The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-25

A Conversation That Made the Old Doc
tor TAX Bitterly.

Once year the old doctor spends two
days in Newport. 1t is his one frolic.
Last summer on his way to the noted
summer resort he met his old friend
Bent in New York and persuaded him
to join him.
This is the first holiday have taken
in five years." said Mr. Bent, as to-
ward evening they strolled along the
beach.
But don't all the men in the city
banks have vacations? You are cashier?'
Yes, but these jaunts are somewhat
costly, so fight out the heat in town.
live very closely-very closely" pull
ing at his white beard with a thin,
shaking hand.
The doctor watched him thoughtful
ly. He had known Tom when he was
stout, hearty young fellow, with wife
and two babies. How eager he and his
wife had been to earn enough to buy
little home, give the children schooling
and chance to win their way in the
worldl Jack, the boy, had great talent.
according TO his mother He would be,
she thought, famous lawyer, and go
out to earn fortune and fame, and Pol
ly, the daughter, would live at home
with her old father and mother, as
happy as the day was long. The doctor
reminded Bent Of these old air castles.
"Oh, yes. | remember" said the
cashier. "Some things one remembers
every day. My wife even had a design
OF the house-a plain, comfortable lit
tie place. She insisted that it should be
near a river, where could fish. was
very fond of fishing as boy. She never
liked city life, poor girl, but she lived
and died in town.
He turned his face away. The doctor
was perplexed. Bent for 80 years had
been the well paid official of wealthy
corporation. He and his wife had sim
pie, rational habits. He should have
saved enough from his large salary to
stop work, now that his children were
educated, and rest during the years
which were left him. They would not
be many. The physicians eye detected
certain signs in his old friend that in
Dictated this
see no reason, Bent" he said,
"why you should not make Mary's
plans real now. Your savings will en-.
able you to live without work. You
have done your duty to your children.
You have right to live your own life
and indulge your own tastes in the
time that is left YOU
II understand you" said Bent.
"Other physicians have warned me. If
stop work now, l shall have, perhaps,
a dozen years of life before me. If do
motifs short road downward Well,
l must tramp it. / haven't saved dol
lar. The children have needed my sal
airy, and God knows am glad to have
given it to them and to give it still.
can't stop work. Don't speak of it
again. Come, look at this seine the
men are drawing
They hurried to the seine as if there
were nothing as interesting as fish in
the world. A dog shark lay on the
sand. Clinging to it were two or three
OF the hideous eyeless parasites which
draw their life from that fish.
1--WE call them water vampires, " said
one of the fishermen. "They re a mean,
unnatural kind of monster. Hahn t no
food nor life but what they suck out of
the old shark. -
At the moment a four in hand, driv-
en- by very wealthy and well known
leader of society, drew up near the
seine
"Lookp" whispered Bent excitedly.
THAT is Jack OH the top of the coach
the handsome man in English driving
clothes. That is Polly on the box seat. |
She is visiting some of the biggest |
swells here. She visits a good deal of |
the time She is SO caressed in society |
tell her she only comes home to her |
old father when she wants a check"
he added, laughing feebly, "but Polly
is ambitious. She says she means to
marry a title"
The girl was beautiful and dressed |
with costly elegance. She and her
brother recognized the old man with an
Indifferent nod of the head as the coach
drove by.
what is Jacks business?" asked the
doctor.
Hes an artist. He does not paint
pictures to sell. He worships art and
does not care for its trading side, he
says But somehow art and society re-
quire good deal of money, added the
old man anxiously. "Comel Let us look
at the fishes What hideous thing this
is!''
"Oh, don't knowi" said the doctor
bitterly. There are plenty of cold,
bloodless creatures sucking the lives out
Of their fellows quite content and hap
py. should like to tell them that they
are vampires.
The old cashier looked at him, puz-
lied at his heat, and then walked gent
y on.-Youth's Companion.