The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-06-12

When he 1ad returned from that VISIT
to his cousins he had been lost for the
company of Miss Margaret. and some-
what to ease the ache of her absence. he
came to imagine that she was with him,
talking to her as he played with his
toys and explaining the pictures to her
In those books which she had not seen.
That continued until his school days in
terrupted their companionship.
There was blank which he could not
fill. Probably he had forgotten her dur
Ing those years, when he was q school,
boy living the outskirts of little
northern town and walking into school
each day with luncheon in his bag Of
books. His comrade then was an old
dog. Dexter. And when the classes were
dismissed he would go for two-hour
ramble with Dexter along the country
roads, kicking up the snow with his moe
casins. Dexter barking through the drifts.
breast high, that filled the bitches, the
sunlight cleaning on the nat stretch OF
white landscape and the frozen river.
There were exploring expeditions Indian
hunts and bush.rangings. But the dog
was killed, and that boyishnsss, In turn.
died out of him.
There was another blank between
school and college. Then he came upon
tho imaginary Miss Margaret, keeping
him company in the evenings over his
studies. or walking with him on the
streets at night. She had grown to be
stately young woman, though she still
wore her cap of gray fur and hid her
hands in a muff Of that material. As in
her photograph. She kept step with him
In \ graceful walk. the toes of her small
shoes Just peeping out beneath her skirts.
chatting with him
Burke lay back in his chair and laughed
shamsfully at his sentimcntalisn HIS
work had taken all of that romantic nom
sense out of his head. Thrown suddenly
into the world by the death of his par
ent, he had had to struggle with . fercs
earnestness of purpose to make his way.
He had taken keen enjoyment out OF
his battle of life" But he had mag
ined 1t larger game than 1t proved to
be now He felt himself lost in an empty
life.
He began building up her features as
he had ina gined them, to amuse himself.
He could make little better than vague
oval of young face with straight and thin
eyebrows, large eyes set somewhat far
apart, and a frank smile. But her girl
ishly slim figure flashed back on him.
with its old erectness and Independence
of pose He smiled at her. 1t had been
a long time since she had called. 1t had
been q long time. she replied, since she
had been invited
"I have been SO busy" he apologized:
You sec, 1 had to work very hard"
She sat down in the rocking chair oppo-
rits to him. "Old friends" she accused.
ARE easily forgotten"
ITS this way" he explained: IT
thought this thing-this life-was going
to be something big, something worth
mans while-a business to take up all
his thought with planning campaigns.
and fighting big battles. and making the
world move. Now 1 find 1t isn't. It's
small and It's easy. You do all you
can, and find you're doing nothing. In
stead of fighting thing out, the other
man hoists a nag of truce every time.
It's tame. and I'm tired of 1t. I don't
know quite what I mean-but that's 1t.
She nodded her understanding
Then there isn't any friendship-except
the friendship of beasts In a pasture who
stand together to keep out newcomer
or something like that. You get used to
people round you, who work and eat with
you, and you help them and they help
you That's the friendship. They don't
understand you, and you don't understand
them-nor try to-"
He paused to smoke over It.
THE fact is" he concluded, I've made
a mistake. / haven't anybody who cares.
Now you used to care-do you remember?
You used to be glad when I got along
well at college-and that was the best
part of getting along we'll Here I've
been making a success of things, too.
but I've been missing the best part of it
/ want-do you think
He stared hard at the chair. put down
his pipe and frowned at the blank wall
until his face slowly lightened into
smile. He had arrived at plan His
aunt had written to him, inviting him to
visit them. once, some years ago, Just
when he was busy with the beginnings
of his work. They would know what had
happened to Miss Margaret" Perhaps
he could find her.
I've two weeks" he said I'm q
duffer II 1 can't do it. I'll make a start,
anyway" He reached out to his writing
table for pen and paper. "I'll make her
care" he said. "if / can find her.
He scribbled a letter to his aunt. that
he would be passing through the town
and would call upon them. He was
aglow with excitement. Here's some-
thing worth while" he laughed. "I'll do
it. I'll do 1t. Cad. I'll marry her"-H.
]. oHiggns in New York Commercial
Advertiser.