Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-11-21

not need a larger one Young
" lawyers seldom do. There are
several good reasons why they
| don't. but that has nothing TO do with
this story.
The Office was also an inside one
that is, ii looked out on court. a great
well-like space bounded by four walls
not blind, blank walls. but walls fair
ly bristling with staring, impudent win
dows
Behind those windows myriads of
busy men and women worked at
schemes by which they hoped to enrich
themselves and, sometimes, incidental
iy To lmpoveriSh others; schemes
far-reaching In their consequences as
the stone which, thrown into a stream,
sends a ripple to the farthest shore.
Still, though these schemes may nave
been interesting to a thoughtful man
making study OF the great tragi-com-
edy of life, neither the walls nor the
windows We're particularly so. Yet
O'Neill passed large part of his time
gazing intently at the window opposite
his own
Time and again when he had seated
himself at his desk, determined to add
chapter to the book destined to bring
him fame and what was of even more
vital Importance, to pay his most press
ing bills. he found bis gances wander
ing across the space which separated
him from the desire of his eyes
Il wish she'd move her desk, " he NUT
tered half angrily one day as he found
himself as usual watching instead of
working watching the slender. mod
estly dressed girl who sat in the win
dow working so busily that she had no
time to discover that opposite her was
a young man whose valuable time she
was wasting. Or if she had she haG
never revealed the fact But the WAYS
" a maid with man are not always
simple and she may have been wiser in
her generation than he knew
He had scarcely uttered the wish be-
fore he was fearful that it might come
TO pass. so he cried out hastily. as if
anxious to propitiate some jealous
eavesdropping god who might take him
at his word No. | don't I'll take it
all back, dear little saint" In fairy
tales men have been granted thought
less wishes to their own uudoing and
she was the princess of his fairy tale
hardly knew He certainly could not
have told why if asked Yet he felt
that it suited her better than any other
name he might have used Perhaps it
was because she never seemed conscious
of him saints have a way of ignoring
poor mortals; perhaps because she part
ed her dark hair. Madonna wise. over
her rather pale face in fashion that
added solemnity to its youthful seri-
BUSINESS, perhaps because the man who
sometimes stood near her, debating let
ters to her looked such a sinner that by
the law Of contrast he made one think
of saints
O'Neill, at least. thought he looked
like a sinner and one for whom there
was no hope.
old satyr," he growled at him as.
watching from the shallow depths of
his bare little Office. he saw him lay
too familiar hand on the girls shout
der. Il don't like his polygamous eye
brows. BY Joye' What a scoundrel."
For the satyr had suddenly stopped and
kissed the saint,
O'Neill saw the start which showed
how unexpected the caress was. could
almost hear the frightened exclamation
with which she sprang to her feet, In
another moment she stood with her hat
on, covering her typewriter. and then
she was gone.
The young lawyer was hot with rage,
fiery with righteous Indignation He
flung himself into the corridor and
started around in blind zeal to do some
thing, anything The need for action
was strong within him. But before he
made the first turning he felt how inn
portant he was for he realized instinct
lively that the saint would shrink from
the publicity of a scene.
But he was determined that she
should work no more for that man if
he could help it. Doesn't a saint be-
long to the one who worships? And
have not men of all times and of all ma
tons come forth gladly TO death rather
than have their idols dcsecrated?