Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-05-14

or his experience on his character Will
lis grew more and more embarrassed,
and finally he assumed a posture of at
tempted Indifference, as he stood by
the table, that did not deceive Edward
In the least; for, even in the suppressed
excitement Of his confession, he could
not help noticing that Willis was deep
~ moved. Just how he would take tile
matter was entirely unknown to Ed
ward. but he doggedly kept on with his
story, not attempting to conceal or slur
any part Of it, making it disclosure
of real fall in moral conduct, such as
1t actually had been. To his great re.
lief as he neared the end Of his confes.
sion he felt consciously freer and hap.
pier. No matter how Willis might take
it, he was not sorry that he had told
him. 1t was burden of his soul, and
the future, whatever that might be, lay
clear before him.
When he paused, Willis, who had not
attempted to interrupt or ask any ques-
tons, turned abruptly around and
walked into his bedroom. He was gone
several minutes, and Edward took it as
a bad sign. Finally he came out, went
up to his table and rather clumsily be.
gan arranging few books that lay in
a disordered heap there.
"What did you want to tell me any.
thing about it for? at last he said. in
a tone that Edward interpreted to
mean more or less irritation on Willis
part.
Edward explained his reasons, and
Willis evidently understood them. He
was silent awhile and then said, with a
short laugh, "Wonder what mother
would think of this!"
Edward shrank as if from a blow
but he did not attempt to say anything.
After another pause Willis went over
to the window and muttered some
thing about its being too stormy to go
out to the theatrcals.
Then he turned around and looked at
Edward strangely.
"Suppose l should do little confess
ing on my SIDE" he said in a tone that
sounded to Edward almost hooking If
not sneering. ''What you've been
through isn't circumstance. Oh,
pshaw! What's the use Of being so
awfully solemn about it? OF course
don't mind saying, Blake. that you've
upset me some. l put you down as a
kind of freshman saint, and was be-
ginning Oh, well, what difference
does it make? l don't see that you've
done anything so awful. Why, l 60 to
those shows right along. and ! don't
see that they hurt my moral character
any. Can't spoil rotten apple, Ell?
That's what you're thinking''
NO." replied Edward painfully; "1'm
not thinking about you. I'm thinking
more about what your mother
"I'll never tell her." interrupted Will
lis hastily. And then as he saw that
Edward did not mean that he added:
"Mother always used to take me to the
theater when was boy. don't sup
pose we noticed things that seemed q
little out of place to you. Regular the
ater goers take certain kinds of CONVEX
sation and certain situations for grant
ed. They don't expect anything else"
Edward did not reply to this, and
finally Willis slowly came over tC
where Edward was standing and DELHI
erately held out his hand. AS he spoke
Edward remembered long afterward
when other events came on to dull the
memory of this scene that his room.
much real feeling.
81 don't believe, Blake. that another
man in college would have done what
you've done. I'm SO much worse in the
way of actual moral looseness than
you ever dreamed Of being that would
be fool to think you had gone down
very deep. Why, you're regular saint
yet compared with me and lots of the
other fellows. want to tell you
don't think any the worse Of you for
telling me. I'd thought good deal
worse Of you If you'd kept still and let
some one else do the telling. You needn't
worry about me. understand all
right"
Edward never said word as he
shook Willis hand. He was still in the
valley of humiliation, and while Pres
toms frank statement relieved him Of
part Of his feeling, he still felt too hum
BILE and sober over 1t all to make any
promises for the future or ask his
roommate to show any more confidence
in him until time should prove that he
was worthy of it.
The whole affair left both of them
more thoughtful. There was this diff
ference: Edwards thoughtfulness staid
with him as days went by. Willis
was apparently the same careless, hap
py-go-lucky fellow next day that he
had always been. Only, Edward had
again seen his deeper life and knew
that it was there in spite Of appear
ances.
So with the beginning Of the new
year Edward Blake, college student.
faced new possibilities. He did not
even make any resolutions. He simply
faced a white page, and without def.
nitely saying that he would or would
not do certain things he felt hopeful.
When, the afternoon of the next day,
hn h0 Il DO l. =