The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13

tender supplication for the sick relative Of
zone who serves in this household" and
we learned that ne had been conversing
with the housemaid who attended to his
room, having traced some expression of
sorrow on her face, and found out that
her mother was i'll. While we, the heads
Of the household. had known nothing about
the matter. and while we imagined that
a scholar would be only distantly aware
that a housemaid had a mother, 1t was
palmer than ever that we knew nothing
whatever about great scholars. The public
function for which he came was an over
whelming success, and after the lapse Of
pow many years people still remember
that man of amazing erudition and
grandeur of speech But we, being simple
people. and especially certain lad. who
is rapidly coming now TO manhood, remem-
Der with keen delight how this absurd
scholar had hardly finished afternoon tea
before he demanded TO see the mice, who
were good enough TO turn out from their
nest. mother and four children, and hav-
ing rotated, the mother by herself, and
the children by themselves, and each one
having rotated by itself. all whrled round
together in one delirium of delight partly
the delight of the mice and partly of the
scholar.
Having moved us all TO the tears Of the
heart by his prayer next morning. for it
was as the supplicat1on of a little child,
so simple, so confiding, so reverent and
affectionate he babe the whole household
farewell, from the oldest to the youngest,
with a suitable word for each, and he
shook hands with the servants. making
special inquiry for the housemaids mother.
and-there is no use concealing a scholars
disgrace any more than another mans
he made his last call upon the Japanese
mice, and departed bowling at the door,
and bowling at the gate of the garden. and
bowling before he entered the cab. and
bowling his last farewell from the win
dow, while he loaded us all with express
sions of gratitude for our ''gra cious and
unbounded hospitality which had refreshed
him alike both in body and mind And
he declared that he would have both that
hospitality and ourselves in cordial re-
membrance."
Before we retired to rest 1 had ap-
preached the question of his expenses, al
though L had an instinct that our scholar
would be difficult TO handle and he had
waived the whole matter as unworthy of
attention. On the way to the station I
insisted upon a settlement. with the re-
suit that he refused TO charge any fee be
ing thankful if his remarks" for he re-
fused to give them the name of lecture
had been of any use for the furtherance
Of knowledge, and as regards expenses
| they were limited to a third-class return
fare. He also explained that there were
charges he in
cars and not in cabs, and any gifts he
| bestowed (by which L understood the most
generous tips to every human being that
served him in any fashion, were simply a
private pleasure of his own. When / es-
tablished him in the corner seat of third
class compartment with his humble lug
gage above his head, and an Arabic book
in his hand, and some slight luncheon for
the way in his pocket. ne declared that
he was going to travel as prince. Be
fore the train left an old lady opposite
him in the carriage should say a trades
mans widow-was already explaining the
reason of her journey and he was listen
ing with benignant interest.
Three days later he returned the fee
which was sent him. having deducted the
thrd-class return fare. thanking US for
that he would count it a shame TO grow
| rich through his services to knowledge.
| Some years afterward / saw him in the
! distance. at a great public meeting. and
| when he mounted the platform the huge
| audience burst into prolonged applause
| and were all the more delighted when he.
who never had the remotest idea that peO-
| pie were hOnoring him. looked round, and
! catching sight of a pompous nonentity who
followed him. vigorously clapped And the
only other time and the last that | saw him
| was on the street of a famous city, when
he caught sight of a country woman dazed
| amid the people and the traffic, and afraid
| TO cross TO the other side. WhereupOn
| our scholar gave the old woman his arm
| and led her carefully over; then he bowed
10 her and shook hands with her. and 1
watched his tall form and white hair till
| he was lost in the distance, and l never
saw him again, for shortly after he had
' also passed over to the other side.
| Next Week:
News of a Famous Victory"
| Copyright by ID. T. Pierce All Rights
| Reserved