Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1902-01-11
Story of a Worth
less Fellow 3 Q 3
BY JOHN H. RArrERx.

IF THERE are any sufficient reasons
why e married man should 60 into
the army, Louis Tsppan had them. his
five years OF married life had been 8
cumulative failure and be knew IL.
What was more important. however,
his young wife knew and charged the
whole score of their mutual 6isap-
pointment 70 him. Their one child,
now = teething baby, had not healed
their ehafed spirits nor brought to
gether their wandering hearts. Mrs.
Tappan was a good little woman, 80
good that she neither sympathized
with nor understood Louis puerile
ways. his passions for excitement, his
slavery 20 habits that were neither
necessary 20 her happiness nor war
ranred by his slender means, even in
the days when he earned a good salary
aS boOkkeeper for the Buena Vista
bank.
Her father owned the little town
where they lived. but he was one Of
those stern men who. having made
their own way In the world. would dis
courage and resent the idea that they
should give aid 10 others in the Sight
for independence or wealth. When
Louis married Lucy Harding he admit
ted 20 himself that the old bank pres
| ident was "a crouch" but In those days
/ his self-confcence was not shaken by
| the prospect of working out a way for
himself and Lucy. For a year he car
ried out his good resolutions. and even
won q measure OF Mr.. Harding's
grabbed regard. During that year the
young people were fairly happy. The
entering wedge of misery came when II
dawned on Lucy that Louis didn't have
any religion and couldn't get" any
When be heard that she had him
| prayed for" he lost his temper and
they had their first quarrel.
After that his descent was rapid.
They drifted further and further apart
The boy the WAS only 23) lost his grip
on good resolves and slid along ;he
smooth and winsome current Of his
Old. free habits. The row with HARD
ing didn't come till the second year,
but after that Louis place in his IA
/ thsr-in-.aw's bank became precarious.
The old man warned. threatened and
even prosecuted him in the mistaken
belief that he could scare the young
| husband back into the narrow path.
| But Louis didn't scare worth a cent.
Long before the baby came he was ia
debt. neck and crop. His wife was
getting morose and quarrelsome. and
his creditors were beginning TO tail
about going TO the old man" Ever
that didn't move the rascal. He began
20 think that he was the martyr Of as
i 10 HfHuf
understand him and that her fathel
was determined 10 break up uniOs
that he had never approved. When 1
, man gets TO coddling himself with sucl
assurances he's in a bad way. AnS
. | Louis was in a bad way even befor'
, the grocer, who was a deacon in Hard
i ing's church. made what Louis Gales
"a holler" about his bill.
That settled the young man viii
Papa Harding. A months notice,
threat Of starvation aad 8 humble,
: imprecatioB were what the bookkeep
er got with his next pay envelope. Aft
er ne was out Of his position he mad
few feeble efforts to find work; h
made trip TO Chicago, and in a wea
way determined 20 take his wife an
4 a 1O&Af LOT cA%CW ne
But somehow the world seemed TO hay
suddenly grown very narrow and sell
fsa. His comrades Of disxipated day
: and nights couldn't help hin turtle
taan 10 hope the old man will com
round all right" and buy anothe
drink. Harding didn't come round. II
: ignored his son-in-law when they ms
: on the street. aud only when the Chi
, was born did he insist on taking cha r.
OF Lucy. After she was taken to a
Harding home Louis heart began ,
: fail him. He discovered that he va
fond and apt 10 grow fonder of "a
chfid--a BOY. Broken in spirit an
pocket. he swore he'd mend his wa,
% and find work. But there was non
he went 10 Chicago. met an old eos
panion. forget his troubles for . nigi
and day and came to hls dreary sens
= sn the blue, Iil-Etssng uniform OF
y rookie
- He had . vague idea that he wea
= ~ggn his way" ~ soldier 20 the VI
~ - 49, - 60