Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-09-04

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81 wv the conclusion that
SAN1 that he can only de-
OVNVO good of others, there
is still plenty of keen wretchedness in
store for him. If he gets up after a
bad blow and is actively miserable and
somewhat hateful and resentful, he
can yet be happy. But self-immola-
ton is not natural, and anything un-
natural brings its own punishment
Another person and other people can
not be the centre of the universe for
very long. There may come a jar that
will put you ont of plumb for bit,
but you swing back to your normal
position.
The jar that came to Osborne was a
hard one. The girl to whom he was
engaged told him that her parents were
forcing her to marry a certain rich
man. Now parents, in these days, do
not force one to marry anybody; but
Osborne would have believed whatever
the girl had chosen to tell him. He
believed this, and thought she was a
beautiful, suffering martyr, and there
was tragic scene, which she did clev-
erly, and parting. After that Os-
borne lost even ambition, which had
been a rnling passion almost above his
love. The girl was mean enough, too,
to keep his misery alive by writing to
him, now and then, bewailing her
gilded captivity.
Life, he told himself, was hence
forth vain thing, only fit to be used
in the service of others. 1t is not
easy to serve others picturesquely in
the army. There are no needy and nc
fallen ones-because when they fall
they cease to be in the army. So Os-
borne bethought him of his brother
Alexander.
Alexander lived ON ranch-as Os.
borne had done. At sixteen Osborne
had been the support OF a widowed
mother and two children. He had had
no boyhood in particular. 1t had all
been work, making the ranch pay
Only those who have tired it know
what that means. Alexander was moi
atfli ,ted after this fashion. He livet
on his new stepfather, and was en-
vious of his brother.
Now when Osborne brought Alex
ander on to San Antonio, the frs
evening of his arrival he spoke to hin
thus "There's a first-class schoo
right in the town, Alex" Silence
81 want you to study hard, youngster
to make up for the time you've lost VI
there in the wilderness"
Alex braced his feet against tn
porch railing and tipped back hi
chair. "It strikes me I've lost NOR
fun than about anything else. 1t ain
fair, Herbert. You've been having
picnic for the last eight years, Will
I've been slaving in the fields; and
don't see it in the light of settliu,
down right away to digging at books
1 want a swing"
If nature is ambitious it cannot b,
altered The ambition may transfe
its object from self to someone else
but it will not die. Osborne's ha'
transferred itself to his brother. S.
his heart sank. But he had Learned
toleration. "Well, I'll give you thre
months. But you must study to max
up for it," ,.. -..
"Three months nothing! What
the matter with six?"
"a good deal is the matter. You'l
be nearly eighteen in six months, an
you don't know as much as the aver
age boy of fourteen. OF course, In
not blaming you for that. Yo
haven't had fair chance" Osborn
forgot that, at eighteen, he himsel
had passed the competitive examina
tion.
81 guess I haven't-at that or any
thing else."
Young Osborne had gone barefoo
oil his life, and had never had Who'll
new suit of clothes to his back, nor
dime to call his own. Osborne CAV
him dancing pumps and various seem
ly suits and reasonable allowance.
But he thought the allowance small
"Say, Herbert, 1 can't make out wit
that measly ten. Make it fifteen, vii
you?" he complained.
"No," said Osborne.
Osborne's mos" were always defir
ite, but Alexander persisted. "Wh
not? You've q lot more than yo
need"
81 know best about that. Ten do
lars is enough, and it's all can Civ
you. I've your education to pay fo
recollect.. You've no expenses ou
side Of an occasional theatre ticket on
tennis ball-or you shouldn't have"
''You always did catch all IL
plums." said Alexander.
Then the mail orderly gave Osborn
letter from the girl. Osborne locke
himself in his work-room, and read
and believed every word of it. An
living-evenf for others---seemed han
thing for the next few days.
Alexander felt his oats prompt,
He excelled at baseball, he learne
tennis and dancing by magic, and l
rode well. Osborne had never bee
SO popular. He had served the Mar
! mon Of Ambition exclusively until !
had transferred his allegiance to Il
! God of Love. Since then he had be,
maryland martyrs are more plea
! ing in cult, and Ambition filed hir
/ He rejoiced in his brothers beaut
$ which was of the BERTHE Cecil type,
: his magnificent stature, in his agili
n = III 4