The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-11-25

BUT LET US PART AS FRIENDS.
he who was doing everything, and when
they met a speculator who had tickets
to sell he pushed forward with the re-
mark:
"Now you must let me buy the tick
ets.''
The Young Man smiled, for it was
evident that he had succeeded complete
ly. The millionaire had practically for
gotten all the unpleasant features of the
talk in his office and was buying the
tickets as if the idea of buying them
had just occurred to him as an act of
friendship.
At first Mr.. Putancall felt trifle out
of place and confused, but his young
friend was so attentive in explaining
the points of the game and the enthu-
siasm of the crowd was so Infectious
that he often forgot himself and cheered
with the loudest.
During the dinner there was but lit
tie conversation. Being true epicure
the Young Man ate in silence, and Mr..
Putancall's mind was too much confus-
ed with unaccustomed thoughts for him
to do any talking But when they had
quaffed their cider and lit their cigars
the Young Man leaned back in his chair
and remarked:
81 trust you have enjoyed the day."
"Indeed have. This is the best din
ner l have ever eaten.
"True. And it is one of the things
you have been working for all your life,
though you didn't know it. -
The rich man said nothing for few
minutes Then he frightened and ex-
claimed:
"See here. have taken great fancy
to you, and, if you will let me, I think
I can do something for you"
"Indeed?"
"There are many openings in life for
young men who have ideas, and have
seen enoug" of you to know that you
are originai.
The Young Man bowed gravely.
(Which MEANS" he said, "that in
return for my kindness to you today
you would coop me up in an Office and
by the dull routine of business reduce
me to an uninspired machine like your
self. By helping me to earn the means
of enjoying life you would kill in me
the power of enjoyment. Why, you
didn't even know you had palate I'M
til ordered this dinner for you. Your
stomach is simply kind of fire box into
which you put a certain amount of fuel
every day in order to keep up your
steam. Your heart has long bees mere
ly a force pump, never thrilled by en-
thusiasm or human emotions, and your
brain is kind of spider that continual
ly spins schemes to entrap the unwary.
Today, for the first time since you have
been boy, there has been something
human aroused in you, and your offer,
while absurd in the extreme, shows that
you might do some good in the world
if you only knew how"
"Well, then, will you teach me?"
81 can't promise. I lam not charitable
by nature, and / think l have done
enough today in the way of putting a
fellow being on the true road to enjoy
ment. Perhaps we who are poor are too
selfish in keeping our troubles to our
selves instead Of making rich men hap
py by letting them help us, but we have
our faults just like other people"
Mr.. Putancall could make no reply to
this enigmatical speech, so he did all
that was in his power-he paid the bill.
"But let us part as friends, +" said the
Young Man, putting out his hand as they,
reached the street.
aren't you going to tell me your.
name?'
"No. I prefer, like the good fairies
in the stories, to be nameless.
They shook hands, and the Young
Man disappeared in the crowd, Perhaps
in quest of new adventure, and the
millionaire returned to his cherries
apartments wondering if it all had been
a dream.