Smyrna times., 1896-01-22
THE UNEXPECTED.

come over as formerly to see if I could
get some fresh milk
Certainly, Mr.. Thorp Come in.
And so you are home again?"
eyes, for a time. [ drift this way
once in a while"
'Things look about the same here,
suppose?"
''Just the same, Mrs. Carr. I never
knew a place stagnate so effectually as
Melford does. People grow old and die,
but otherwise there is no change"
ooh, we have had several new build
ings erected since you went away. By
the way, where have you been these
last four years?"
"Mostly in China. Not bad count
ry to live in if you don't have to work.
Things are very cheap there.
Miss Kendall peeped through the
blinds and saw retreating figure car
rying pitcher. 1t was strong franz
ed man with resolute, handsome,
dark-complexioned face; he was about
so years of age.
''Who was that gentleman who came
here this morning for milk?" she in
quired when seated at the table.
Mr.. Carr began to laugh.
''That is our prodigal father; you
must have heard us speak of him. .
81 think not" said the summer
boarder.
''He is of a restless nature, put in
Mrs. Carr. ''After time, like Robin
son Crusoe or Sindbad the sailor, he
gets weary of home life and starts off
for the Antipodes. Hardly a word is
heard from him for year, when sud
denly he reappears.
"Has he any means?"
'Well, yes, some, but his main de-
pendence is upon his son, who carries
on the business he started, and really,
l think, supports him in his extravag-
ances. :"
"And so you call him the prodigal?"
cts good name. He certainly is
as much one as the hero of the New
Testament story"
81 should like to know him, said the
lady, thOughtfully, and when her land
lady said, "No doubt he will drop in
soon to chat with Henry" she added:
81 do not mean actually to know him;
but his experiences must be entertain
ing"
Miss Kendall had come to Melford
for month, and finding the town at
tractive, the accommodations pleasing.
had prolonged her visit into fall-al-
most to winter. She was 81, intelli-
gent, with an independence of character
which had in certain way prevented
her from finding a congenial mate. She
had some means, but noe enough to en-
able her to become a leader of society
even if she had desired to play the roll.
and as for literature, art or music.
neither of these walks had aroused in
her the necessary enthusiasm to enable
her to reach real mastership, and.
therefore, had never been to her the
solace they often became to others.
She needed social environments. Her
nature sought companionship, sympa-
thy A friend was more to her than |
any abstraction, whether ethical or ar
tistic, and the society of the Carrs had
become solace and refresh
ment after her isolated city life.
That evening she was introduced to
the wanderer, who had ''called over to
learn the news" though in reality it
was about his own way of life that the
took its course.
"The trouble with town like this. "
said Mr.. Thorp, in answer to a sugges-
ton from the visitor, els that there is
no intellectual movement. 1t neither
rises nor falls below a certain line. At
the best, however, the average human
being is not more intelligent than a
log. and ought not to be if he has to
earn his living"
Miss Kendall looked interested.
els not intellect the highest gift of
God to man?" she asked,
"Oh, perhapsl It's just as you look
It 1t. You can carry water in a log
or a little way. Generally a man
earns just enough to enable him to get
living and keep his body in shape.
Most men are only body or bodily
organs. Their idea of luxuryis little
better food, little better house, a little
iner clothes. Civilization means to
AIRY their body over few hundred
niles. The first day 1 came home I
vas told that Frank Brown had built
1900 summer cottage on McBride's
'olnt, and that another rich man had
fought farm near by and laid it out in
Iouse lots. should have bought a
library or pictures if 1 had been in
heir place"
'You care for art, then?"
Not at all. l love landscape because
seems to me the one thing perman-
mt. Men, civilization, intellect-thev
re like the transient light of futter-
lg candle. Nature is, in comparison. q
nmortal. 1t seems to me God despises
len but loves Nature. travel, not to
be new people, but to be taught how I
luch alike is Nature everywhere"
"That is a selfish creed" '
"Oh, l think not In general men
ruggle against each other, seeking by
ompetition to prolong their own lives 6
the expense Of others. My rule is, +
Live and let live'-and as easily as 8
:
And are you never lonely?" Il
What can one do if one is? There t
my son An honest, prudent, gener- Z
Is man; but he has no sympathy with E
y ideas. He thinks ever of what "
ings will cost, and whether he will f
nm money by the business he is en- q q
'ged in. I'll wrote my ideas out and \
It them in book, and it sold. he Il
ould have tremendous respect for b
9. He and those like him respect only y
hat sells, no matter what it is. good :, -
bad If a. Ioao,,3t c..lf =. Al