The Washington times., 1901-11-10
Loves Mysterious Ways

sician, Adrian Chaplin. of RoXmond. The
elder Chaplin had the artistic tempera-
ment without the physical stamina to
make il a force in the world. Mrs. Chaplin
had the physical stamina without the ar
tistic temperament He had to stay in
the mountain region because of his
health; she preferred RoXmond, because
she was born there. 1t was a scant liv-
ing at best but they got along. There had
been another Mrs. Chapin. but she died
shortly after the birth Of Richard. and he
was brought up in the home very decided
ly presided over by the second wife. He
had escaped most of his fathers frail-
ness, while inheriting his mental quail
ties, and he had received from his mother
that inherent refinement which lies deeper
than polish. Ordinarily he might have
grown uD to be an average weakling,
with the usual lazy ambitions that
amount to nothing. because they have
neither force nor purpose behind them.
Just there was where his stepmothor was
an angel in disguise. She believed in ac-
uvity OF the practical sort, so Richard,
instead of day-dreaming. cut wood, and
ran errands. and got good strength in his
legs and lungs. His disposition was to-
ward that buoyant thought which sees
visions of fame and wealth in Clouds and
wonders why it results in dyspepsia. Mrs.
Chaplin the second thought more of the
garden and Tho rent and the woodpile
than she did of clouds
So Richard Chaplin found himself of "a.
at last, strong In mind, body, and soul,
and he owed IT all to his stepmother max
Ing him do so many things in the open
air when he wanted to be dreaming In
solitude and meditation. He had taken
lessons from his father and he was an
accomplished performer on several instru-
ments, especially the piano and the violin
but a musical career did not appeal to
him, because he knew the poor rewards
and the sufferings that went with it. In
the Towering Of his more mature intelli-
gence there came to him hunger for
reading, a passion for study along broad
lines. He could not go to college. but he
could know the books that the colleges
use. and he made friends with the head
teacher Of the school. who had spent four
years In one of the universities, and at
times he taught school. There was IL
brary in the town, and this furnished him
with much material, and il was there he
used to meet tall young woman, with
brown eyes and chestnut hair, who seem
ed to the keenly interested in all that was
newest in literature. She was the daugh-
ter of Robert Dillingley. the capitalist,
who owned one of the mansions on the
mountain side, and her first name was
Laura. Richard went to the library Oft
ener than he really needed to--not that
he expected to speak to her. but just be-
cause he liked to be there when she came
or went. Socially, the distance between
the Dillingley mansion and the little side
street cottage Of the Chapins could not
be measured in earthly miles.
And yet it was Miss Laura Dillingley
who caused Richard Chaplin to leave
home and country. 1t happened this way:
Mrs. Dillingley had been dead two years,
and Mr.. Dillingley decided to give a par
ty in honor of his daughter. Being an
impetuOus man, he tried to bunch all his
arrangements. and fate went against him.
His musicians missed the only train that
could get to Roxmond in time for the
dance. Then he thought OF Prof. Adrian
Chaplin.
Professor" he said, there viii be a
lot of people at my house tonight, and l
haven't any music. If you can scare up
passable accompanist, and make it violin
and piano, IN give you SIS for the even
ing s work.
Mr.. Diliingley mistook the expression
that swept over MIR. chapin's face and
quickly added, IF you'll do it, III make
It fifty-yes, I'll make it fifty"
Fifty dollarsi 1t was wealth-positive
wealth. And he and Richard could do it
all. All, art is long, but there are re-
wards, there are rewards!
To Richard It was a new world, a
world of brightness and cleverness, q
world that brought out the best instead
of hiding it in poverty hollows-and he
felt that he ought to be sitting by Laura
cssf
earn paItry $50 which meant nothing TO
those before him-by drawing a bow
across the strings. She looked so fine !
that night-her face the ideal OF womanly
tenderness, her smile all that was heav-
enly on earth, her bearing the grace OF a |
goddess come down from d masters can J
Yas-and there she was approaching the I
piano about to speak to him.
PLAY that last waltz again, please"
and he played it-oh, how he played it, /
That night out Of his romance came a I
fine resolve. To remain in ROxmond /
meant the side street-to go into the |
world meant dangers, but with them pos |
sibilities. With his own scant earnings |
he went straight to Washington and took |
a civil service examination for a minor /
position in the Philippines. He passed al |
most first and so excellent was the i'm /
TO write home before he was being whirl- |
ed to San Francisco to catch an army |
transport for Manila II was a few /
months before the Commission was sent |
out tc establish civil government in the !
islands.
He arrived at the right moment, and he |
had the wisdom to devote himself prompt |
ly acquiring all the Spanish he could. It |
was not surprising that in less than a |
year he was called from a clcrkship TO an |
important position in the school system |
taen being organized for the new wards |
OF the nation. He rose splendidly to this !
life, gloricd in It. loved It. Many around /
him were homesick, but he had found the |
world he wanted. There were no acci- /
dents of birth. no family poverty. TO keep /
him physically. mentally, or socially in |
the side street now.
He was placed in charge OF one OF the !
outlying distrists. In two months he I
made a record In adapting old buildings F.,
TO school uses, in keeping them clean and |
attractive and in making them popular /
with the parents as well as the children
He did so well that the authorities at |
Manila moved him to a more important
district.
On his tour Of inspection he arrived at
pne of the larger towns, and went at once
TO the house where he had been told he
would find the best accommodations. At
the table he looked up, and his fork fell
from his hand.
He could not believe his eyes; it was
preposterous, grotesque, wildly imposs!-
BILE. utterly incredible that Miss Laura