The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-08
the VERY HUMBLE MAN.


kept him from the gathering Of friends,
and he went almost lonely through the
world. At 80 he was still as nervous as q
boy. He had ability. but he himself decried
it, Always. all round him, he let himself
believe that he saw better men. who breast
ed noisily through the difficulties In their
way. He prayed very bitterly sometimes
for a share of that braggart. conquering
spirit which seemed to be the right of
others. But the next moment he told
himself that the others had that spirit be-
cause their brains gave them the right
to 1t, and that he was better as 1t was.
There was nobody or nothing, you see,
to spur him on. Once. centuries ago, the
world had been very good. and his heart
had jumped with each waking morning. as
he said to his open window that today his
chance would come. And when the evening
came and the horrid routine had been gone
through once more, he would fill his pipe,
saying:
"well. of course-my chance will come
tomorrow"
1t was a sad evening when the chances
of that hopeful tomorrow at last faded
utterly away. The conviction came to him
one night when the leaves rad fallen In
the country, and there was a chill in tho
air. and cabs rolled iole.uily along the
damp wood paving. An air of misery sat
upon the long half-empty street, which
suited well his spirit Of the moment. Henry
Batchelar felt that the world had wronged
him somehow. He was conscious Of a
vague rebellion aycirst things that eve
ning-for the first time In his life. And
in the morning he looked from the win
dow Of his little room on to DESC
late winter garden. The far end was cram
med with crates and packing-cases, sod
den with the damp. Untidy chickens ran
about in a draggled fashion or a queer
lawn which had no grass.
And then, to crown all, while still he
stumbled Through his monotonous. ill-pafd
work, and was deferential to his employers,
the Very Humble Man fell in love.
think that already he was In love, IN
a different way. think, too, that Mrs.
Caversham, his Ian lady Gard twice his
age) was in love with him.
Certainly, If it had not been for her, the
Humble Man would have gone into con-
sumption long ago, through his former
habit of going out in the pouring rain, for
getting his overcoat in his haste to get to
the narrow streets where lived the poor
people whom he loved. Or he would hear
the crying of the paper boy. and, after
debating with himself for several minutes
whether he wanted paper or not. would
at last decide that he did, and chase
the boy through five streets without hat
and in shilling pair of slippers.
Mrs. Caversham had no children of her
| own. Very often in the evenings the Hum
BILE Man came down into her kitchen and
sat before the fire on hard kitchen
chair. smoking steadily, and nursing his
knee in the peculiar way he had. On these
| occasions the Humble Man was at his very
! best The glow of the fire was clear on his
quiet face and sometimes the old dreams
of the coming chance would return to him
and in ..e end he woulu go very happily
| to bed.
| 1t was during one Of these evenings that
Mrs. Caversnam found from his own lips
that he was in love. ne spoke Of her as
an ordinary friend, but his pipe had long
gone out, and now lay forgotten on the big
wooden table, and he praised her to the
| skies.
he said, Its impossible. I'm over 30 now"
1t was this feeling of having been a
failure that hung like a black shadow
round the steps of the Humble Man.
There is no girl" replied Mrs. Caver-
listening to you If you speak to her as
you do sometimes to me. Way don't you
go and tell herr"
He grew uncomfortable at the very idea.
why, that would be what they do in
books" said the Humble Man, laughing,
and knocked his pipe out against the fen
| der, and said goodnight to Mrs. Caver-
sham and went upstairs.
While he was dressing the next morning
the servant girl of the little house brought
up letter for him. and pushed it under
the door. The Humble Man was accus-
toned to get up early, anu dress very
| leisurely, stopping every now and then to
go to the bookcase above his desk and
| OPNAA
them at once where the best things were.
He started this morning with 1.-THE Wan
dering Jew in "Lifes Handicap and fin
| ished with green 'Marpessa." He replaced
them with a sigh that he could not do
work as good. and, turning, saw the let
ter on the floor.
| He opened it quietly. Letters in strange
writing always brought a futter of :he
old hope to the heart of the Humble Man
1t was from a house for which he had
at different times.
read it he knew that the chance so LONG
waited for had come at last The salary
was not much, but it was an opportunity
to get away to a far, smiling cou'.t1y ant
start afresh on work which he did not hate
He felt new energy come into his blood
He looked out of the window. The desc
late patch was a winter garden no longer
the Humble Man invested 1t in his quicl
Imagination with the joy of the coinint
summer. And then IL c";ne to him wit.
a great sense ~ loneliness thar he would
be going away from lisr.
I've a good mul not 10 Co." he sax
} later, to Mrs. Cavcrsham.
. She read !.is mad 1T once.
Don't be silly" she sail. It's what yet
have wanted all rlong. You'll be grea
, man yet. Mr.. Batchelar."
Yes" said Mr.. Batchelar. doubtfuliy.
"At least" urged his landiady. her eye.
perhaps 1 will do that" he said. Yes
think 1 will do that"
So he went to tell her. She :aid ro1teI!
, that she was very sorry.
The light was fading from the prctt!
room. He was railing in his heart am
rrorlng f." ~. r.aso, of nv OF AZ" :!
attitude, toward him, when he had Just to:'
her h. was gong away. Ana .heh TN
r Very l!urab'e Man did (for him. 4 vei!
wonderful thing. The girl had half-turne'
away, but in the dim light he could Sc
: her profile STILL and the somethi'e IN tina
profile. He said, boldly (and
, new and confident manhood surged up Il
him for the first time):
r Yves, I'm going on Wednesday. And
\ will YOU come. dear? Does 1t matter tia
/. we shall be poor?"
! He caught his breath sharpeiy.
"Ob," cried Kitty las If cared fo
that"
After that he did not go from that roor
e inst then as you may be sure. But whe
T. ala no u,anf STRAIGHT home. almOS