St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-04-22
Cheedle's Past
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NHEEDLE has lately acquired past
~ Out Of his imagination he has bull
up lurid conception Of his sinfu
bachelor self which frightens him. The
other day tried to reassure him. quite
ansuccessfu1ly.
Ny dear Cheedle," l said, "you have
nothing whatever to reproach yourself
WITH 80
"Ah, if could only believe that!" he
sighed out, 'sBut you know as well as
do what sort of life I used to Iead.''
'CIoistral?" said l.
sFiendish!" said he. 81 was devil of
fellow
why, we used to call you a saint 1
said.
os in irony, you mean ?''
NO, IN all sincerity. Of course we
didn't let you know. We thought 1T
might offend you"
Now, IS my dear Wroughtnight,'' said
Thanks. But-as the Servant / II 70
say-I never accept valuable presents
from gentlemen.
This. young mans craving after an
evil reputation is unhealthy in the e3-
treme. You'll repent of it some day" !"
I was irritated st seems to me, -
said /. that it is you who are doing the
craving"
Il don't understand you," said he,
sternIy
sYou know you were q perfect Puri-
TAM"
II don't deceive myself, old man"
.'You kept your miifaeeds pretty
dark, anyhow. Nobody ever found you
out in anything worse than a Sunday
at Manhattan beach Of course you
sometimes left actresses photographs
lying about. But we know where you
boughtsens" ss.s ,.t +
He sighed. "Old man, I'd like TO see
you give up that sort Of thing"
ssWhat sort Of thing?" -
you know 5FShe u sert. of thing lpsH I used
.YouT f mean cigarettes and photo
graphss2p. ,'-s' sis'st.
He sighed again., Il was diplomrsaFttiic matt
evasion. .,.,.ess ..,sz,4.s
aMafriage,a said he sentehtiousisi
"opens, a man s. eyes. n He sees sthings;in
new light. He realizes how wrong
certain things are that he once de-
lighted in. To have tender, trusting
woman committed to his daily care
80, sayp' exclaimed.
s'You, don't understand" said he
ssYou have no responsibilities"
Look here, Gheedle, don't be ar
assi'' shouted.
stYou remember Balaam's ass, PHIL
'sNo. | think he must have been be
fore my time
In spite. of. himself he laughed. A
once the. conversation became rational
He was taking me home to dinner
Within sight of the house hesaid;
81 am sosgladsy ou7 get onGso Wellwia
my wife, Phil If the subject Of MY
my past ever crops up be true friend
won't you?" '7.s
/ promised. And few days later
redeemed my promise, ampig,s4. I me
Mrs. Cheedle on Fifth avenue, and sh
mined Tor sofife Y Astosda tea :; isSno
nv fault if Mrs. Cheedle thinks thatte
at the Waldorf-Astoria at five Pm. j
rather dissipated.
81 am going to scoid youa MI
Wroughtnight," said She, 'sfor you
good. think you are leading a useles
life.''
at is useful to me, replied meeklyy
I'm fact, don't quite see how coul
get on without it,"
.sYou waste SO much of your time. 's
s''As time is Of no value to me that
not great extravaganza. /"
'.You keepsbad hours. You smoke
great deal, too
Il confess it.
AYou 90 tomugic halls"
: stAlas!r
'sYou belong to too many clubs"
eBut I only frequent the others"
'.You know too many people.
There are too many people. Il
afraid" s:
ssYou attend race meetings. You
aI certainly begin to believe I'm in
bad way said /, 81 had not though
of it before Thank you, Mrs Cheetll
But you must not be too hard on m