The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-08-05
VOL. XXXIV.--NO. Al.


for mans fall, can neither forgive nor
condone the sin by which he fell. And
then-dishonorl | thought of pretty,
sanity Monica, with her narrow, nun-ike
creed and her rigid moral code, and l
knew that if Robin had been the only man
in the world he would still have stood no
chance with her. Pity she might have
felt for him, sorrow, and perhaps even
sympathy up to a certain point; but love-
never.
''You see, . | tried to explain, Mon
lea is such a queer girl. She's had
queer hringing-up, and really she ism
bit like the ordinary every day girl -
IF she had been, - said Robin, softly,
II should never have loved her
she 5 so romantic and full of fancies,
went on. She lives in a world of her
own, and she's always reading poetry
She has the strictest code of honor | ever
came across, and she measures men by her
own standard. She's awfully fond of
quoting poetry about some chap in the
Middle Ages, who wore the white flower
of blameless hfe'-King Arthur, wasn't t
it? And, then-and, then-ohl hang it
ALL what the good of tallingr'
Robins white face grew winter still,
and his lips twitched with queer smile as
he looked at me.
The white flower of blameless
life, he repeated, slowly II see,
colonel And does Harold Marsden wear
the white flower of a blameless life'?'
felt puzzled; his tone sounded so odd.
s'Why, yes, | said, 'as far as a man
can in these days. Anyway, he has kept
his honor
The last words fell from my lips almost
without my knowledge-eertainly without
my will, and | would have given the
world to recall them as soon as they were
spoken. | had not meant to hit the boy
so hard as that
saw him vince, but moment later
he was smiling again.
Don't hit a man when he down, col
onel, he said it's unsportsmanlike;
and. besides-besides- His voice
faltered huskily, and he was silent.
| was silent, too, for | did not know
what to say. had never felt more en-
barrassed in my life
'What world this Is p Robin went
on presently What a just, charitable,
sympathetic world oyerhowing with the
milk of human kindneSsl | wonder if
the next world will be the same
wonder if, even there, ones best friends
win believe the worst possible without
proof, and condemn one without hearing
/ | wonder-I wonder - His voice
faltered again.
looked at him in amazement, and
then sudden glimmering Of the truth
unsrspected during all these years-broke
in upon me.
Robin, cried, do you mean to
tell me that you are innocent?
He made no answer but only looked at
me, still with twitching lips. The truth
grew clearer TO me
1T was not you, after all Was it
Harold?' asked eagerly. ''Ahl I see
it all now-as | ought to have seen it
years ago. Oh Robin, Robin, why
didn' you speak out at the time? Why
did you take up the burden Of sin that
was not all your own? :.
Robin irowned uneasily,
well he said, If the sin was not
actually mine. the fault was, and that's 5
much the same thing I was bound to
stand by Harold when it was my example
that led him wrong. If it hadn't been
fer me he would never have touched a
card; but he followed me, as he always
did One night he lost more than he
could afford to pay, and then-well, you
can guess the rest In moment of de-
spair he tried to cheat, and the other tel-
lows thought it was |, and-and-well
as said before, | was bound to stand by
Harold
He paused and looked at me again, but
said nothing. What was there that |
could say?
1t didn seem to matter whether |
went under or not, he added in a low,
bitter tone. Harold had mother who
would have been heart broken if she had
known the truth; but had nobody >
put out my hand and grasped his.
And | never guessed the truth till
nowr | cried Robin, can you ever
forgive me for my blindness? What
fool must have been-what a fool
Robin sighed drearily.
1T doesn't much matter now, he
said but | used to wonder at first
that nobody guessed the truth. |
seemed so strange that everybody should
take my guilt for granted Do you re
member the day | came to tell you about
it, colonel? | think | had some vague
idea that YOU would trust me, and refuse
to believe the story; but You took it all
for granted-like the rest.
groaned.
.Oh, the pity of itr' I said ''The
pity Of it allr'
1T doesn't much matter now, Robin
said again, and, really, | don't know
that it much mattered at any time.
Come, colonel you re the only mau in the
world-except Harold-who knows my
secret; aud you must keep it, as | shall
keep it. forever Let Harold 90 on to
the end, wearing the white flower of
blameless life and as for me-as for me
well, III lie, the old place and go back to
Australia There's nothing else for it.
| can face things here.
X x x x
So Robin went forth again from the
home of his fathers, and his place in the
Old World knew him no more.
| went down to Southampton to see him
off. The day and the scene were in keep
ing with the event The cold, gray sea,
the leaden sky, the swirling sheets of sui
len rain, and Robin white, tortured face
as he turned away from me-all these
things haunt me still
But perhaps the sun was shining some
where
The amount of water required for a crop
is enormous. 1t is said that crop of corn
requires Is inches of water during the
growing season, large portion of which
comes from below, having been stored in
the soil during the winter and spring.
Every pound Of dry matter in wheat re-
quires 800 pounds of water for its produc-
tiOn Norn rao,,iroc o5O Mounds of vrotar