The Portland daily press., 1895-07-08
A PHILOSOPHER.

"Of all mad acts in mad and mistaken
life, this is surely the worst Because a
woman smiled on you once, or YOU
thought she did, in the old, dimly remem-
bered time; because woman's eyes looked
tenderly into yours in the moonlight of a
quiet garden; because you were fool
enough to be beguiled by half reluctant
promise of waiting faithfulness; because
of all these empty and intangible things,
on the false hope of which you yet have
lived for the past few years, you come here
now, when you know the woman is mar
ried and has probably forgotten you, or at
the best regards you merely in the light OF
a past episode. Oh, Mark Fraser, Mark
Fraser! Truly your philosophy is as
naught, and your worldly wisdom vain
thingp
The man laughed little bitterly and
paced across the room again and stopped,
leaning his back against the door and
bending forward to contemplate the toes
of his boots.
'tYou are not content" he muttered
again to himself moodily, "to speed DER
the foaming main to the possible arms Of
love and beauty-of the constant order-in
England-there to learn, as others have
learned before you, that beauty waiteth
not when eligible man proposeth. No,
you must rush out here, to this abomina-
BILE little continental town, filed with bad
smells and invalids and grinning natives,
to track down the woman who never cared
for you and her doting husband. Why
you do this heaven only knows! It's a
fitting ending to your madness, I suppose,
Mark Fraser. But you'll go back tomor-
row, my boy, and cure your madness,
| which has so little of method in it, by
large dose of hard work"
| He crossed the room again with some.
thing Of sigh and drew out his cigarette
case and lit one of the little paper things
and seated himself and stretched out his
long legs before him.
| "You might have made an abject idiot
| of yourself, Mark Fraser he went ON in
lighter vein, Hand spoiled your reputa-
| ton for complacency. The very idea of
| coming to stay in the same hotel! I sup
| pose they won't look at the visitors book.
| Even if they do, she would say nothing
| Oh, May my May, as used to call you,
| with an impertinent and premature at
| tempt at appropriation-why. did you
marry Frank Owen? You might have
chosen a better specimen of the sex. But
I suppose that's jealousy tempered by un-
requited love. l shall go away tomorrow.
| l wish 1 hadn't come today
He sat there so long alone dreaming OF
| impossible things-of dear, dead hopes
| that had seemed realities but little time
| since-that he fell asleep at last, and
| slumbered uneasily for some hours. He
was partially awakened by a noise of run
ming feet, of shouts and cries, but even
| then he did not move; the sounds seemed
| to be but part of a half forgotten dream.
| When fully awake he rose at last and
shook himself heavily; the sounds had
| ceased. There was only dull, distant,
| hoarse roar, that seemed to drown every
| thing else.
'Some factory near at hand, I suppose, I"
he murmured carelessly, working late"
He walked to the window and flung
aside the curtain and pushed the window
up. From other windows, comparatively
near at hand and at right angles to that at
which he Stood there came a great and
fierce glare of light, and the dull roar was
more distinct. With a momentary quick
ening of his pulses, he strode across tho
room and opened the door. He was met
by a dense volume of smoke, which half
blinded him.
Pleasant" he muttered "Hotel on
fire. and IN on the top floor. I wonder if
they have a fire escape in this benighted
place? The idiots have apparently forgot
ten my unimportant existence"
uo 1,oo ~ iy,+r
uncertain stop, when he was startled by a
cry of alarm md fear.
"Hello! Some one else forgottenP Com
panionship in distress is sweet. I will
cen seek it. "
He ran out of the room and shouted:
"Where are you? Can you come this ways
Put towel over your mouth and nose
most excellent thing, assure you. Hurry
up!'
A muffied voice, which seemed to sug-
gest that the other forgotten one had ap-
pareptly followed his advice, cried some
thing in reply, and the next moment
figure rushed into his arms, staggered with
him into the room, flung aside the towel
and leaned painting against the wall. Mark
Fraser shut the door quickly and turned
to look at the figure. Perhaps even at that
hour he was not altogether surprised to
see who it was. The woman-for it was a
woman-exhibited the most emotion.
"Mark, " she cried breathlessly, ~ did
not know that you were here!"
II can assure. you, my dear Miss Fal-
coner-or perhaps I should say Mrs.
Owen" he retorted, with great and
strange calmness in his tones-"that ]
should not have been here had been per-
sonally consulted in regard to the matter
have been forgotten, as troublesome ba,
bies sometimes are on these occasions. And
youP'' he asked.
''I-I was forgotten too was doing,
Think
"A further bond of sympathy" he re-
marked in the same tone IT was Sleep
ing. Won't you sit down."
Isis there time?'' she said wildly,
glanoing round the room. "Is there no
no chance Of escape?'