The Jennings daily record., 1902-08-29
An Egotist and a Woman
BY JESSIE LLEwELLYN.


BY JESSIE LLEWELLYN.
copyright, 1902. by Daily Story Pub Coz
at was sad affair."" he said.
"Yes" She regarded him curiously.
So this young man, known to his linn
tied circle of friends as THE Egotist."
possessed sympathy.
They sat on opposite sides of the
long table in her fathers library. At
the farther end of the room the CRATE
IRE had gone out, but she did not
ring; it might encourage him to stay
after he had told the story. Perhaps
he was not the egotist that people
thought him to be. He seemed TO
feel the tragedy in what he told-else
why should he be telling it?
~And you knew him very weN?"
she asked.
"Oh, very well-in a business way.
The governor used to rely on him.
Afterwards when l took on the busi-
ness, I kept him-out of kindness,
you know. I'm soft-hearted chap"
"Yes, know" she interrupted. "He
was incompetent? You felt sorry?"
"'Not that exactly, oh, no. He was
a good man-student and digger
great chemist. l appreciate digger.
/ even took him over to the club for
lunch once or twice. He was nat
ural gentleman. Then. anyway. I'm
a humane chap at heart-regular
democrat, you know"
''You say he was very gifted scien-
tist?" she asked quietly.
'He was that. We paid him big.
ger salary than any esstract house in
the world ever paid a chemist. The
governor and l always looked out for
good men-.and paid for them. l can
tell man Of brains the minute lay
eyes on him. It's just natural for me
to know one on sight-funny isn't it?"
Very" she replied.
I'm queer contradiction" he ru-
minated, absently crushing some rose
petals on the floor with his wide foot.
Il was never before SO shocked to
hear of suicide. He had often spok-
en- to me about himself when he had
one of those melancholy attacks.
encouraged him, for I'm an easy sort.
Fellow can move me to tears and not
half try. You see he had married
girl-well-the good fellow type.
Said he owed it to her after pro-
nounced attentions had made people
talk. She told him that. He felt sor.
ry for her-acted the fool as those
studious chaps always do, and married
her. Now, i"
'And she?"
"Went to the other extreme From
being too-er-jolly she overdid re.
spectability. Joined woman's clubs
and things-that sort was the best she
could do. Developed into shrew.
''Do you know what I'd do if l found
myself married to shrew? oh,
What did he do?"
..Oh, he!" A grave expression came
over the young mans round face. He
turned his profile toward her-he had
a good profile-and passed his fingers
through his front hair, careful not TO
u.- range it. LAS l SAID before. he
was one of those fine, super-sensitive
souls; the kind that Suivers at a
rough word. l always know how to
deal with that kind of man. Now
most people do not-but-weil-yO
wouldn't think tim naturally OF
the artistic temperament myself
funny with ny business ability, isn't
it? l could ae, you know, that the
woman was living him to the edge OF
his nerves. that she was killing him.
Never saw such picture of misery
as he gre to be. Always looking off
somewb .re and not hearing anything
that v ent on around him. We grew
intir Ate-1 may say very intimate.
He was a gentleman, you know, al
v 4ys without cent. but a gentleman,
md although he was only a salariel
man in the house actually grew fond