Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-11-03
Iife's rnssthilitirs
by EDGAR TEMPLE FIELD.


the busiest time of the whole day II
that wonderful hostelry
Uniformed attendants few here ant
there in breathless haste, walters ant
"omnibuses" lowered distractedl!
about the flower bedecked tables il
the grand dining saloon and the pain
garden, and through the rich corridors
flowed a ceaseless stream of elegan
women in trailing silken gowns ant
prosperous looking men in TuXcdos OF
sWalloWtail coats cut to reveal daz
zling segments Of shirt front
The riot of luxury, feasting and en-
| joyment was at its height when two
men met in the Objective men of -l(
or thereabout. with that indcfinn!f
air of self conscious power that marks
| the successful business man.
"By the gods if it isn't Ned Frinll"
exclaimed the taller of the two, stop
| ping suddenly with outstretched hand
"Icller" cried the other, joyfully
Selling the proffered hand. I'm glad
to see you, old man!'
In another moment the two, seated
in couple of the big. thronelikc lrath-
ern chairs which the Astor millions
have provided for the purpose of at
once comforting and impressing the
| hotel patrons, were giving an account
| Of themselves in true American fash
| ion.
They had not seen each other since
Is years before they had separated
after four years of intimate compan-
ionHhp at a fresh water college to so
| out E II seek their fortunes after tire
impetuous fashion of western youth.
"iou have prospcred, hear said
Frink. land have become an out ana
out New Yorker in fact and sent
mcnt.'
och. I've had my ups and downs. ="
replied Teller with little laugh, "bUt
I'm on top now. AS for being COIL
frmpd New Yorker, well, Mrs. Teller.
like most eastern women, doesn't care
for the west We've never even doue
the conventional trip to California.
She prefers crossing the pond VIII, 4
we travel
III tllt lISt NOIuS w illl tl!t Colll-
placency of the man who had had L
hard fight of it and won, but Frink
easily forFave the little touch of vani-
ty He had been through it all him
self
"'I'hen there's a Mrs. TellerY he
said, smiling
ooh, yes, and Jack Teller the sec
ond." replied the other. You must
see that boy Ned"
81 want to- said Frink, but some
thing wistful in his voice struck his
friend.
"And your" he asked quickly. "Surc-
ly you've not remained single, my
boy"
"I've never married." was the brief
reply.
"Why, you're thu very fellow to la te
a romance, should think went ii
Teller. You used to be Il sentimental
chap at college, always writing verses
and all that
Frink lau~hed.
eyes, | had my romance" he said.
"Well. Pm sorry it doesn't seem to
have had happy ending" said Teller
sincerely. a wife is great help to
a man. I'd like to tell you before you
meet her." he went on, bending for
ward earnestly, what mine has done
for me. Shes made a man of me and
proved that was worth the job Shes
been more than wife to me. Shes
been my good. honest. loyal chum.
There are not many men who can sH1
that of their wives"
"No, fancy not" assented Fr.nS.
smiling.
cts wonderful the understanding
she had Of the way man feels, al
inexperienced girl like her." proceed
ed the other. "You see she was a
stenographer in our office when first
met her, and fell in love with her ut
first sight almost. I'd made Il little
pile, and when we were married
thought things were coming pretty
much my way. But hard times set
tied in, and lost everything. For Il
long time it was hard work to get
bread and butter, but that girl stood
by me through thick and thin. When
I was sick for a year with rhcuma
tism, she went back to office work and
kept me and the boy with what she
earned with never word of COM
plant or regret through. it all. | tell
you, old boy. she's got the stuff in her
that heroes are made of. Goodness
knows where she got it, that courage
of hers never asked her anoUt her
family, and she's not one to talk much,
but l fancy they were ordinary
enough. believe she came from
some little town in New York s.ate,
ard | know she never had anything
much in her life. But now the strug-
gle il, over, and | can give her about
what she wants. thank God. tell
you. Ned. it's pity you let one disap-
po;ntmcnt spoil your life. There's
nothing so sweetens existence as the
companionship Of a good woman"
"Anl nothing poisons it like a bad
one" said Frink bitterly.
"But surely the good ones outnum-
Der the bad. Forgive me, Ned, but
Isu it rather narrow to let one wo-
man prejudice you aE.inSt the whole
snX? OF course cont know your
Story
ITS not pleasant" said the other
man. knocking the ashes from his
car with nervous fingers. 1T all
hnDpened the year | left college. l
mrt n girl in Denver. She was beau
tifrl AMI clever. and you're right about
Boo,
ny being sentimental. Teller. ran
cicd because her eyes were pure ana