Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-02-25
VII
THE LOGIC OF PRoPINQUITY.

VII.
THE LOGIC OF PROPINoUITY
When Philip was established in the
Duncan household he wrote to his
mother. 1t was long letter, filed with
TESTING raillery at the conditions of his
exile, but containing no hint of what
he believed to be the beginning of the
end in the matter of his malady. In
closing he spoke of the Duncans:
They are both characters. in a way, and
they would interest you If you could know
them. Duncan is a typical Scot. upon whom
20 years of exile have left no American
izing mark. Ills speech is stil of the
broadcast, and his cautious habit has written
itself in capital letters all over his horely
face Mrs. Duncan is a person in whose
cheerful smile the blue devils quail ard
beg for another herd of swine. Could APP
preciative eulogy go further? Seriously,
though, they have made me very COM
Portable and snug in a painfully neat little
box of a room under the caves. their table
Is homelike and wholesome; and Mrs. Dun
cans hospitality is warm-hearted and cor
dial without being obtrusive, For the rest,
I have half a county of wild mountain range
at my back upon which to spend the leisure
that overfiows the greater number of my
waking hours, and you may tell DR.. Perevi1
that 1 mean to take his outdoor prescrip-
ton in heroic doses.
SHOW this letter to Helen, If you please,
and tell her I'll write her before long. Oh,
yes; and watch the expression on god
father Morrisson's face when you tell him
that he can have few choice suburban lots
in Allacoochee at $500 front foot-at least
that was the price yesterday. though it is
probably more now.
Il suppose 1 ought to write more, but
shant the spirit moves me to go and climb
m.untain. Take good care of yourself,
and write often, addressing me care of
Mr.. Robert Protheroe, Allacoochee.
PHILIP"
In writing this letter Philip had not
intended to omit the mention of Elsie's
name and standing in the Duncan house
hold, but since the thing was done he
did not correct it.
Its just as WE'LL he told himself.
"If 1 say anything at all, III have to tell
how sweet and lovable she seems to be,
and that might make the mother I'M
easy. I'll wait till I've discovered her
faults"
That was the beginning of a weak
ness. When he wrote again, it occurred
to him that his former silence might be
| nnisconstrued if he mentioned her now;
nay, more, before he had been a week
at the farmhouse he began to see that
if he spoke of Elsie in his letters it must
be in terms of praise. In his most self
reliant moods he had always been more
or less dependent upon sympathetic
atmosphere; and under the circum-
stances which made him an inmate of
| the Duncan home, this dependence be-
came morbid craving. And of pity and
sympathy Mrs. Duncan and Elsie gave
him unstintingly, out of the overlooking
| kindness of good hearts.
For few days after his removal from
town, Philip spent much time on the
mountain. Then there came week of
rainy weather, and by the time the
skies cleared he found it singularly easy
to stay in the house. During the indoor
week he had stumbled upon an occupa-
tion which was both pleasant and dan
gerous This was the fact, though he
recognized only the pleasure and shut
| his eyes to the danger Elsie's lessons
| had stopped at the END of her fathers
! requirements, and she was ambitious
and eager to go on. Thorndyke found
this out, and turned pedagogue with the
| idea that he would repay kindness with
| kindness. The lessons, begun during
the week of rainy weather, were con
| tinued without interruption, until one
day. when Philip was more languid than
usual, Elsie's conscience awoke with
start.
MIR. Thorndyke, you're doing
/ wrong." she said looking up in self
reproachful dismay You haven't
been on the mountain for two weeks"
It's much pleasanter here" Philip
replied.
But that isn'tt Didn't your doctor
say you must stay out Of doors ?-and
here I've been keeping YOU in the house
when every hour Of sunshine is pre-
cious"
Don't blame yourself; l stay in be-
cause ! like ii better It's WEAKNESS
TO the flesh to go tramping about
alone"
Elsie put her book away and took up
her sewing. TIN rot going to encour-
age you to stay in, anyway" she said.
with j pretty affectaton Of infleXibil-
ir,; ''and you ought t. be ashamed to
call my mountain tiresome. ] used 70
| almost envy your long walks
why DO YOU cali it your mountain ."
because it's been my playmate ever
since ! can remember. When / was n
| little girl ! used = 81 on that big rock
beaind the garden AZ I read dear Oh
Sir Walter till imarinel could hear
the rallopirr Of tire Dragons iu the
riras UP hy the Pocket And I've never