The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-28
J5toLeno
Thunder
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ITS QUEER how some of thes
brightest, best college fellows fa
to "land" when the real struggl
begins. Take Ingham, for instance, h
was the star of every year from fresh
man to graduating, a football hero an
a man among the many men of hi
year. And yet when he left college an
started In ION his own hook" so
speak, he didn't seem to be appreciated
His mother said he was too modest
his father said he was a dreamer an
Mary Franz, who had worshiped hir
at school, said: "Give him time; he
a bit slow, but hell get there
She went to Chicago to study musi
the same week that saw Ingham in
stalled as clerk in the bank of Cres
ton. clerkship In a country banl
isn't calculated to emblazon the geniu
of any man, but the job looked allur
ing to Ingham, who was poor, and h
| took it because he loved his nothe
and wanted to nurture her in her oil
| age. He wrote queer, rambling letter.
to Marie every week. and in answer go
words of cheer, praise and encourage
| ment. She told him that Chicago wa.
the place" and that half the success
full men might go to school to him will
profit.
When Ingham's mothers died he hat
few hundred dollars saved up, and the
funeral expenses left him enough to pay
his way to the city. 1t took him three
weeks to find employment, and then he
was a bit ashamed of his position
Bill clerk in soap factory is not the
situation calculated to thrill the vanity
of a college graduate, but Inghan
could have borne his humiliation better
If visit to Marie had not been a neces-
sity of his life. He concealed from hei
the fact of his presence until he had
found work, and then, with a swelling
heart and a sense of his degradation
he called at her address in Woodlawn.
What are you going to do, Joe?"
she asked.
II don't know exactly" he said, flush
ing with the memory of his soap fac
tory. "You know, Miss Franz, L"
Miss Franz!" she calculated; since
when. pray? Here 1 am calling you
Joe and you come back with Miss
Franz Now. don't do that, Joe"
"Well then, Marie" he resumed the
pallor Of hope whitening his good face.
'.Well, you know 1 haven't much choice.
It's case of work with me. l haven't
a sou, you know, and whatever I do-at
first anyway-must be for the money
there is in it.. I've got place"
Good for you," she laughed. Good
boy. And you just came. l told you
it was only a question of nerve"
81 think / have that" he was saying,
but she ratified ahead.
90 ,,1;n ot-
already a rising-some say a brilliant
young lawyer. Why. you always ex-
celled him at college. didn't you, Joe?
OF course he's a lovely fellow Qng-
ham WINGED again) and like him ever
so much, but the point is, he's no
than you, is he?"
"Why, l didn't know Hughes was
here" said the diffldent Joe, his gorge
rising at the thought that perhaps
Marie had seen so much of his old
classmate that her interest in himself
was secondary; "do you see much of
hia?"
"Yes, we're great friends, you know:
that is-well, he calls about twice
week." and her big blue eyes studied
the carpet until she felt that Joe was
looking at the clock. Then she re-
sumed:
by the way, can't you come to our
Club meet Thursday? Char
Mr. Hughes is to be there. and you
ought to begin to mix a little, as they
'all it. He's going to give reading OF
some sort. You and 1 can 60
will you go with me?" Joe was
alert now.
you may be sure / will"
So they agreed to go to the Brown
ng symposium, and Ingham went
home with a new hope and an indom-
table determination in his guileless
leart.
They were lin the westbound cars,
'adant, expectant and happy, going to
he club, and sure of the old camera
lerie, when Ingham, seeking for a
opic. said:
"By the way, Miss Marie"
Just Marie will do" she corrected.
"All right, Marie, but talking of
iughes-you said he was on tonights |
'rogra mme-do you remember the
medal he got for that essay junior
carp"
"Yes, indeed, it was about woman,
wasn't it?"
vas, The Christian Mother How do
ou like that?"
1T was grand! Don't you remember
ow everybody carried on over it?
Why, ! never did take any interest in
'har-Mr. Hughes-tll he delivered
hat GRAFTON. Don't you know how
mamma cried over it? 1t was n glor-
ous thing! I never suspected that he
ad so much soul, did you?"
well, he never had, as a matter OF
act" whispered Joe Ingham, handing
he conductor a dime. Fact is,
'rote that Grafton myself wrote it for
i'm because he was eaten up with a
esire to get q medal. You know he
ever had much ability, and his father
'as everlastingly nagging him to dis
nguish himself. He did distinguish
imself that night--with my Grafton.
ont begrudge him the honor, but he
ever showed me any gratitude On
lie contrary. he always boasted that
o man of '99 could have written such
masterpiece"
why, Joe," said Marie, coming clos
:, with her face drawn and her eyes
road. "Joe, you don't mean it? Why,
wasn't honest; it was fraud; sure
Charley Hughes wouldn't have
ooped-"
"oh! 1t was all right to palm off
lie oratlon. Marie, but it was the wayI
2 acted afterward that hurt me. You
now the last time he was at Creston
= never so much as called to see me-"
And little Marie, wondering and flut-
red, waited till they were off the car
efore she said:
Joe, I'm sorry ! didn't know you
nd Mr.. Hughes We're on bad terms.