The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-26
A QUESTION
The Story Of a Man Of
Principle.
BY EUPHEMiA JOHNSON

Lawrence Percival was keeping
study" in the big school. Boys were at
their desks with their books or were
working together In little groups at the
long table. They were free to move
about and even to speak, il necessary.
for Percival never insisted on military
restraint. All he required was quiet and
work. Percival himself sat little to
one side with bis own books and pa
pers. ready to help any boy who might
come to him with a knotty point. His
letters had just been brought to him,
two Of them. He had only opened the
first, but that had seemed to give him
plenty to think about.
Lawrence Percival was the son of a
bishop distinguished for learning and
1t had been expected that
he would enter the church. and his bril-
liant gifts and great personal charm
caused his friends to prophesy for him
q career Of even more distinction than
the bishops. But shortly after he had
taken his degree his father died, and
that autumn, instead Of entering the
divinity school Lawrence began to
study law. He explained frankly to a
few Intimate friends that. great as was
his love for the church In which he had
been brought up, he did not feel be
could subscribe to all the pledges she
required Of her ministers. His friends
pointed out that the words were no:
expected to be taken literally and that
he could take the VOWS 10 Tar better
faith than many men who still gave ex-
cellent service to society and the Chris
tian religion. But Lawrence's decision
remained unchanged. and his friends
soon gave up demonstrating. After
ALL" they observed to each other. 'law
offers greater chances .toSa fellow az
able as Percival."
But Percival did not remain long in
the law school ITS not the place for
me-" he said at the end OF the first
year. Il can't stand the point Of view.
and don't like grubbirg down under
the darker side of human nature"
He turned next to journalism. Al he
had made himself rather well known IN
his college days by editing what was
said to be the best undergraduate pub
lication in the country. he had several
openings. He accepted place on the
staff Of an important daily aud at last
seemed to have found bis proper cor
ner. But in the excitement of polit
ical contest the paper stood for pol
icy which Pcrcivai's Judgment aut
conscience condemned. and lie decide,
to sever his connection with it. This
time his friends demonstrated hotiy
They pointed ont that his department;
had no connection with politics. thai
he was perfectly free as far as his owl
work was concerned and that he would
be throwing up an unusual chance OF
personal distinction and public useful
ness. Percival smiled. sent in his letter
of resignation-it gave full statement
of the reasons for his action-and en-
gagged himself as tutor to the sou Of q
new blown millionaire. He went abroad
with his charge and was gone some
time, alternating travel with residence
in English and German university
towns and having opportunity fol
study and for writing. Finally. after
several years in Europe and the orient
he came home. passed his pupil into
Yale, declined two offers from news
papers and q college instructOrship and
took a position as master in large
school for boys to which one Of his
best friends had just gone as head.
Here he bad now been for nearly
three years. At first the life had SUITED
him-he was in sympathy with thu
head and the other masters. several o.
them men from his own university
The boys were a fine. manly set Of fel
lows, and Percival, who was cham
pion tennis player and capital stor!
teller, was soon as popular with then
as he had always been with his contem
poraries. Yet now for q year past h
had been moving heaven and earth &
get away. and that was all because o
Lillian Campbell. He met her one sum
mer vacation when be was campin,
with a set Of boys In the mountains
Lillian was visiting Ia a country hous
near by, and Percival found her differ
ent from any woman he had eve
known. The daughter OF a marine art
ist Of some reputation, she had beel
brought up in great retirement on tn
beautiful coast that was the inspiration
of her fathers paintings. Books. pic
lures. a few interesting and unusua
friends. a summer or two in Britain.
and Norway. were all she knew OF tn
world. Her quickness OF Imagination
her playful. delicate wit aud seusitiv
responsiveness charmed Percival a
their first meeting. and by the end o
the summer they were engaged.
Then, for the first time in his life
Percival became aware of the value
money. Hitherto he bad thought YER
little about it. He had always ha
enough to buy his clothes in the righ
place and to secure himself freedom o
action. Now he found that il he wer
to think of marriage he must at th
least double his income. This had seem
ed when he had engaged himself fes
sible thing. but at the end of the frs
year be found himself as far as eve
from his aim. There were but remot
prospects Of advancement where
was. and yet nc. better place Offered
Moreover, his articles began to com
back from editors in a way that ha
never happened before. Evidently
he should continue routine work in
country school he must not expect
| increase his income by his pen.
By the second year Of his engage
ment things we're even worse. Lillian
father died suddenly. leaving her 81
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