The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-06-22

BdrnaDec ana HOlian could look down
Six stories upon a busy street. where
transfer wagons were rumbling on
their way to evening trains. the street
car gOngs were changing. and the
voices of small boys were vying with
each other in clamor as they sold their
newspapers. Ilollan's appetite seemed
to be about three weeks behind on
dinners. 4 few hours before Barna-
bee had found him wandering about
town, a picture Of loneliness in thor
,Oughfares bustIing with people. At
first l:arnabee would have gladly eS-
capped his friend, as Hollan's apparel
was old and r his shoes slanted to
one side and his cheeks had not con
tended with a razor for a week. But
the found fastened himself to the finder
as the wanderer clings to an oasis in a
desert. There wa something about
the poor fellow that appealed to
Barnabee. The two had played to-
gethcr when they were boys long ago,
but they had separated and grown
apart until now Il revival of the older
days was like developing a new ac-
p~Uaintance. Barnabee had taken Hol-
Ian home in a closed carriage and
dressed him out in some of his own
clothing. and when IIollan had reap
pearcd with a little of Barnabee's gold
jingling in his pocket. he looked like a
young man long" on prosperity. He
was gentle and companionable, and
Barnabee's interest had increased to
the point of DESERVING his desk in the
Transcript office. where he vas dram
attic critic, and devoting a day to him.
with your broad acquaintance"
Hollan said. you car say a word for
me somewhere. l am used to work"
He turned his hands up to show their
labor marks. and to contrast them with
the soft. delicate ones of Barnabee.
but my pockets flap with emptiness
as if in mockcry of my better days"
Those better days must have been
when you were in the northwest"
Barnabee commented, as they lighted
their cigars and began an after-dinner
diversion. when you left, a brass
band did not take you to the train, and
if you had Just returned when we met
your homecoming certainly was not to
the music of cymbalS. Something
must have gone wrong while you We're
there, and taken a gOOd man with
it"
You know, Barnabee. thatit was on
your " counsel and your money that
l went. | never could have carried out
my ideas here. and l did not do SO there
but ! came close to it. You never
heard Of me after | repaid the loan?
Perhaps not. There was too much eX-
.citement in the northwest, and | was
too busy fortune hunting. found the
fortune. but | left it there. Have you
ever heard one of the northwestern
stories? They are the saddest tales of
all. Gou are rich: You have your home
and its thousand comforts: you have
your horses and Your club: and you
have-her whom you love. Your life
is secure against interruptions. But |
left in the northwest 4 multitude of
young men as intelligent and refined
You. who know as well as you what
the better things of life are, and who
have known what it is to SOW their
money broadcast as you are doing.
w men inc DOOlu NdS OH lltICs IlcIE
lives were going up the happy, sunny
side to-day. and down the heartache
side tomorrow. When l left that coun-
try one could near these stories every
They were nearly all stories
of young heroes struggling for a for
tune in the northwest and some anx-
ious girl left in the east until the
came with its assurances of ease
and comfort. They T stories which
right, with the promise of oppor-
tunities and some one to seize them;
but they never end with satisfaction to
the principal characters"
I'VE have heard the same stories /
around us here in the east" Barnabee
said, but fortune-chasing here is at a
gait. The hero does not grow
wealthy to-day and lose it all tom
row. He may have the opportur ",
but he lacks the nerve. In the T fth-
lie is influenced by the reckless
ness around him. BY the way, what
became of-of her as YOU would put
it-after you went away2'