The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-11-16
DESTINY OF ROBERTS.
WI I ERE we SRI AT the old willow. What
do you say 10 coming 10 anchor for
a bilg" be remarked, bringing the

isANAAff
In life--coming 10 anchor, msan,' abe ssid.
ashhliag her left hand IN the water.
Look here, hi, he ierked oct, presently.
what Is the good Of beating about iae bushf
There's something wrong. and you are wor'
rying yourself about 1t, and am going 10
make you tell me everything. You used to
tell me everything once, ID. without invi.
tatiOn," he added. With an attempt at rail
lcry that was chiefly pathetic.
Don't be a duEer, Hugh" she observed.
MAY not he senieutious now aud then
without being forced 10 explain that mean
nothing al all! Now, will you please amuEe
ne! IL Is shame 10 waste an afternoon
like this"
"Oi course Il is," be echoed. "You see.
dear. al the gods and the ihirrst Of moTtalA
meaning your dc,ighiful seif-tsea TO be
conspiring Tor my happiness; when the gods
behave IN this odd Kind u way We arc told
10 disifus, them. Frat Of all, have you
have bad you quite fast, 6incc the days when
! robbed orchards, and you. lie a second
Eve. ate the apples; then have secured two
ants and a reasonable chance Of fellow
ship; lastly, a most cummendablc maiden
aunt sees III to die aud Sndow me with the
wealth that perlshes. II Is too much, you
know, ID. bot q doub, Of Il the STACEY thing
to happen is lot me 20 lose you, aud thereby
make dust and ashes 81 all my other pOa.
sessions"
DO you know, he RECOMMENDED I,resent.
~, u can't for the Ike Of me, help feeling
sentimental, and gray, and aWiHl4y sorry
for myself, whsn ] think Camhridgc Is
over and done with Look at that bit Of
Clare, there, gazing out upon Kings with
such a genial eye; then there is willow
above Us, and the bridge from which one
used 10 listen to the nishtihgaies. snd-and
the Fen sunsets one has seen, and the CHEEKY
life. Al gone, ID, forever ard forever"
"All gone. abe echoed In a voice that was
almost tragic by comparison with The half
hppancy oil his.
Staying up hsrc indefinitely ns a don Ia
not the same thing" he went on. "The
glamour wears thin. and one slips into for
mula in place Of feelings, aud acqulrtS IN
ranny views Of women. You have met Rob
cr,s often lately. hnverk you! lie u only
just 20. and yet be has settled iuto his groove
as 4 be wcrr 40. AZ coach be Is marvel.
Qua, and | have every admiration for the
way 10 which be pulled me through, but
butt should have hkrd 10 exhibit the
genuine Roberts to you. III you would have
been cdi6rd. | think. never met a man
who could 30 ciIectually turn bis blind eye
to the good qualities Of women
"Ah." murruursd tie girl let IA 20
down the river again, she said, after a
pause. Il have something to kay to you,
Hugh, and Il viii be easier Il VIZ are in mo
ton"
Il have often wondered what would hap
pen 10 Roberts Il be met bis destiny written
large he mused audibly. 1T would knock
him clean out Of time, fancy. should he
lose That Is the worst OF these men who
g on 10 smiling indifference TO amatory
dangeu; they are pulled up with the horrid
jerk Don't sou think infant vaccination
with loSc lymph is 10 be advocated, You
don't take IL half a. badly in that case"
"Oh, Hugh, why viii you be 500 friv
olous'" pleaded the girl. something between
amusement and desperation IN her voice.
Cant help IL, ID, for the lie Of me; J
was born go, you know"
Il am going to tell you a story, Hugh, she
went on with more compusurr, and you
shall give me your verdict on Il, Dou't
stop ] can't bear to remain still. The story
is about woman and a man OF whom the
woman was very ioud-so fond that she had
promised. almost before che grew up. that
che would marry him She did not know
that love meant something else, until-unll
she came az 20 Cambridge one May week.
Hugh, please don't look at me In that way,
Il is only a story Wei. she met rome orc
very often, more often than she had a night
90 do, during that week; she did not realize
the tud 10 which they were drtting-she
was merely interested in drawing q grave.
book hardened man uut OF HIS she'll beng
rather ni.liui fhe could not he confronted
with = solid wall Of ice aud not wish TO thaw
H."
The NAME face was the color Of damp
parchment. Go on. he taid a. Me halted
in the telling.
she succeeded. Hugh II 90 came about
on the night Ut a certain college ball, he-
meath an old willow the tare under which
we anchored not long ago. The wall Of ice
melted suddenly en- massr, and the rush OF
water carried both Of them away. Il was
then that the woman learned the added ele.
men, which converted f5ndncss into love- /:
was then that size los, sight Of honor and a
lowed the man TO kiss her"
Good God"
She had not dreamed that Hugh would
take II like this. Sorry, very sorry. she ex-
psCted him to be, but not angusbei, She
had grown up with him, and tragedy always
seems out Of place with people who have
become doyrtliIcd into our lives by common
places,
Hugh, you must not think l-gave you
up shc said, with the silly struggle Of a
sheep that sees the slaughter housa door he
fore it. Il told him almost at once that
was bound 90 you, and shall rot break my
promise. Only | had 10 confess, because |,
would not have been right to conceal j, from
you
They were close in 10 the left bank Of the
river. aud a step was audible on the path.
way. Roth looked up Both turned their
eyes from the bank to each ether, and a
light broke IN on Hugh.
That's Roberts, the man who pulled mo
through 80 well, he observed, chaotically.
Would you like to land. Dig"
mo. moi" she cried.
But the canoe was already brought 10, aud
he had leaned on shore. Mechanically she
took the hand he held out to her; mechanic
ally she responded 20 the confused greeting
Of Eus,ace Roberts, classical coach and
father Of nn9umbsred tirsts. One among
the lasl-barn Of his offspring seemed to be
somewhat intoxicated this aiternoon-pcr.
haps the heat bad been too much for him.
YOU'RE decent old sort, Roberts. h" he ~
marked, haariously slapping bis prseentor
on the back. "and I-cangfatulate you
Should never have expected il. Sly dogs. you
cynical heEgau. Don't mind me-cnioy this
Kind Of thing. you know Good by, good-by;
] must be OF. No good missing Hall. you see.
for the sake Of being de trop."
Bsorc they could stop him he uas well out
IN the middle Of the river and padding hard
In the direction Of Kings
Poor chapi" muttered Roberts.
"Poor chapi" said the girl. "ls that ell
you can find to say appropriate to the coca
sionf'
YES. the rrrt Ii away hrhind ahni mn he