The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-10-11
7OL XVIII RISING SUN, CECIL COUNTY, MD. FRIDAY, OCT

ed Heydinger. Certainly ne borrower
from Liant. That essay on the chimney
pot hat
tPure Lant," said.
"I've neglected Liant a little, am
afraid" mumbled Pingwell, horribly
boelered by this unknown name.
"You should read him. said I.
"He's a perfect mine of good things.
That passage in Browning, for instance.
You were pointing out the resemblance
only this morning, Heydinger. ="
about the chattering disks, said
Heydinger. "You remember that, Ping
well?"
ST think so," said PingwelL "Chat-
tering disks. seem to recollect. How
does it go?"
"The chattering disks go reeling,"
said Heydinger, inventing boldly. "You
must remember.
Pingwell now was really very uncom-
Portable. But he was having lively
lesson in priggish conversation. "Iwish
had my Liant here" said I.
"You surely remember about the
chattering disks?" said Heydinger, turn
ing as he pretended to search for book
on the shelf.
"The phrase is quite familiar to me,
said Pingwell, 'but for the life Of me
I can't recall the contextl It's queer
what tricks ones memory plays.
Heydinger quietly resumed his seat
''Have you written anything lately?"
said Pingwell to change the subject.
eyes" said Heydinger, and seeing
some further question threatened, add
ed, as if in explanation, "Alvarados "
1t pulled Pingwell up abruptly. cal
varados! Ahr' he repeated after Hey
dinger, with an air of comprehension.
If he understood, he was certainly wiser
than I. His ears were now bright red.
We remained tranquil, watching him.
1t was not my affair.
He returned to conversation presently
with an air of having found and grasped
the thing firmly. "Will you make them
into a book?" he said bravely A just
perceptible dew was on his face Hey
dinger evidently expected as much.
'ThemP' he answered. "What?"
"Well-it. Alvarados -
"It!" said Heydinger, raising his
eyebrows. 81 don't know" he said and
became silent. Pingwill was evidently
baffled. Very awkwardly, and after a
pause, he said he hoped that would be
the case. Heydinger thanked him dryly.
There was an interval while we watch
ed one another. Then he discovered his
pipe was Quit always is-and asked
me for the matches. He talked incoher-
emily upon Indifferent topics for a few
minutes after that, and all the time
could see the trouble in his eyes, the
awful doubt Of his own omniscience
that had arisen. Alvarados? Presently
he rose to go. Routed.
AS he went out I heard him whisper
to himself very softly, "Alvarados"
He has not been near us since. can
imagine the dismal times he has had
hunting through Rabelais, Gil Bias,
Hudibras, the Dictionary of Phrase
and Fable for Alvarados, going through
the British museum catalogue for Wen
die Hooper and hunting all Browning
for the "Chattering Discs" feeling
most horribly ashamed OF himself all
the time. like to think of his flush of
shame, the overthrow of his frail ap-
paratus of knowledge, and ever and
again Heydinger and break the friend
ly silences which constitute our inter
course by saying casually, "Pingwill
seems to be dropping us altogether" CT,
"Don't seem to see so much of Pingwill
as we used to do, Bellows" Such re-
Elections are the olives of life.-H. q,
Wells in New Budget.