The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-24
HIS IDEA OF DIPLOMACY.

I nave begun 20 blur ana Iade sudden
] and unexpected meeting with some al
/ most forgotten classmate or teacher Is
/ likely TO give him pleasure none the less
keen because touched with vague re-
grets fer the hardening influence OF
| years.
! Simon V1Gsworth. manager, was glad
/ when he n5 on his desk a card an
/ noUnctng that Henry Clay stone atter-
ney IT law, New York City, would call
/ again at o-clocz in the afternoon.
Why, its dear Old Hatchet. unused
the young manager. think Of that old
| Iowa mummy being leading New York
/ lawyer. I wont do thing 70 him
/ Henry Clay Stone had been professor
| Of political economy in the little Iowa
I college where Sim Wadsworth laid the
foundation OF his education. Tai, angu-
lar. and spare Of frame, kis mind as
sharp as his thin face, pale gray eyes
straight, weak. yellow hair, garments OF
faded black and habits Of ascetic severity
such was Wadsworth's mental picture
OF his former professor. And yet he had
tender recoliections Of the young-old ped
agogue. He had been so just in his Sc
verify, so patient in his toll, so blame
/ less in his person life. that it was impos-
sibe for the warm-hearted manager to
cherish an unkind thought OF odd
Ratchet" And now he was coming to re-
new their old acQuaintanceship, with all
the mysterious barriers between teacher
and pupil removed.
At O'Clock the office boy raped on
the door and announced Mr.. Stone. The
prosperous man who came smiling into
the private office, with hand outstretched
was stout rosy and bald. Nadsworth
looked him over for 4 moment and then:
wen, I'll be bowed he snorted I
was going TO call you Old Ratchet just
TO see how you'd take it. but III have
| 10 change it TO Old Sledge Hammer -
NO, no. Sim; make it Old Hatchet, "
| laughed the visitor; 1T does me good 10
! hear that old nickname again. So you
think I've changed?'
Changed Why, you're not the same
man. You look like a bloated plutocrst, -
said Sim. What's become Of all those
Progress and Poverty ideas you used 10
hammer at rs? Now that you're a cor
poration lawyer, 1 suppose you can find
all sorts Of excuses for the octopus"
Wadsworth locked up his desk, took his
cid prcceptor Ia Che club ana laughed
with uproarious glee when the once alb
stemiOus Stone ordered Scotch high-balls
and drank them with every evidence Of
familiar enjoyment. "Old Hatchet"
laughed too. quietly refiectivcly and
sometimes. when the smile faded and the
shadows came across his face, Sim could
see again the pinched, hard look, the
half-scared, half-judicial expression that
had made Professor Henry Clay Stcne
the dread of the unruly lads of the little
Iowa college
TIE talk drifted back, as such talk al
ways does, to the old days, to this fellow
and that fellow. to the tricks that had
been played and the triumphs achieved at
school; how some of the brightest boys
had failed and fallen, and how the ounces
had won their way.
Take It all around said Wadsworth
at last my recollections Of the old col
lege would be absolutely pleasant II It
hadn't been for that last year. You re-
member, Stone, there was a thief among
the students?'
Yes, yes, 1 remember" said the law
yer. his face looking gray again, and
sad in the fading light. You never did
find out who it was did your
No; that was the worst Of it. always
suspected poor Timmons. He was an aw-
full liar. and as poor as a church mouse,
but we never had any proof. For while
nearly every man IN my class was under
surveillance. 7 guess the fellows would
have suspected me, except for the fact
that Z was the thief's principal victim"
How much did he get from your" ask
ed Stone.
About 500 IN six months. He began
by picking my pockets at night. Then
I lDChrQ NY money up III iHN tIuikr bNt II
made no difference. It disappeared from
the trunk as readily as from any other
hiding place. I must say that the thief
whoever he was, was something of an
artist ia that line: seemed to have keys
for everything and covered up his tracks
in a way that would have done credit to
q professional"
Two hundred dollars is good bit Of
money for a schoOlboy to spend in a few
you didn't suffer any by its loss, did you,
Sim?"
Suffer? No. I didn't need It. Indeed.
7 guess was better off without il. The
only feature of the whole business that
made me tired was losing my watch
You know that YVES taken the night Of
our last commencement. Mother gave it
to me. 1t was kind Of heirloom, and I
was 50 anxious TO get il back that l Of
fered a reward OF SO and put up a pla-
card in the lecture hall. You remember
that placard. don't you? Il was pasted
near the blackboard, just inside the door.
Lord, 1 can see il now"
and you never got trace OF ft?' Old
Ratchet was sitting back in his chair
now. staring at the brIe veil of tobacco
smoke that drifted and swan about their
heads.
Never n trace. and never will, 7 guess.
II poor Timmons took it, he sold #. for
he never was quite sure where his next
meal was coming from. And he's welcome
20 IL for that matter. and the money, too
if be got that"
yves. that was a sad year for all Of us
guess murmured Old Ratchet. Il
had a hard struggle myself You remen-
Der I was finishing my law course that
year. and Ike poor Timmons. I didn't
know where my next meal was coming
from Many time have lectureG 70 YOU
chaps about political economy when the
proverbial 81 cents would have made me
feel richer than thirty thousand can row.
7 would have failed in my law studies
that year II it hadn't been for you,
Sim"
For me, why. what or earth-
Just a minute SIN. / was fat h-0ke
the end Of that first term. NY pay for
teaching was all hypothetical. Ny Old
father was in the hospital and every
dollar I could get hold of went for doc
tors bills and board Ter him When he
died I got into the hole so deep 7 saw
that I must quit the Law, and I got thin
Worrying over it. -
..vV0v in the deva didn't you come 70
me- Ny old man was rich. md you knew
IT. ana Ia have been glad 10 get him 20
help you out. why didn't you come ID
rao2"
Il did. sin. resumed old Ratchet Il
Clu1e 30 YOU uuE 3oa utnn Know IT,
When / took the arst SO ban out Of
your
You didn't 10 airy such a damned
thing snapped Wadsworth-
ron. yes. did~ quoth the Old professor
-r,ie4f-- Il took every cent YOU lost
end Chere he fur1tied in his pocket.
@aad tie watch. Here Il t.
Wordsworth was dumb and pale when he
saw the old tiute-riacs lying on ere Ia
hla. well. III BE- hioTcc
he looked with pay and forgiveness
AZ old Eatchet pat she latter only
smiled above the rim % his seventh hish-