The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-09-03
lS3S535I5551Ss , S1S S315
My Fellow LaboTer. |
,ssCess
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD.
,ssCess
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CHAPTER vI.-tCosTISuED.,

CHAPTER VL-CoNTINuED.)
Exactly six months from that day my
book, ''The Secret of Life." appeared,
and everybody will remember the ex-
Gltement that ensued. OF course. prop
s0sitions SO startling were violently at
tacked, but / only smiled and waited;
Nor 1 knew that my conclusions could
mo more be seriously disputed than the
law of gravitation And now the at
itackers are all silent, and mankind Il
psay il without false modesty and with
out pride) blesses the man who
has been the means of demonstrating
the glorious cause and objects OF our
hitherto inexplicable existence, and OF
supplying the key to the mystery OF
life, and the agony of death. that is.
as the religions foreshadowed. but the
portal to the larger and more perfect
life. Yesi My work is done, and well
done. and / can die in peace. knowing
that even here | shall never be for
gotten!
A week after the book appeared,
received from Fanny this rather weak
ly worded letter:
Dear Godfrey" it began. so you
have found it. And you have had the
generosity to publicly acknowledge my
tshare in the work; and my name will
go down to future generations linked
with yours 1t is more than | deserve,
though it is just what should have eX-
.pected from you. Had l known how
near we were to success, l would new
er have gone away. l am very wealthy,
aad, in a small. unsatisfactory fashion.
powerful, also. as 1 told you should
be, and shall be more SO soon. Joseph
,tsas got into Parliament, where. not
'withstanding the competition. | think
That his entire want of principle ought
to carry him long way. And yet,
Godfrey, l miss you as much as ever,
and almost long for the old days. 1t is
hard to have to mix with set OF fools,
who smile and gable, but cannot even
understand what it is that we. or rath-
er you, have done. I was so sorry to
hear about John. Well, we must each
to our own fate. Goodbye.
FANNY"
/ returned no answer to this letter,
nor have l ever seen Fanny since. and
hope l never shall see her again. OF
course, everybody has right to look
after his or her own interests. and on
this ground l do not like to think too
hardly of her. l used to believe that
there was great deal OF prejudiced
nonsense talked about women, and
that they were as capable Of real and
end as we men are. Many and many
:is the argument that / have nad with
Fanny herself on this point for she
was wont scornfully to declare that
marriage was the average woman's one
object in life, and the education of a
family the one thing she was capable
of carrying out in satisfactory man
ner. But now 1 confess that my belief
is shaken, though know that il is un-
just to judge great and widely diff
fering class from the experience of an
Individual. And, after all, she was vel
within her right, and it is impossible
to blame her. I had absolutely nc
Stdlh HCl, duu ShC iuuOuOI-
;edly wise to provide for herself in life
when so good an opportunity came in
,her way. 1t was little abrupt and
her explanations were rather cynical
but | have no cause or complaint.
could not marry her myself: VIII!
should l have objected to her marrying
& anybody else-eyen that young mar
Joseph?
And yet, only say it to show hoN
weak 1 am, l am still fond Of Fanny
Hide-Thompson, and still feel sad whe1
I think of her sudden and final depart
ure Next to my wife's death. it ha:
been the greatest shock of my life. 1
she had stopped with me, she should
have had her full share in my triumph
and of all the honors and good thing!
that have followed on it's heels. Sht
overcalculated herself she saw too far
and yet not far enough. But dare sa,
that. after all, this is but another form
of the personal vanity to which l fea
al oonstitutionally liable. and. a!
such. a weakness to be mortified, es
eecially when man is hobbling as fas
as am toward the quiet church-yar(
gates. Well, this is the true history O
my relations with Fanny DenelIy.
(THE END.)