The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-24

lou must come again, ne Sdlu, when
Johnnie rose to GO And about the brat?
You are sure he won't be a burden on
yoh?"
Nay" said Johnnie. with rather pc
culiar smile, ''the FOOLS folly is surely his
own"
Then he went out into the bitter east
wind, and the door of Paradise closed be-
hind him, and all at once he was weary
again and sick unto death.
Ill
Darling. did L ever tell you of an original
whom fell in love with in the spring just
before We were engaged" said Lord Wey-
bourne, one autumn day at the close of his
long, sweet honeymoon.
You've told me so many things" replied
Lady Weybourne. smiling. But l don't
remember anything about an original"
So Lord Reybourne told her about John
ME. and of how he had scorned any idea of
help.
Il suppose he didn't want it," said the
young man. He was all right as to dress
But. my dear cried the beautiful BRIDE
Il expect he did want it,
For she was a clergymans daughter, and
though her father was dean and lived i'm
clover, time wnen he had been a poor
vicar. and Lady Weybourne had felt the
pinch of poverty and knew what it was TO
pretend that an extra knife and fork made
no difference, though it did-it did, she said
passionately to her husband.
Lord Weybourne was quite surprised. He
was not selfish, nor thoughtless, nor hard
hearted; but he had been rich all his life
and he simply could not imagine what it
was 10 be poor-even when his bride took
pains to explain to him that some people
have only eco or 93O0 year. and that
every leg of mutton and every loaf OF
bread and even every potato costs a definite
sum. Il asked him to come again." said
Lord Weybourne, apologetically.
But Lady Weybourne knew also what it
was to be proud, and she teased her hus-
band till he took her back to London AMI
to call at the little house beyond Lille
bridge whose address Lord Weybourne had
preserved. There they heard a story which
made Lady Weybourne weep unaffected
~, and caused Lord Weybourne to look out
of the window with his back to the COM
pany.
Yes. my boy is very ill.," said Mrs.
Wright. II was always uneasy about him.
well enough till that terribly cold night ne
passed with little Percy in that empty
house. He got a bad cold and a pain In
the chest, which he didn't tell me of, and
when he came away from dining with you.
my lord. he had no greatcoat. and ne in
creased his cold. and next day he was down
with pneumonia. Well, l needn't tell you
all the details. He stuck to the office when
he got better, but / saw how it would be,
and a month ago he had to give 1t up"
But is he so very HIP cried Lord Wey-
bourne. wheeling round.
He is dying said the mother. quietly
why didn't he come? Why didn't ne
writer" cried Lord Weybourne. distractedly
MY lord, it had nothing to do with YOU"
said Mrs. Wright at was his own doing,
and it was a mere chance you knew any
thing about it. 1t isn't the expense of little
Percy L think Of it's my boys life. But
no one could save that. 1t was his death
blow when that man Stevens put his hand
his arm. He couldn't stand privation,
and the cold and the hunger did it. oh, no,
don't you be sorry, But will you come and
see him."
Lord Weybourne found Johnnie in the
next room. dressed. but emaciated, and too
feeble to rise The strong young man took a
seat by his side and attempted TO express
his sorrow and contrition.
Il oughtnt to have let you bear the bur-
den alone, he said. But | never thought
of it. You held your head so high, my dear
fellow, you"
81 didn't want to seem poor" said john
ME. Now L begin to think it's false pride.
Why shouldn't you know mans poor as
well as that he's consumptive. However,
if ID told you, you couldn't have saved me.
1t was my own stupidity" he said, but
it isn't every piece of folly that's punished
so straight and soon.''
Wright" said Lord Weybourne, when
/ look at you can hardly bear to think of
my own happy, jolly life. Why didn't you
let me do something for your
But you did, said Johnnie, laying his
wasted hand on the others arm. L used to
walk through Queens Gate every day, and
/ used TO long-oh, you don't know how 1
used to long-to dine once in one of those
houses and be a gentleman. if only for one
evening. And you gave me my hearts de-
sire. and 1 enjoyed it. 1 enjoyed it," he re-
peated, smiling. Don't you think / owe
that fellow Stevens something for having
given me py chance?'