Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1902-10-03

MANY MEN of
MANY MINDS
By EDITH WYATT
Copyright, 1901, bp s. s.


silent streets and empty lots, stand
several large frame houses, with pick
ct fences, built before the fire. Tall
poplar and cottonwood trees hang
clouds of pale, gllmmering foliage over
the wooden sidewalks. An occasional
electric car with one or two pnsseri-
| gers shrills past under the rustiing
shade, and cows are sometimes pas
tured on the frequent brown lots.
In one of the houses Of this place
there lived two American gentlemen,
different as the poles, Judge Amos
Parker and Mr.. Paul Haviland. Judge
Parker, the house owner, an old set
tier was n plain man, the father of q
large family.
His wife had died when the children
were little. His sons were gone into
business In distant towns, and his
daughters, combining piety and hlrta-
ton In nelghborlng church, had
sported actively through their respec-
tive courtships till they were all mar
ried and gone, and their father was
left alone with Edna the servant girl,
and Nick, her brother, who had ac-
companled the family when they
moved from Indiana forty years ago.
Judge Parker was n ponderous, easy
going man, of tremendous legal infor-
nation, with long, white face and
almost no nerves. lie scarcely per-
ha IA.
house, and he did not miss his family
too sensitively, as when they were
with him he had been only very slight
ly acquainted with them.
His taste was not for men as indlvid-
nails, but in bulk. He loved the public
anu public life, and he would have pre-
ferred almost any discomfort out OF
doors or in IA hall to sitting In Il parlor
through an evening.
The judge could not for an instant
bear exclusive society. Indeed, the
only moment when he experienced I'M
easiness was when he was forced 'EA,
the presence OF group OF people sew
lected by delicate social tact instead
of by the rude hand of chance or pollt
ical organization. If he had no lecture
no Republican rally or q. A. r. meet
ing to attend, he would go out and sit
on the fence OF his grass plot to smoke
and to talk to Nick or to any casual
loafer.
Paul Haviland, ON the other hand,
enjoyed almost no society but that OF
his betrothed. Margaret Alden, and a
literary friend Richard Elliott.
He read law in the law office OF
Judge Parker's former law firm for
three winters IL was during this time
that he lived with the judge, to get far
away, he sald, from the CRIME and sor.
didness Of the city, and In the even.
ings. while the Judge was Off with the
public IN the CRIME and sOrdidness. no
sat In the old Parker house and wrote
long interpretive letters to Margaret
Alden and composed verses called
"Retrospect" circumstance" or ar"
which gave its name to his volume Of
collected verse
II had known-bah-thereI II Isl
What does II matter now2
Yet this pressed spray OF clematis
Again reminds me how
But, never mind-its gone and past.
What does Il matter now2
Had you but spoken or not stayed
There on the lawn with her
This ClemHtls had been, / wis.
different messenger
Perhaps-hclgh hot The play IL done
And you In Peshawur.
II they had told me what was true
Or had eyes to See
Earnest been gone or II been you
There on the lawn with me
Bah! What's the odds2 Or rose or rue
What Ia the odds to me2
Richard Elliott wrote n preface al
most entirely Of margins for the book
commenting favOrably Oh the re-
stralnt suggcstiveness and perfect
good breeding OF Mr.. Havlland's lines
and Paul had great fun In his own
way IN writing them In the evenings
while the judge had great fun IN his
own way In secondlng motions and In.
Producing politicians In long. heavy
addresses ut political clubs.
II was curious circumstance OF
Paul's art that, while he himself was
OF very sensitive and lmpresslble
nature, the attitude he chose to assume
IN his verse. one described by Richard
Elliott In magazine article on "Ilav.
Hand and Indlfferentism," was exactly
Judge Parkers attitude, and that gen.
tleman might have asked with far
more sincerity:
Bah! What's the odds2 Or rose or rue
What II the odds to meY
In the spring Of Paul Havlland's
stay at the old Parker house Margaret
Alden came TO visit Chicago, and at
the time OF her visit she and her lover
passed through long period OF mental
suffering.
Their trouble arose on the day OF a
heavy spring rain. They were to have
met In the Art Institute, and Paul
HavIland. supposIng that Margaret
Alden would not keep her tryst In the
worst storm Of the year, had not kept
his.
lie was overwhelmed with contrition
at his mistake when he visited her In
the evening.
But when he said, ut never occurred
10 me that you would be there" md
she replied, "Where there II a question
always do the more strenuous thing"
he was wounded He dislilsed being
less strenuous than any one, even than
! Margaret Alden. He did not enjoy
himself In her presence M he Ordinn-
riIy did, and he began thinking that
the first beauty Of their feeling had
vanished and wrote verses called
1.-THE Lost Treasure" ASHES" ana
"Disillusionment."
Meanwhile Margaret wrote In her
diary:
april IA.
paul was here today, but not the
Paul OF yesterday. Something n gone
between us-just what cannot say,
but something.
HE has, Of course, failed me ana
can never be again TO me what he was
before his reconsideration Of todny.
"DO really love him when cannot