Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-09-10
HIS Z Q S TR UNI

There was silence for a few nc
ments. Hunt sat still and looked Den
J. sive. He had never been able to get
"a Job. His wife kept boarding house
and it was said that Tad was her mai
OF dffairs-that is to say, her steward
But as a matter of fact, Mrs. Hun
O could not trust Tad
"lt's queer world" he said, draw
Ing a knife from his pocket and open
r Ing 1t; men and women everywhere
and nothing but men and women, and
p nearly all of 'em making one another
miserable and nothing to show for II
but the grave at last. The places that
knew them once know them no more
forever, and the sun rises each morn
and sets each night. and none of the
questions of man is answered. Talk
Of the sphinx. Why, every blade Of
! grass Is sphinx and holds n secret.
There Is not star In heaven that we
are not obliged to question. And what
answer have we? Silence. Silence"
J He was tracing a little border on the
box, made of an INTERVENING of figure
Us, and the man who stood near
watched him and was much interested:
so much so that another man who
wasn't doing much either stopped, too,
and watched the making Of the border
Tad looked up and nodded to him.
ut is astonishing" went on Tad, ito
see how men toll and toll. This man
has one scheme,and the next man has
another. Yet talk with any man over
forty and you find him to be grave
yard Of blasted hopes. The struggle
has been in vain. Even success proves
to be failure, for no man makes sue
cess which satisfies him.
"And yet it is the destiny of man to
aspire. Some great power beyond him
self drives him on to hope He must
rise. He is part Of the scheme of ev-
olution and cannot help himself any
more than as II he were a mollusk in
the sea. He Is driven to settle Ameri-
ca, invent machines, to make laws
adapted to wider ideas of liberty. He
congratulates himself on his improve
ment, but he has really no call to con-
graduate himself. He is driven by the |
winds Of destiny"
He did quite strip of the border In !
silence, wiped his forehead on his shirt
sleeve-for he wore no coat-and re-
peated with pensive accent
Driven by the winds Of destiny"
These remarks were repeated about
town by those who listened to them.
Tad Hunt is quite philosopher in
his way" they said. Tad had stayed on
he box the first day till noon and re-
:urned at 2, after which he left the
pot at 5:45. The next morning he was
IN hand at 8. Brown thought it looked !
ather businesslike to have crowd
bout his doors and didn't object much.
Besides, he enjoyed Hunts reflections,
which came nearer being thought than
nythlng Brown had met with for
ONE time. He almost thought himself
he listened to them and summoned
rom that unused chamber politely
nominated his mind sentiments of
pproval or disapproval. AS time went
Hunt improved in appearance. To
sure he was no more particular
bout buttoning his cuffs, nor was he
ore addicted to the wearing of coats,
ut a certain look Of fire and enthusi- l.
mn came to his eyes, such as may be |
zen in the glance of popular actor Il
preacher. He walked down the 4
rect to his box mornings with an s
ert step. He became eager for his au- /
ence. Sometimes he returned in the
ening and talked till time for shut I
1g up shop. I.
AS the years rolled by his audience NJ
anged, but he seemed to always be \,
lie to secure a hearing from some 4
e. Thus it came about that he sat
rched on his place of preaching for
lrteen years and differed from the
st Indian mystics who do similar l.
ngs principally in the facts that he
mt home to his meals and that he
sired to disseminate his views.
)ne morning Hunt came from his
use to the store. There he stopped
If paralyZed. A cold perspiration
pit out on his forehead. He grew
and then white. For the box was
he. The pulpit was destroyed The
n place was overthrown. There was
rowd about him presently, chatting Wa
! and roaring, but Hunt seemed to ha
L nothing. He looked about in utter lll
may. sal
hen something remarkable hap -
ell. Tad brought a suit for damages 5
Inst Brown. The court had to &C. wa
lily consider the case, and Tad Hunt vac
his own counsel and put up an san
luent argument. So the court grant of
lm the suit and gave him a penny. ma
way Hunt felt himself indicated. :"
that didn't restore his box. for he the
been unable to secure a mauua. ..
Tor its return. SO he walked about you
y for Il few days, looking detached i
e Il protorlasllI cut off from it's pan
particular shiny oozc.-and at last pha
ed indoors ut home. After that the Yor
'dtrs began to leave. Yuu one dnv
Hunt broke up house ald took
away with her On The train They
say where tAey were going. The va