The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-15

x *
5 The Awakening 5
q A BUSINESS STORY. *
II *

a BUSINESS MANS STORY.

stopped TO get drink from the spring
which bubbled from beneath great
rock at the roadside. An old fruit can
was the only drinking vessel, but
Bushnell took a long draught Of the
| sparkling water He felt his brain
clearing, his nerves growing steadier.
and the great city, with its crush OF
| money-hunters, seemed very far away.
The horses felt their way cautiously
| down into the valley on the other side
Of the ridge, and sped on through the
dusk toward home. The noises of the
night began to sound from the wood
| on either hand-the croaking Of the
| frogs the chirping Of the crickets. How
| long 1t had been since he had heard
| them! 1t almost seemed as II they
were welcoming him back. The air
seemed charged with electricity. Now
| they were near the Schoharle, and its
| waters danced with phosphorescence
| as they FLASHED Mostly over the stones.
| Surely this was better muic than that
| of the ticker and Bushnell breathed a
sigh OF thankfulness that he left the
| uproar of the street far behind.
At last he saw the twnkling lights
| which told him that he was near his
journeys end. They danced and
| frightened and grew larger A dog
barked, and two or three women came
| to the doors to see the coach go by.
But Bushnell was looking through the
| window up towards the hillside. His
heart leaped as he saw light there.
"Jm." he said, suddenly, "let me
| down here. Take my bag on to the
house and tell them I'll be there in the
course of half an hour"
The driver pulled up his horses with
out word, and watched for moment
as he struck off up the hillside. And
when he clucked to his horses again,
there was q light of comprehension in
his eyes.
Bushnell claimbed steadily upward
along the path. The unaccustomcd eX-
ercise made him breathe quickly, but
in moment he saw the house stan1-
ing out against the sky, it's windows
warm with light. How well he knew
| the path. His throat contracted queer
ly as he went on toward it, and his
heart leaped suddenly, for he saw
something white running toward him.
ooh, Tom," cried girls voice, and
in an instant she was in his arms.
For a moment he could not speak.
He could only gaze down into her up
turned eyes. And as she looked up at
him, she saw the cloud upon his face
and drew quickly away.
what is it, Tom?" she asked. what
has happened?"
He dropped her hands, with feeling
that he had no right to hold them.
THE worst that could happen" he
answered. bitterly. II have played
and LOST
"Lost?" she echoed.
Eyes, lost"
"Do you mean that you have failed?'
she asked. coming closer to him, her
face suddenly white.
"That's it. Failed. For every dollar
I'm WORTH
She put her hands upon his arm and
he could feel them trembling.
"Tom, tell me-" she whispered. "did
you lose it all-theirs as we'll as
yours?"
He laughed. but with touch of an
ger in his voice.
Its not quite so bad as that. I
didn't lose a cent of any one else's
money--only all my own. Isn't that
enough?"
The color came back into her face
in a great wave
"Oh. 1 am so glad" she cried. 80
glad and she came close to him and
clasped her arms about his neck and
kissed him. The moon was silvering
the tree-tops and flooding the valley
with oft radiance. Look about you,
Tom," she said, still holding him with
one hand. 1T is a good world that you
left-a sweet world. 1t Is worth living
in. Now, tell me, what does money
matter?'
He looked about at the horizon and
back again into her eyes
"It doesn't matter" he said, mot
here. Not Bit"
And the leaves of the trees and the
waters of the brook seemed to catch
thte words and send them echoing up
and down the valley. ut doesn't mat
ter, not here Not Bit"
For a moment she stood so, looking
at him.
at was a dream" she said, at last,
very softly. "Only dream. Forget
it, dear. This is the awakening. Is
1t not sweet one, Tom?'-Burton
Egbert Stevenson, in the Independent.