The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-28

What have you been doing these seven
years.?
eve been reading Catullus,' replied
Norton solemnly. do you still think
he's slow?'
Tn afraid I do said Sterling laugh
feelings, old mani
You lie,' said Norton softly. He's
interesting.
=" Now look here, my boy began
Sterling
"Afraid?' asked Norton.
''They met the next afternoon in q
private room at Nortons athletic club.
Sterling had been enjoying the good
things of life since he left college. He
was a beautiful big butt of man, but
with even more waist than chest. He
smiled little when he saw Norton
without his clothes Then he had no
more chance to smile. Norton thumped
him joyously in the stomach and then
proceeded to his face with a reminiscent
look in his eyes Sterling shut his jaws
and struck blows that would have killed
an OK Norton put them coldly aside,
closed both of Sterlings eyes, broke his
nose, split both his lips cut his face to
a beefSteak and pounded his ear to the
size and shape CT a summer squash.
/" tNough? asked Norton at the begin
ming of the sixth round:
OIeEltnS DcllOWSQ n0dFS6ly anu nuT1eQ
| himself on Norton. Twelve seconds later
his seconds gathered him up. frcm the
floor and carried him out. Norton was
a trif1e warm, He made his toilet leiS-
urely and looked in where Sterling's
seconds were working over him.
Hope you're all right, old man. said
Norton heartily.
"Yeth, thank you,'s answered Sterling
through his pulled lips.
sVViIl Won lao so kind asked Norton
as to present my compliments to Mrs
Sterling?'
"sWith pleathure,' said Sterling without
emotion. Then they shook hands all
around and Norton strolied down stairs.
They didn't see one another again for
eleven years. Norton went to work like
q man with load off his mind and be-
came a successful surgeon i'll Boston
Five years later Sterling went to the
Civil war as lieutenant and came home
after two years colonel with bullet
hole through his chest. Norton had
charge Of a Washington hospital through
the war. At its close he went abroad for
rest, which he took mainly pounding a
golf bali In Scotland. One day, out on the
links. he felt a hand on his shoulder and
turned to confront Sterling.
Hello said Sterling, 'how's Catul-
lus?'
Morton had been thinking of g. good
many Things In the last eleven years and
he looked at Sterling moment or two
| before he answered.
Good Lord he said then Dead
dead and buried long ago.
I'm not so sure. said Sterling
| thoughtfully.
"They met in London a week later
| The professional gentlemen who assisted
| at the affair spoke of it with awe during
the rest Of their lives. 1t lasted from 2
o'clock in the afternoon till q quarter
past 8. Just before the latter hour Nor
ton got up off his knees and promptly
tumbled over on his nose Sterling look
| ed at him a moment and then tumbled
over on top Of him. Sterling raised his
head when his seconds came to him, but
| Norton slept peacefully. The doctors did
the rest In Sterling's case it took them
two weeks, in Norton's nine.
| Sterling came back to New York and
they made him congressman on his wal
record. Norton did well in his profession
in Boston, though people who knew him
well said he had secret grief. After
three years he came to New York and
asked Sterling his opinion concerning
/ Catullus. He went back home with 9