The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-05-03
Another Ideal Shattered
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
took his feet down from
the radiator, threw away the butt

OF his cigar ana Sald TO MS partner:
Il think I'll take run over to Mich
igan tomorrow, Smith. l haven't Wis
tied the old folk in winter for ten years,
and I've been thinking of them all day.
Strange this heastly cold weather al
ways turns my thoughts to the old fire
side, where on such day as this we all
used to snuggle around the big coal
stove in the sitting-room and eat APP
pies, drink cider, spin yarns, yawn, loll
around as we pleased and go to bed be-
fore ten O'Clock.
'Ah, Smith, we haven't anything like
that old fireside in this big, artificial
city. Here everything is done for you.
You get your fiat ready heated,
all the hot water you need, groceries
delivered by speaking tube, sidewalks
shoveled by the janitor and yourself
carried down almost to your Office door
by street car. Artifciality every
where. 1t is a life that tends to make us
lazy, to relax our muscles, to breed dys-
pepsia and liver complaint. Give me
the good old days when we had to hus-
tie to be comfortable. That was when
we enjoyed our little luXuries, because
we knew we had earned them. Now
picture the cid folk beside that big
stove. l have an overweaning desire to
step in and share its comforts with
them, if only for a day. l guess you
can get along without me?"
Certainly, said Smith, ''stay longer,
if you wish. ! should say that such a
prospect would make you long to spend
at least a week at home. can get along
for that time. And l may say l envy
you the pleaura you are to have. Alas.
l have always lived is this city, and [
know nothing but the artificial com
forts of a steam-heated fiat. / wish |
were going with you. Take week, old
man, and tell me all about it when you
get back"
Thanks. oil fellow" said Nicholson.
rising brisllly. IF you can stand it |
guess I'll stay away till a week from
Sunday. See, this is Saturday. | can
catch an afternoon train, get to the old
home early this evening and surprise
The old folk while mother is setting her
batter cakes for to-morrows break
fast. Ever eat any of those homemade
batter cakes? Haven't! Well, my dear
fellow, you haven't lived more than
three-eighths of your life. Now I'm off
See you in a week. You know my adj
dress should be wanted sooner"
Sunday the thermometer dropped
away below zero, and Smith found no
trouble in following his inclination to
remain in his cozy, heated fiat, reading,
smoking, doing and playing with the
children. He had nothing else to do,
for the janitor kept the steam at
proper pressure, there was no coal to
carry in, kindling to split, no early fires
to build-nothing, in short, to do but
rest, or, rather. as he called it, loaf
He pictured Nicholson in fancy, and
the picture actually made him envious.
A dozen times during the day he
wished he had been born on a farm
or in small country village, so he
could have enjoyed the old fireside, the
roaring logs in the CRATE, the cider and
apples and the strenuous life which
all this implied. To have everything
done for ones comfort. and by some
one else, was not in keeping. with his
ideasofproper enjoyment. Nicholson's
graphic picture had made him a trifle
disconnected.
Sunday night the mercury took a
drop a few degrees lower. but there
was no snow, and the ianitor did his
duty nobly. Monday morning was col
loquially termed a ''corker," but as
Smith had only a block to go to his
train he suffered no inconvenience and
reached his office with but vague i'm
preston that it was cold day.
At three o'clock that afternoon
Nicholson walked in, dropped his grip
in a corner. kicked the cat over the
transom, lighted small gas heater
and sat on it.
Smith was so surprised at first he
could do nothing but stare at his part
ner. Then gradually he found his
tongue. Whats the matter, Nick
Didn't find anything wrong with the
old folks, did you? Cider run out ?
Old fireside covered with icicles? ''
Look here, Smith"-and there was
a world of pathos in Nicholson's voice
- wouldn't tell you a word about
that trip if | was not convinced it is
my duty. | may have set your fancy
going with my description of the time
/ was to have. | may have made you
discontinued with your hard and bar
rem lot in this city. Iwant to be square
and honest even at my own expense.
| am the originator of that expression
I'D rather be right than be president.
1 want you to listen to me while | re-
lieve my mind and incidentally rend
one of the biggest myths on EARTH"
''Then you didn't find things as you
fancied them?" began Smith, but
Nicholson waved him to silence.
"You just listen to my plain, unvar-
nished tale and draw your own con-
illusions. No schoolboy ever started
out on his long vacation with lighter
heart than | had when | boarded the
train which bore me away from Chi
cago. The pleasant hum of the car
wheels played an accompaniment to a
varied assortment of day dreams in