The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-09-21
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through things, and he compelled me
to cram his lessons into him. If he
could not conquer anything alone, he
could take in the results of another's
labor in the most amazing way, and
quick as light. He was wonder
full in the classroom and of course a
favorite with the professors. AS for
the women they were all ready to
feed him with sugar. Of course his
slyness sometimes got him into
trouble, but then, his slyness always
got him out. But woe to any one
caught with him. He was sure to get
Johns thrashing as well as his own.
Yet it was impossible to bear him
malice, and spite of yourself, you
came to feel that you we're somehow
to blame for his misdeeds if you
were in the remotest degree in
them. Of course with his mother
was guilty for all his mistakes and
sins, and soon found that to escape
censure l must shield him. Then we
had little sister Kate, whom 1
adored, and she adored John. Well,
life went on till we were in college.
We were just entering the senior year
when father suddenly died leaving
his affairs in tangle. 1t was plain
one of us must go home. John would
not, so l left Harvard for Usage and
the mingled odors of big ship
chandlery. 1t was during this time,
when l was up to my ears in accounts
that I fell in love with Phebe. had
known her from childhood. Strange
that what we call love comes upon us
in flash. She was just turned sew
enteen and was fighting the wolf on
her own account, for her father had
dropped dead at his desk one day
from heart disease and had left her
little but his collection of family por-
traits and coat of arms, his spotless
name, and his PRIDE"
There was long silence broken
only by the subdued murmur of the
elderly group off to the front of the
house, and the call of the throstle.
"She looked like the professor, her
father" he resumed at last. "Her hair
was dark. Her eyes were gray,
though you would fancy them almost
black. She rarely had much color,
and gave the impression of smallness.
But am over six feet and her head
came above my shoulder. No one
called her pretty. She was beautiful
in rare way that grew upon one.
Phebe was teaching, fighting the
wolf, as have said, and I had met her
twice and called upon her and her
invalid old aunt once, when sister
Kate fell i'll, and l must needs go with
her and my step mother, south. In
March Kate died, and then the moth
er went. had no time to think of
self at all, save to go on loving Phebe.
Once back at home the estate had to
be settled, for John was eager for his
own. had an excellent offer for
the business, and in three months
more the firm of Mclaughlin and
Co. went out of existence, and l
went to Tyre to set myself to learning
the secret of running big daily sue
cessfully. The first of August I went
up to the st. Lawrence where l had
bought tiny island just large enough
for man to hold off the world in
definitely if only he be we'll supplied
with groceries, coal, and biting dog
and in an evil hour / wrote to John
Morris to join me. rowed over to
Alexandria Bay to post my letter and
had just dropped it into the little
Office when met Phebe, grown now
more beautiful than ever. She wore
some sort of pink stuff, and an ex-
quisite blush came into her cheeks as
l paused before her. 1t seemed to
me l must drop down there on the
dusty rocks and tell her that for me
there never was such woman, but
instead pulled myself together, and
tried to be dignified spite of sunburn,
shabby blue fannels, and smoked
glasses.
"Aunt Fanny's shares in the North
ern iron mill are paying" she an
nounced joyously. 'and we're having
a real vacation. We are up at the
Crossman, and there's to be a dance
this evening. The music will be
good. Can you" she shyly paused,
Gomez
went off in kind of daze, deter
mined at any cost to secure dress
suit, but one was not to be had at
the Bay at short notice for man of
my inches. chartered steam yacht
and put off to Clayton where 1 was
more successful. For the next three
dave okoYpo1 o. fha Tho.,eooJ t.