The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-01-17
BECAUSE OF IDEALS

MAY 1 walk horue with you ?u be
asked.
1t was past eight o'clock on a wet
winter night, and they had just come
out of church, where the vicar had
been discoursing eloquentIy on the So
ciaI equality OF man.
The girl looked up at the sky, opened
her umbrella, and said: Yes"
"You think he was right?" The
man nodded his head in the direction
of the building they had just l.ft.
''Not at all, - said she, with a little
toss Of her head. II think he was all
wrong in general,
''But in partieular?n
"Yol and have nothing to do with
particulars" she remarked, kicking
away stone that lay in her path.
awe are particulars"-briefly.
"No, We are not, " retorted the girl.
'We are most decidedly generals. My
father is General Carwithen, my grand
father was General Carwithen; your
father is-a general dealer" This lat
ter was said under her breath.
The man did not contradict her; he
merely asked her if it made any differ
enee to themselves.
al think we are, and always shall be,
as far apart as those two stars" she
said, sadly.
The rain had ceased, and two watery
stars twinkled feebly in the gloomy
sky.
al am nearly home now" she said,
after little silence. "You had better
not come any farther. Goodnight"
The man apparently did not see the
hand she held out to him. He said
goodnight" laconically, but he turn
ed and watched her until she was out
of sight.
Once home, she flung herself on the
bed in an sgony Of despair. The man
found his friend awaiting him on his
doorstep.
"HulIOa! You look a bit down in
the mouth, Needham. / knew this
business wouldn't work satisfactorily,
he said.
ats working splendidly," answered
the other.
"Then what is it?'' asked his friend.
Randall Needham gave little laugh
and shrugged his shoulders. ''The tale
is as old as the hills, Arthur" he said,
II am in love"
''Phewr CALCULATED his friend.
ooh, it's all right" said Needham.
"She's perfect LADY,
Arthur glanced around his friends
study. Violins and bows galore litter
ed the room; music was the dominating
passion Of the mans life.
"She doesn't know ?" he asked.
"Not shep' answered Needhsm.
"She thinks my father is a general
dealer i1-Only heaven knows what!
But III make her own she loves me
before she does know. No one here |
has ever guessed my story. am a
poor violin teacher, pure and simple"
''-Not so ample, either" Grosvenor
laughed.
The two men bad brought out their
pipes and sat putting away at them to
their hearts content.
"Look here, l met an old woman / |
know on the street today" went on |
Grosvenor. Il told her | was staying |
with you, and she asked me TO dine
there; she turned up her lofty nose with
scorn at the bare idea OF your joining
her select party at table. No one is
good enough for Mrs. Ranter; she has
her precious girls future TO think of,
and you are not an eligible"
"Ranterri echoed Needham. "Why,
that's the name of my best pupils
mother. Are you going?'
''Is thy servant a dog?" returned
Grosvenor.
Mrs. Ranter is one of the most arrant
humbugs on the face Of this earth.
Nothing short of title is worth any
thing to her" said Needham.
''Oh, I know her." returned the 9th
er. II think she would sell her soul
for position"
"If she has 1ne," added Needham,
and they both laughed.
"How did that general dealer idea
get about?' asked Grcsvenor. He had
stopped smoking to refill his pipe.
"Oh, | don't knowr' answered the
other. AZ expect Mrs Ranter is at the
bottom Of it, and 1 haven't contra
dicted it because it served my purpose
WELL
"You were always rum chap. you
know" said his friend "I can't think
how it is that people don't see through
you"
Needham paused in the act of put
ting some coal on the fire, 81 have al
ways had my ideals" ne said. One Of
them was to be loved and married for
myself alone. My father being out in
Canada made it easy for me to sink my
identity. And I've had an ideal exist
ence, too. he added. "It's rather fun