The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-04
!, c AAMDR nMCE !,
~ BY FRED WtslSkaANN
COPYRIGHT 1885 By ne AMERICAN
CHAPTER 1.
THE MISSING COUNT.

= II CHAPIES i.
TEE MISSING COUNT.
1t was in the pavilion at Lords
! that received the telegram which has
Il in way transformed my life, and it
all happened like this: We were play
ing our annual match against the M.
{ @. g. 81 but stay. You don t know as yet
who tive are. Let me explain. eve"
4 are Tor, alas were, in SO far as / am
concerned the boys Of Toddlestone
school, and it was our glory, as well as
the dread ordeal of those who took part
in the match, to appear once in the
year at Lords cricket ground, general
y about the first days of the summer
\ holidays, in order to exhibit our pro-
4 dclency IN the great game before the
Il syes of a delighted and admiring world.
Well, it was my last term at school
for was in my eighteenth year and
was due at Oxford in October and l
think perhaps dear old Adkins may
have allowed this fact to influence him
little when he gave me my colors
emitting me to play at Lords. After
much vigorous play we won the game
by four wickets, in which made my
first and only century.
Then came the congra tulations at the
pavilion, following the cheers that greet
+ the path of him who retires in glory
from the wicket; then the refreshing
shower bath and the sense of conviction
I that this is the supreme moment Of
ones life, and that if it were not for
Z the hopes and anticipations that lurk
In the word varsity one might ap-
propriately lie down to the cadence Of
.Nunc dimittis'' and wake no more.
And then, just as-with many elated
and Joyful school companions-I pre-
I pared to depart for that dinner which
was to crown. the glorious day, then
he telegram.
\ .sBy George. Boris,' said some one
III q the pale, unwholesome looking docu-
~, ent was handed to me, "your friends
pretty smart with the congratula-
pns. The match must have been re-
=. Srted in the evening papers. didn't
8 - bow we were to be SO honored. Did
nn.sspu, Adkinsf"
al 81 didn't know old Boris was going
make centuryl' said Adkins.
= tore open the envelope and read the
!, Elissive.
.ne "Good Lord, what's the matter
uels cook at the color Of his facet" heard
4me one say.
sout Let me sit down . -ainute and
.or Ink said I.
Sat and reread my telegram, while
n Hood in my head seemed to surge
Sptevent my brain working suffi-
ue7a lily to grasp the meaning of the
1g1s' he message ran thus:
canfnk Countess Landrinof, st. Petersburg, to
- -, INT Boris Landrinof Toddlestone:
" me to me as soon as possible. Will have to
Inc II Am in terrible distress about your father.
extentWhat is 1t, old MANI Not bad news,
and gpe, :" said Adkins.
swarGysH eaven only knows what it meansl''
Sprt iurmured. ''Read it, will you? My
disti III seems to buzz go. Is my poor IA
armta dead, do you think?"
piact believe / burst into tears or made
lock- Elf otherwise supremely ridiculous.
SPIRIT sudden blow was too much of q
wersS4bk for me in the midst of my deliri-
fiintI sjoy:
and ldkins read the message.
SOM oh, no, old man, he said soothing
at 81 should say certainly not that
THEFT by this telegram. Cheer up. Well
stYlsre at once for more news
Yes, we'll do that I said. "I'm
soJry Pm such a fool, but didn't
know the old man was even ILL.,
tsPerhaps it's only money" suggest
ed lTdogood.
ion, no, it can't be that. sighed
It Gould not. was sure; for my father