Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-09-30

pleased.
IN give you 4 bottle of Laftte after
dinner" he said, solemnly, (which you
win appreciate. m glad you know the
difference between good wine and bad
between dining, as we are dining. and
mere eating. You Ike pictures. eh?"
THAT one belonged to US" l said,
gldncing gloomily at fine Constable.
I'll let you have it-when you want
it,-at the price gave for it," He named
a considerable sum. 'You would like"
he peered at me from behind his glass
Ito buy back the old acres?"
Yes" l replied, with energy, Il
would"
Things are coming your way, my
boy. Lucky, now, wasn't it, that you
read that little 'aG-? How long. at. say,
thirty dollars a month, would it take
to buy that picture, or a dozen cases
of wine even? Eth? eh?"
Fifty minutes later the dinner (as he
said, dinner fit for prince came to
an end, and we returned to the library,
Where coffee was served in some won
derful Belleell china cups. Then my host
unlocked 4 grotesquely carved Chinese
cabinet and produced some curious ci-
gars, cigars never seen in the market,
long and thin, with outside leaves of
velvety fneness, and fragrance which
fingers still in my memory. These
we lighted and Gerard, sitting near me
with his back to the lamp, sighed softly.
l confess that | was nervous. The
elaborate dinner, the rare wines, the
talk, turning as it had upon the glory
and desirability of things material, had
stirred my senses, but aroused my sus-
pjcions. Why, / asked myself, why
this parade of wealth. this worship of
the Golden Calf? Gerard, watching me
with his shrewd blinking eyes, inter-
Preted my thoughts.
Contrast" he said, abruptly, "colors
our lives"
And the jade" | returned, seems
to paint blindfold; all the pigments on
her palette lavished upon one fellow,
while his brother man, more deserving
possibly. must content himself with
daub of neutral gray"
Your colcrless man." snapped my
host, IS rot contented; and, take my
word for Il. the under deg in the fight
who seer,s tc have Eour sympathy
generally Gegerves to lc bitten. have
'ris '0--'-'- r." Ia. to rI;;uhas;ze
the difference between the rich man
and the poor man. have done it-eh?"
The sharp "eh?" provoked me.
Yes" | answered. calmly, though my
pulse was running riot; you have
made me realize, in a way could scarce
ly have believed possible, all that I've
lost"
and all, my young friend, that may
be found again"
Yes ] returned, bitterly, but the
cost, sir?-the moral and physical price
which must be paid?"
I'm coming to that. Yesterday, as
soon as you had left the bank, wired
the president of Yale, and received his
answer before sundown. 1t was more
than satisfactory. I'm proud to enter
tain so distinguished a guest. And now,
as my time is valuable, TO business! |
must confide in you. That confidence,
no matter what happens, must never be
abused"
Not by me" / answered, firmly.
"I'm willing TO pay you" he said,
slowly, never taking his piercing eyes
from my face. "the large salary of
$4,000 a year if you will take upon
yourself the duties ard responsibilities
of being''-he paused, and the pitch of
his voice dropped, of being tutor and
guardian to my only son."
your son ?" | stammered. ~ under
stood you had no SON."
"Hush' ] haye son. q pretty lad"
love well-too weI1 for my peace or
mind or body"
But where is he?" exclaimed.
He ignored my question and contin-
ued:
THE reasons which have forced me,
sorely against my will, to keep my.
child's existence a secret from the world
are these