The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-25

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PENCER CLIFFORD was
quite too ready to admit
that he was just an aver
age sort Of fellow. That
A was really all he cared to
~ be. What he could do he
did fairly fell, but ne did
just as little as was de-
Gently possible. At college he had
gone in little for athletics. and
made very creditable record. but he
shrank from anything really brilliant.
He was a good scholar too, but was
quite willing to rank with the intel
lectual second-raters. When he left
college he went abroad and dawdled
about in an aimless way, and came
home with few impressions that he
cared to mention. Then he went in for
society. and there seemed TO be reason
ably contented. Society amused him
and wasn't too cxactlng. Society cod
died him; he was young, handsome,
clever and rich.
And yet he would admit that he felt
q little conscience stricken when Anna
Goldie gravey asked him one day
about his future hopes. There was "A
look in her eyes that he didn't like
when he laughed off the query. II set him
W lHlllhlllt, ana lnlIklllS was an W
cupation he rarely indulgcd in. Think
ing always disquioted him. He avoid
ed Anna Coldie for time. and found
that was still more disquieting. And
then just as he was thinking he would
invite another talk with her on the
original disquieting subject she sud
denly went away. She went. they told
him. to visit an invalid aunt in the in
~ ho ct n Ghc iCh ho
some time. 1t was more visit of
duty than Of pleasure, and it's contin-
uance would depend altogether upon
the failing health of the aunt. In
what part of the state did Miss Col
dies aunt live? Somewhere near Pal
myra.
Palmyra? That was zero Jim Rob-
bins lived Good old jim Robbins,
whom he hadn't seen since his last
college year. Jim was somebody down
in Palmyra. Member Of the legisla-
ture. or something. He saw Jim's
name in tho naners occasionally. Jim
was a rising man.
As the days wore along the desire to
visit Jim grew upon him. He had
standing invitation to come down at
any time. There was a pressing note
in his desk of quite recent date in
which he was told of the treat he was
missing in not making the acquaint
ance oc Jim's matChless wife and
equally matchless girls. He wondered
if Jim would know the abiding place
of Anna Goldies aunt. If he was a
politician he probably knew everybody.
He decided to go down at once and
make Jim visit, and he wrote to him
to that effect.
Then he went to the bank and called
on his father. And while he was there
his uncle Tom came in and the three
were closeted for a long time in his
fathers private room. When they
came out his uncle Tom shook hands
with him and patted him on the back
in his usual hearty fashion. And his
father shook hands with him in grav-
er fashion,, and both the elder men
seemed highly elated. Spencer shook
his head little doubtfuly as he left
them. Then he braced UP with a swift
stiffcning of his fingers and clenching
Of his hands. and accelerated his pace.
He was going to his rooms to fill his
dress suit case for the visit to Jim.
He arrived at Palmyra early in the
evening. He had meant to reach there
p in the afternoon, but the train was de-
layed He hadn't told Jim just what
day he would start. and so his old
friend wasn't bothering over his non
appearance. Spencer concluded he
would look Jim up in the morning. He
went to the hotel and had his supper.
After supper he strolled un TO the
clerks desk and inquired about his
friend.
"Oh. Jim Robbins" cried the clerk.