The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-04-11
THE MAKING Of JONES.

Perhaps Jones accepted life in too
serious a spirit; perhaps he was over
sensitive and over modest; perhaps he
attached an undue Importance to certain
emotions which in the breast Of ordinary
men are transitory, but certain it is
that the days OF his early manhood were
deeply tinged with blue; and he fell
backward in the fight for place, and
permitted bitterness to enter his heart,
although it passed not his lips, that he
loved sincerely and with consistency
unwavering.
Those who knew Jones in his early
days found in him source of merri-
ment Poor chap. Every shaft of cheap
village wit found him vulnerable, and
when he struck back, which was not
often, he did it with such gentieness
and awkwardness that he appeared
quite ridiculous. His love affair with
Mary Brown furnished amusement for
two summers and two winters. 1t was
not much of love affair, Beyond the
fact that he was smitten by the girls
charms, which were many, both OF
mind and body, it was not Outwardly a
love affair at all.
There are reasons for thinking that
had the girl not sickened he would have
asked her to marry him, and would have
been refused. But the sickness came
while the words were yet unspoken, and
one day he was missed. He had gone
West, his mother said vaguely to those
who inquired. She was afraid he would
never return. He was good boy, she
added, her voice breaking slightly, but
he had never seemed able to get along
with the people. He was not under
stood. She had hoped to see him and
Mary Brown married, but he had spoken
to the doctor about it, and the doctor
had discouraged him. 1t was not right,
the doctor said, for folks with con-
sumption to marry. She was glad he
had not proposed to the girl: it would
have made it SO much more painful for
the girl, poor dear.
More than one young man left the
village that year to seek his fortune, as
the saying is. 1t was like other villages
"a place to be born in and to be reared
in: that is all. 1t offered no encourage
ment to the ambitious. Occasionally
one of its sons, battered and bruised by
the outside world, came back, haitingly
and trembliEgly, to die; but few return
ed to live. Some of these young men
went into the market places, some into
ClC SOlu ICluS. SOulC uClC 6tuo oOulC
there: but two of them enlisted in the
service of their country And it came
to pass, not strangely at all, but natur-
ally, that they met at an army post in
the far West, and accosted each other
fervently and with joyousness. One of
them bore the red cross on his sleeve,
and the other touched it lightly with
his finger when the long handshake was
over
How did you come to get into it,
Jones?" he asked.
There was the slightest of uninten-
tional emphasis upon the pronoun, and
Jones sensitive lips quivered for an
instant.
Il don't really know" he replied; sit
just happened so. When l left home
seven years ago ! went to work in a
drug store at Davenport. 1t was not
very good job. The druggist laughed
when | applied for it. He said he want
ed boy. Still, he would rather have a
big chap like me if | would be satisfied
with the pay. | didn't promise to be
satisfied, but | took the place. | was
tired of looking for work. and the little
money | had was getting alarmingly
less. That was the beginning. In two
years by hard study | was registered
pharmacist and getting fair wages, but
l wasn't happy. | don't suppose I'll
ever be regularly happy, although I've
been nearer that way since | got into
this than | ever was before | never
knew before what it was to have any
ones face light up with welcome when
they saw me coming. / never knew be-
fore what 1t was to have my fellow men
cling to me and depend on me, and it's
SWeet-SWeetp'
He drew long breath as if inhaling
a peasant fragrance. and there was a
far away look in his ewes. akin to
rapture.
Il studied medicine after | received
suddenly recalling himself Il covered
the course in two years, and got my
permit to practice: but somehow-the
same old reason, | suppose-no one
seemed to care whether | practsed or
not. For few months drifted around
looking for a location. OF course |
didn't find it. Young doctors have to
push III these days, and couldn't push,
| wanted to settle down, but couldn't
settle Ia any place where the people
wasn't glad to see me. Finally chance
took me in hand. ] saw placard at
the door of recruiting office, and /
Went IN. 1t was matter of sheer i'm
pulse. There were vacancies in the
medical corps. My credentials were
good. | enlisted
Il am glad you are here, Jones'" said
the other, and he looked at the tall, sun
Drowned surgeon admiringly This was
not the Jones of seven years ago. The
old Jones had shown few qualities to
inspire respect, and this was a man
who had proved himself worthy of
many things. He was not to be laugh
ed at now
Il am glad to have seen you," said
Jones, ''but | leave here tonight, while
you''-he glanced significantly at the
low buildings about the parade ground
will probably remain for some time.
| am off on special duty. l may return
here and | may not. 1t makes little
dl1ference anyway. Since mother died
| have nothing to
He turned away his head, and his
shoulders shook. His mother had died
IN the first month of his absence. He
had not learned of her death until his
letter, written after securing work in
the drug store, had been returned to
hlm with the word deceased" written
appropriately in blue across it's face.
Presently he recovered himself.
II may as well tell you where | am
gong, he said. Possibly some of my