as You may say. Hadn't you and
l been happy together al our lives?
Should lever be SO happy in any cir